2,661 research outputs found
Ionization structure in the winds of B[e] supergiants II. Influence of rotation on the formation of equatorial hydrogen neutral zones
Context: B[e] supergiants are known to have non-spherical winds, and the
existence of disks that are neutral in hydrogen close to their stellar surface
has been postulated. A suitable mechanism to produce non-spherical winds seems
to be rapid rotation, and at least for three B[e] supergiants in the Magellanic
Clouds rotation velocities at a substantial fraction of their critical velocity
have been found. Aims: We want to find suitable recombination distances in the
equatorial plane of rapidly rotating stars that explain the observed huge
amounts of neutral material in the vicinity of B[e] supergiants. Methods: We
perform ionization structure calculations in the equatorial plane around
rapidly rotating luminous supergiants. The restriction to the equatorial plane
allows us to treat the ionization balance equations 1-dimensionally, while the
stellar radiation field is calculated 2-dimensionally, taking into account the
latitudinal variation of the stellar surface parameters. The stellar parameters
used correspond to those known for B[e] supergiants. The assumptions made in
the computations all have in common that the total number of available ionizing
photons at any location within the equatorial plane is overestimated, resulting
in upper limits for the recombination distances. Results: We find that despite
the drop in equatorial surface density of rapidly rotating stars (neglecting
effects like bi-stability and/or wind compression), hydrogen and helium
recombine at or close to the stellar surface, for mass loss rates Mdot > 5d-5
M_sun/yr and rotation speeds in excess of v(rot,eq)/v(crit)=0.8.Comment: 10 pages, 5 figures, accepted for publication in A&A (03/05/2006),
Eq. (3) corrected, language improve
Structure Formation Inside Triaxial Dark Matter Halos: Galactic Disks, Bulges and Bars
We investigate the formation and evolution of galactic disks immersed in
assembling live DM halos. Disk/halo components have been evolved from the
cosmological initial conditions and represent the collapse of an isolated
density perturbation. The baryons include gas (which participates in star
formation [SF]) and stars. The feedback from the stellar energy release onto
the ISM has been implemented. We find that (1) The growing triaxial halo figure
tumbling is insignificant and the angular momentum (J) is channeled into the
internal circulation; (2) Density response of the disk is out of phase with the
DM, thus diluting the inner halo flatness and washing out its prolateness; (3)
The total J is neathly conserved, even in models accounting for feedback; (4)
The specific J for the DM is nearly constant, while that for baryons is
decreasing; (5) Early stage of disk formation resembles the cat's cradle -- a
small amorphous disk fueled via radial string patterns; (6) The initially
puffed up gas component in the disk thins when the SF rate drops below ~5
Mo/yr; (7) About 40%-60% of the baryons remain outside the SF region; (8)
Rotation curves appear to be flat and account for the observed disk/halo
contributions; (9) A range of bulge-dominated to bulgeless disks was obtained;
Lower density threshold for SF leads to a smaller, thicker disk; Gravitational
softening in the gas has a substantial effect on various aspects of galaxy
evolution and mimics a number of intrinsic processes within the ISM; (10) The
models are characterized by an extensive bar-forming activity; (11) Nuclear
bars, dynamically coupled and decoupled form in response to the gas inflow
along the primary bars.Comment: 18 pages, 16 figures, accepted by the Astrophysical Journal. Minor
revisions. The high-resolution figures can be found at
http://www.pa.uky.edu/~shlosman/research/galdyn/figs07a
Physics of rotation in stellar models
In these lecture notes, we present the equations presently used in stellar
interior models in order to compute the effects of axial rotation. We discuss
the hypotheses made. We suggest that the effects of rotation might play a key
role at low metallicity.Comment: 32 pages, 7 figures, lectures, CNRS school, will be published by
Springe
Mixing of CNO-cycled matter in massive stars
Aims: We test predictions of evolution models on mixing of CNO-cycled
products in massive stars from a fundamental perspective. Relative changes
within the theoretical C:N:O abundance ratios and the buildup of helium are
compared with observational results. Methods: A sample of well-studied Galactic
massive stars is presented. High-quality optical spectra are carefully analysed
using improved NLTE line-formation and comprehensive analysis strategies. The
results are put in the context of the existing literature data. Results: A
tight trend in the observed N/C vs. N/O ratios and the buildup of helium is
found from the self-consistent analysis of main-sequence to supergiant stars
for the first time. The catalytic nature of the CNO-cycles is confirmed
quantitatively, though further investigations are required to derive a fully
consistent picture. Our observational results support the case of strong
mixing, as predicted e.g. by evolution models that consider magnetic fields or
by models that have gone through the first dredge-up in the case of many
supergiants.Comment: 6 pages, 6 figures. A&A, in pres
Mass-luminosity relation and pulsational properties of Wolf-Rayet stars
Evolution of Population I stars with initial masses from 70M_\odot to
130M_\odot is considered under various assumptions on the mass loss rate \dot
M. The mass-luminosity relation of W-R stars is shown to be most sensitive to
the mass loss rate during the helium burning phase \dot M_{3\alpha}. Together
with the mass-luminosity relation obtained for all evolutionary sequences
several more exact relations are determined for the constant ratio
f_{3\alpha}=\dot M/\dot M_{3\alpha} with 0.5 \le f_{3\alpha} \le 3.
