A WFPC2 Study of the Resolved Stellar Population of the Pegasus Dwarf Irregular Galaxy (DDO 216)

The stellar population of the Pegasus dwarf irregular galaxy is investigated in images taken in the F439W (B), F555W (V), and F814W (I) bands with WFPC2. These and ground-based data are combined to produce color-magnitude diagrams which show the complex nature of the stellar population in this small galaxy. A young (< 0.5 Gyr) main sequence stellar component is present and clustered in two centrally-located clumps, while older stars form a more extended disk or halo. The colors of the main sequence require a relatively large extinction of A_V = 0.47 mag. The mean color of the well-populated red giant branch is relatively blue, consistent with a moderate metallicity young, or older, metal-poor stellar population. The red giant branch also has significant width in color, implying a range of stellar ages and/or metallicities. A small number of extended asymptotic giant branch stars are found beyond the red giant branch tip. Near the faint limits of our data is a populous red clump superimposed on the red giant branch. Efforts to fit self-consistent stellar population models based on the Geneva stellar evolution tracks yield a revised distance of 760 kpc. Quantitative fits to the stellar population are explored as a means to constrain the star formation history. The numbers of main sequence and core helium-burning blue loop stars require that the star formation rate was higher in the recent past, by a factor of 3-4 about 1 Gyr ago. Unique results cannot be obtained for the star formation history over longer time baselines without better information on stellar metallicities and deeper photometry. The youngest model consistent with the data contains stars with constant metallicity of Z = 0.001 which mainly formed 2-4 Gyr ago. Even at its peak of star forming activity, the Pegasus dwarf most likely remained relatively dim with M_V ~ -14.Comment: 46 pages, 16 figures, 1 tabl

Dynamical Processes in Globular Clusters

Globular clusters are among the most congested stellar systems in the Universe. Internal dynamical evolution drives them toward states of high central density, while simultaneously concentrating the most massive stars and binary systems in their cores. As a result, these clusters are expected to be sites of frequent close encounters and physical collisions between stars and binaries, making them efficient factories for the production of interesting and observable astrophysical exotica. I describe some elements of the competition among stellar dynamics, stellar evolution, and other processes that control globular cluster dynamics, with particular emphasis on pathways that may lead to the formation of blue stragglers.Comment: Chapter 10, in Ecology of Blue Straggler Stars, H.M.J. Boffin, G. Carraro & G. Beccari (Eds), Astrophysics and Space Science Library, Springe

Relativistic Binaries in Globular Clusters

Galactic globular clusters are old, dense star systems typically containing 10\super{4}--10\super{7} stars. As an old population of stars, globular clusters contain many collapsed and degenerate objects. As a dense population of stars, globular clusters are the scene of many interesting close dynamical interactions between stars. These dynamical interactions can alter the evolution of individual stars and can produce tight binary systems containing one or two compact objects. In this review, we discuss theoretical models of globular cluster evolution and binary evolution, techniques for simulating this evolution that leads to relativistic binaries, and current and possible future observational evidence for this population. Our discussion of globular cluster evolution will focus on the processes that boost the production of hard binary systems and the subsequent interaction of these binaries that can alter the properties of both bodies and can lead to exotic objects. Direct {\it N}-body integrations and Fokker--Planck simulations of the evolution of globular clusters that incorporate tidal interactions and lead to predictions of relativistic binary populations are also discussed. We discuss the current observational evidence for cataclysmic variables, millisecond pulsars, and low-mass X-ray binaries as well as possible future detection of relativistic binaries with gravitational radiation.Comment: 88 pages, 13 figures. Submitted update of Living Reviews articl