72 research outputs found
Mass and angular momentum loss during RLOF in Algols
We present a set of evolutionary computations for binaries with a B-type
primary at birth. Some liberal computations including loss of mass and angular
momentum during binary evolution are added to an extensive grid of conservative
calculations. Our computations are compared statistically to the observed
distributions of orbital periods and mass ratios of Algols. Conservative Roche
Lobe Over Flow (RLOF) reproduces the observed distribution of orbital periods
decently but fails to explain the observed mass ratios in the range 0.4-1. In
order to obtain a better fit the binaries have to lose a significant amount of
matter, without transferring too much angular momentum.Comment: 6 pages, 5 figures. to appear in the proceedings of the meeting
Massive Stars in Interacting Binaries, eds. N. St.-Louis and T. Moffa
Blue supergiant progenitor models of Type II supernovae
In the present paper we show that within all the uncertainties that govern
the process of Roche lobe overflow in Case Br type massive binaries, it can not
be excluded that a significant fraction of them merge and become single stars.
We demonstrate that at least some of them will spend most of their core helium
burning phase as hydrogen rich blue stars, populating the massive blue
supergiant region and/or the massive Be type star population. The evolutionary
simulations let us suspect that these mergers will explode as luminous hydrogen
rich stars and it is tempting to link them to at least some super luminous
supernovae.Comment: Accepted for publication in A&A; accepted versio
Spin-up and hot spots can drive mass out of a binary
The observed distribution of periods and mass ratios of Algols with a B type
primary at birth was updated. Conservative evolution fails to produce the large
fraction with a high mass ratio: i.e. q in [0.4-0.6]. Interacting binaries thus
have to lose mass before or during Algolism. During RLOF mass is transferred
continuously from donor to gainer. The gainer spins up; sometimes up to
critical velocity. Equatorial material on the gainer is therefore less bound to
the system. The material coming from the donor through the first Langrangian
point impinges violently on the surface of the gainer or the edge of the
accretion disc, creating a hot spot in the area of impact. The sum of
rotational energy (fast rotation) and radiative energy (hot spot) depends on
the mass-loss rate. The sum of both energies on a test mass located in the
impact area equals exactly its binding energy at some critical value. As long
as the mass transfer rate is smaller than this value the gainer accepts all the
mass coming from the donor: RLOF happens conservatively. But as soon as the
critical rate is exceeded the gainer will acquire no more than the critical
value and RLOF runs into its liberal era. Low mass binaries never achieve
mass-loss rates larger than the critical value. Intermediate mass binaries
evolve mainly conservatively but mass will be blown away from the system during
the short era of rapid mass transfer soon after RLOF-ignition. Binaries with
9+5.4 solar masses (P in [2-4] d) evolve almost always conservatively. Only
during some 20,000 years the gainer is not capable of grasping all the material
that comes from the donor. During this short lapse of time a significant
fraction of the mass of the system is blown into interstellar space. The mass
ratio bin [0.4-0.6] is now much better represented.Comment: 12 pages, 7 figures, accepted for publication in A&A; accepted
versio
Mass loss out of close binaries. II
Liberal evolution of interacting binaries has been proposed previously by
several authors in order to meet various observed binary characteristics better
than conservative evolution does. Since Algols are eclipsing binaries the
distribution of their orbital periods is precisely known. The distribution of
their mass ratios contains however more uncertainties. We try to reproduce
these two distributions theoretically using a liberal scenario in which the
gainer star can lose mass into interstellar space as a consequence of its rapid
rotation and the energy of a hot spot. In a recent paper (Van Rensbergen et al.