Evolutionary models of W-R stars were used as initial conditions in
hydrodynamic computations of radial nonlinear stellar oscillations. The
oscillation amplitude is larger in W-R stars with smaller initial mass or with
lower mass loss rate due to higher surface abundances of carbon and oxygen. In
the evolving W-R star the oscillation amplitude decreases with decreasing
stellar mass M and for M < 10M_\odot the sufficiently small nonlinear effects
allow us to calculate the integral of the mechanical work W done over the
pulsation cycle in each mass zone of the hydrodynamical model. The only
positive maximum on the radial dependence of W is in the layers with
temperature of T\sim 2e5K where oscillations are excited by the iron Z--bump
kappa-mechanism. Radial oscillations of W-R stars with mass of M > 10M_\odot
are shown to be also excited by the kappa-mechanism but the instability driving
zone is at the bottom of the envelope and pulsation motions exist in the form
of nonlinear running waves propagating outward from the inner layers of the
envelope.Comment: 15 pages, 10 figures, submitted to Astronomy Letter
On the photometric variability of blue supergiants in NGC 300 and its impact on the Flux-weighted Gravity-Luminosity Relationship
We present a study of the photometric variability of spectroscopically
confirmed supergiants in NGC 300, comprising 28 epochs extending over a period
of five months. We find 15 clearly photometrically variable blue supergiants in
a sample of nearly 70 such stars, showing maximum light amplitudes ranging from
0.08 to 0.23 magnitudes in the V band, and one variable red supergiant. We show
their light curves, and determine semi-periods for two A2 Ia stars. Assuming
that the observed changes correspond to similar variations in the bolometric
luminosity, we test for the influence of this variability on the Flux-weighted
Gravity--Luminosity Relationship and find a negligible effect, showing that the
calibration of this relationship, which has the potential to measure
extragalactic distances at the Cepheid accuracy level, is not affected by the
stellar photometric variability in any significant way.Comment: 9 pages, 3 figures, 3 tables. Accepted for publication in the
Astrophysical Journa
Rest-Frame Ultraviolet Spectra of z~3 Lyman Break Galaxies
We present the results of a systematic study of the rest-frame UV
spectroscopic properties of Lyman Break Galaxies (LBGs). The database of almost
1000 LBG spectra proves useful for constructing high S/N composite spectra. The
composite spectrum of the entire sample reveals a wealth of features
attributable to hot stars, HII regions, dust, and outflowing neutral and
ionized gas. By grouping the database according to galaxy parameters such as
Lyman-alpha equivalent width, UV spectral slope, and interstellar kinematics,
we isolate some of the major trends in LBG spectra which are least compromised
by selection effects. We find that LBGs with stronger Lyman-alpha emission have
bluer UV continua, weaker low-ionization interstellar absorption lines, smaller
kinematic offsets between Lyman-alpha and the interstellar absorption lines,
and lower star-formation rates. There is a decoupling between the dependence of
low- and high-ionization outflow features on other spectral properties. Most of
the above trends can be explained in terms of the properties of the large-scale
outflows seen in LBGs. According to this scenario, the appearance of LBG
spectra is determined by a combination of the covering fraction of outflowing
neutral gas which contains dust, and the range of velocities over which this
gas is absorbing. Higher sensitivity and spectral resolution observations are
still required for a full understanding of the covering fraction and velocity
dispersion of the outflowing neutral gas in LBGs, and its relationship to the
escape fraction of Lyman continuum radiation in galaxies at z~3.Comment: 28 pages including 17 figures. Accepted for publication in Ap
Intermediate mass stars: updated models