2010, A&A) we calculated the liberal evolution of binaries with a B-type
primary at birth where mass transfer starts during core hydrogen burning of the
donor. In this paper we include the cases where mass transfer starts during
hydrogen shell burning and it is our aim to reproduce the observed
distributions of the system parameters of Algol-type semi-detached systems. Our
calculations reveal the amount of time that an Algol binary lives with a well
defined value of mass ratio and orbital period. We use these data to simulate
the distribution of mass ratios and orbital periods of Algols. Binaries with a
late B-type initial primary hardly lose any mass whereas those with an early B
primary evolve in a non-conservative way. Conservative binary evolution
predicts only ~ 12 % of Algols with a mass ratio q above 0.4. This value is
raised up to ~ 17 % using our scenario of liberal evolution, which is still far
below the ~ 45 % that is observed. Observed orbital periods of Algol binaries
larger than one day are faithfully reproduced by our liberal scenario. Mass
ratios are reproduced better than with conservative evolution, but the
resemblance is still poor.Comment: 11 pages, 6 figures, accepted for publication in A&A; accepted
versio
The Evolution of Massive Stars. I. Red Supergiants in the Magellanic Clouds
We investigate the red supergiant (RSG) content of the SMC and LMC using
multi-object spectroscopy on a sample of red stars previously identified by
{\it BVR} CCD photometry. We obtained high accuracy ( km s) radial
velocities for 118 red stars seen towards the SMC and 167 red stars seen
towards the LMC, confirming most of these (89% and 95%, respectively) as red
supergiants (RSGs). Spectral types were also determined for most of these RSGs.
We find that the distribution of spectral types is skewed towards earlier type
at lower metallicities: the average (median) spectral type is K5-7 I in the
SMC, M1 I in the LMC, and M2 I in the Milky Way. We argue that RSGs in the
Magellanic Clouds are 100deg (LMC) and 300deg (SMC) cooler than Galactic RSGs
of the same spectral type. We compare the distribution of RSGs in the H-R
diagram to that of various stellar evolutionary models; we find that none of
the models produce RSGs as cool and luminous as what is actually observed. In
all of our H-R diagrams, however, there is an elegant sequence of decreasing
effective temperatures with increasing luminosities; explaining this will be an
important test of future stellar evolutionary models.Comment: Version with eps figures embedded can be obtained from
ftp://ftp.lowell.edu/pub/massey/rsgs.ps.gz Accepted by the Astronomical
Journa
Mass loss out of close binaries
In a liberal evolutionary scenario, mass can escape from a binary during eras
of fast mass transfer. We calculate the mass lost by binaries with a B-type
primary at birth where mass transfer starts during hydrogen core burning of the
donor. We simulate the distribution of mass-ratios and orbital periods for
those interacting binaries. The amount of time the binary shows Algol
characteristics within different values of mass-ratio and orbital period has
been fixed from conservative and liberal evolutionary calculations. We use
these data to simulate the distribution of mass-ratios and orbital periods of
Algols with the conservative as well as the liberal model. We compare
mass-ratios and orbital periods of Algols obtained by conservative evolution
with those obtained by our liberal model. Since binaries with a late B-type
primary evolve almost conservatively, the overall distribution of mass-ratios
will only yield a few Algols more with high mass-ratios than conservative
calculations do. Whereas the simulated distribution of orbital periods of
Algols fits the observations well, the simulated distribution of mass-ratios
produces always too few systems with large values.Comment: 6 pages, 6 figures, accepted for publication in A&A; accepted versio
Cepheid Mass-loss and the Pulsation -- Evolutionary Mass Discrepancy
I investigate the discrepancy between the evolution and pulsation masses for
Cepheid variables. A number of recent works have proposed that non-canonical
mass-loss can account for the mass discrepancy. This mass-loss would be such
that a 5Mo star loses approximately 20% of its mass by arriving at the Cepheid
instability strip; a 14Mo star, none. Such findings would pose a serious