A new set of stellar models in the mass range 1.2 to 9 is
presented. The adopted chemical compositions cover the typical galactic values,
namely and . A comparison among
the most recent compilations of similar stellar models is also discussed. The
main conclusion is that the differencies among the various evolutionary results
are still rather large. For example, we found that the H-burning evolutionary
time may differ up to 20 %. An even larger disagreement is found for the
He-burning phase (up to 40-50 %). Since the connection between the various
input physics and the numerical algorithms could amplify or counterbalance the
effect of a single ingredient on the resulting stellar model, the origin of
this discrepancies is not evident. However most of these discrepancies, which
are clearly found in the evolutionary tracks, are reduced on the isochrones. By
means of our updated models we show that the ages inferred by the theory of
stellar evolution is in excellent agreement with those obtained by using other
independent methods applied to the nearby Open Clusters. Finally, the
theoretical initial/final mass relation is revised.Comment: 35 pages, 24 figures, 4 tables, accepted for publication in the
Astrophisycal Journa
Why a Single-Star Model Cannot Explain the Bipolar Nebula of Eta Carinae
I examine the angular momentum evolution during the 1837-1856 Great Eruption
of the massive star Eta Carinae. I find that the new estimate of the mass blown
during that eruption implies that the envelope of Eta Car substantially
spun-down during the 20 years eruption. Single-star models, most of which
require the envelope to rotate close to the break-up velocity, cannot account
for the bipolar nebula (the Homunculus) formed from matter expelled in that
eruption. The kinetic energy and momentum of the Homunculus further constrains
single-star models. I discuss how Eta Car can fit into a unified model for the
formation of bipolar lobes where two oppositely ejected jets inflate two lobes
(or bubbles). These jets are blown by an accretion disk, which requires stellar
companions in the case of bipolar nebulae around stellar objects.Comment: ApJ, in press. New references and segments were adde
Stellar abundances and molecular hydrogen in high-redshift galaxies -the far-ultraviolet view
FUSE spectra of star-forming regions in nearby galaxies are compared to
composite spectra of Lyman-break galaxies (LBGs), binned by strength of Lyman
alpha emission and by mid-UV luminosity. Several far-UV spectral features,
including lines dominated by stellar wind and by photospheric components, are
very sensitive to stellar abundances. Their measurement in Lyman-break galaxies
is compromised by the strong interstellar absorption features, allowing in some
cases only upper limits. The derived C and N abundances in the LBGs are no
higher than half solar (scaled to oxygen abundance for comparison with
emission-line analyses), independent of the strength of Lyman alpha emission. P
V absorption indicates abundances as low as 0.1 solar, with an upper limit near
0.4 solar in the reddest and weakest-emission galaxies. Unresolved interstellar
absorption components would further lower the derived abundances. Trends of
line strength, and derived abundances, are stronger with mid-UV luminosity than
with Lyman-alpha strength. H2 absorption in the Lyman and Werner bands is very
weak in the LBGs. Template H2 absorption spectra convolved to appropriate
resolution show that strict upper limits N(H2)< 10^18 cm^-2 apply in all cases,
with more stringent values appropriate for the stronger-emission composites and
for mixes of H2 level populations like those on Milky Way sight lines. Since
the UV-bright regions are likely to be widespread in these galaxies, these
results rule out massive diffuse reservoirs of H2, and suggest that the
dust/gas ratio is already fairly large at z~3.Comment: Astron J., in press (June 2006
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