challenge to our understanding of mass-loss. I revisit these results in light
of the Padova stellar evolutionary models and find evolutionary masses are
()% greater than pulsation masses for Cepheids between 5<M/Mo<14. I
find that mild internal mixing in the main-sequence progenitor of the Cepheid
are able to account for this mass discrepancy.Comment: 15 pages, 3 figures, ApJ accepte
Tomographic Separation of Composite Spectra. IX. The Massive Close Binary HD 115071
We present the first orbital elements for the massive close binary, HD
115071, a double-lined spectroscopic binary in a circular orbit with a period
of 2.73135 +/- 0.00003 days. The orbital semiamplitudes indicate a mass ratio
of M_2/M_1 = 0.58 +/- 0.02 and yet the stars have similar luminosities. We used
a Doppler tomography algorithm to reconstruct the individual component optical
spectra, and we applied well known criteria to arrive at classifications of
O9.5 V and B0.2 III for the primary and secondary, respectively. We present
models of the Hipparcos light curve of the ellipsoidal variations caused by the
tidal distortion of the secondary, and the best fit model for a Roche-filling
secondary occurs for an inclination of i = 48.7 +/- 2.1 degrees. The resulting
masses are 11.6 +/- 1.1 and 6.7 +/- 0.7 solar masses for the primary and
secondary, respectively, so that both stars are very overluminous for their
mass. The system is one of only a few known semi-detached, Algol-type binaries
that contain O-stars. We suggest that the binary has recently emerged from
extensive mass transfer (possibly through a delayed contact and common envelope
process).Comment: Submitted to Ap
The N Enrichment and Supernova Ejection of the Runaway Microquasar LS 5039
We present an investigation of new optical and ultraviolet spectra of the
mass donor star in the massive X-ray binary LS 5039. The optical band spectral
line strengths indicate that the atmosphere is N-rich and C-poor, and we
classify the stellar spectrum as type ON6.5 V((f)). The N-strong and C-weak
pattern is also found in the stellar wind P Cygni lines of N V 1240 and C IV
1550. We suggest that the N-enrichment may result from internal mixing if the
O-star was born as a rapid rotator, or the O-star may have accreted N-rich gas
prior to a common-envelope interaction with the progenitor of the supernova. We
re-evaluated the orbital elements to find an orbital period of P=4.4267 +/-
0.0010 d. We compared the spectral line profiles with new non-LTE,
line-blanketed model spectra, from which we derive an effective temperature
T_eff = 37.5 +/- 1.7 kK, gravity log g = 4.0 +/- 0.1, and projected rotational
velocity V sin i = 140 +/- 8 km/s. We fit the UV, optical, and IR flux
distribution using a model spectrum and extinction law with parameters E(B-V)=
1.28 +/- 0.02 and R= 3.18 +/- 0.07. We confirm the co-variability of the
observed X-ray flux and stellar wind mass loss rate derived from the H-alpha
profile, which supports the wind accretion scenario for the X-ray production in
LS 5039. Wind accretion models indicate that the compact companion has a mass
M_X/M_sun = 1.4 +/- 0.4, consistent with its identification as a neutron star.
The observed eccentricity and runaway velocity of the binary can only be
reconciled if the neutron star received a modest kick velocity due to a slight
asymmetry in the supernova explosion (during which >5 solar masses was
ejected).Comment: 38 pages, 9 figures; 2004, ApJ, 600, Jan. 10 issue, in press
Discussion revised thanks to comments from P. Podsiadlowsk
A New Way to Detect Massive Black Holes in Galaxies: The Stellar Remnants of Tidal Disruption
We point out that the tidal disruption of a giant may leave a luminous
(10^35-10^39 ergs/s), hot (10-100 eV) stellar core. The ``supersoft'' source
detected by Chandra at the center of M31 may be such a core; whether or not it
is, the observations have shown that such a core is detectable, even in the
center of a galaxy. We therefore explore the range of expected observational
signatures and how they may be used to (1) test the hypothesis that the M31
source is a remnant of tidal stripping and (2) discover evidence of black holes
and disruption events in other galaxies.Comment: Four pages with 1 figure. Appeared in ApJL (2001, 551, L37
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