Towards Multiple-Star Population Synthesis

The multiplicities of stars, and some other properties, were collected recently by Eggleton & Tokovinin, for the set of 4559 stars with Hipparcos magnitude brighter than 6.0 (4558 excluding the Sun). In this paper I give a numerical recipe for constructing, by a Monte Carlo technique, a theoretical ensemble of multiple stars that resembles the observed sample. Only multiplicities up to 8 are allowed; the observed set contains only multiplicities up to 7. In addition, recipes are suggested for dealing with the selection effects and observational uncertainties that attend the determination of multiplicity. These recipes imply, for example, that to achieve the observed average multiplicity of 1.53, it would be necessary to suppose that the real population has an average multiplicity slightly over 2.0. This numerical model may be useful for (a) comparison with the results of star and star cluster formation theory, (b) population synthesis that does not ignore multiplicity above 2, and (c) initial conditions for dynamical cluster simulations

The nature of the progenitor of the Type II-P supernova 1999em

We present high quality ground-based VRI images of the site of the Type II-P SN1999em (in NGC1637) taken before explosion, which were extracted from the CFHT archive. We determine a precise position of the SN on these images to an accuracy of 0.17''. The host galaxy is close enough (7.5 +/- 0.5 Mpc) that the bright supergiants are resolved as individual objects, however we show that there is no detection of an object at the SN position before explosion that could be interpreted as the progenitor star. By determining the sensitivity limits of the VRI data, we derive bolometric luminosity limits for the progenitor. Comparing these to standard stellar evolutionary tracks which trace evolution up to the point of core carbon ignition, we initially derive an upper mass limit of approximately 12M_sol. However we present evolutionary calculations that follow 7-12M_sol stars throughout their C-burning lifetime and show that we can restrict the mass of the progenitor even further. Our calculations indicate that progenitors initially of 8-10M_sol, undergoing expected mass loss, can also be excluded because a second dredge up sends them to somewhat higher luminosities than a star of initially 12M_sol. These results limit the progenitor's initial main-sequence mass to a very narrow range of 12 +/- 1 M_sol. We discuss the similarities between the Type II-P SNe 1999em and 1999gi and their progenitor mass limits, and suggest that SN Type II-P originate only in intermediate mass stars of 8-12M_sol, which are in the red supergiant region and that higher mass stars produce the other Type II sub-types. (Abridged).Comment: Replaced with accepted version to appear in ApJ, 30 pages, inc. 6 figure

Compulsory Deep Mixing of 3He and CNO Isotopes in the Envelopes of low-mass Red Giants

Three-dimensional stellar modeling has enabled us to identify a deep-mixing mechanism that must operate in all low mass giants. This mixing process is not optional, and is driven by a molecular weight inversion created by the 3He(3He,2p)4He reaction. In this paper we characterize the behavior of this mixing, and study its impact on the envelope abundances. It not only eliminates the problem of 3He overproduction, reconciling stellar and big bang nucleosynthesis with observations, but solves the discrepancy between observed and calculated CNO isotope ratios in low mass giants, a problem of more than 3 decades' standing. This mixing mechanism, which we call `$\delta\mu$-mixing', operates rapidly (relative to the nuclear timescale of overall evolution, ~ 10^8 yrs) once the hydrogen burning shell approaches the material homogenized by the surface convection zone. In agreement with observations, Pop I stars between 0.8 and 2.0\Msun develop 12C/13C ratios of 14.5 +/- 1.5, while Pop II stars process the carbon to ratios of 4.0 +/- 0.5. In stars less than 1.25\Msun, this mechanism also destroys 90% to 95% of the 3He produced on the main sequence.Comment: Final accepted version (submitted to Astrophys J in Jan 2007...

Evolution of Intermediate-Mass Black Hole X-Ray Binaries

The majority of the ultraluminous X-ray sources (ULXs) in external galaxies are believed to be accreting black holes in binary systems; some of the black holes could be as massive as \sim 100-1000 \ms. We have performed evolution calculations for intermediate-mass black hole X-ray binaries, assuming they are formed in dense star clusters via tidal capture. The results are compared with those for stellar-mass black holes X-ray binaries. We find that these two types of black holes may have similar companion stars and binary orbits if observed as ULXs. However, intermediate-mass black holes seem to be favored in explaining the most luminous ULXs. We also discuss the possibilities of transient behavior and beamed emission in the evolution of these binary systems.Comment: 11 pages, 3 figures. Accepted for publication in ApJ

Binary coalescence from case A evolution -- mergers and blue stragglers

We constructed some main-sequence mergers from case A binary evolution and studied their characteristics via Eggleton's stellar evolution code. Both total mass and orbital angular momentum are conservative in our binary evolutions. Some mergers might be on the left of the ZAMS as defined by normal surface composition on a CMD because of enhanced surface helium content. The study also shows that central hydrogen content of the mergers is independent of mass. As a consequence, we fit the formula of magnitude and B-V of the mergers when they return back to thermal equilibrium with maximum error 0.29 and 0.037, respectively. Employing the consequences above, we performed Monte Carlo simulations to examine our models in NGC 2682 and NGC 2660. In NGC 2682, binary mergers from our models cover the region with high luminosity, but its importance is much less than that of AML. Our results are well-matched to the observations of NGC2660 if there is about 0.5Mo of mass loss in the merger process.Comment: 14 pages, 12 figures. accepted by MNRA

Deep Mixing of He-3: Reconciling Big Bang and Stellar Nucleosynthesis

Low-mass stars, ~1-2 solar masses, near the Main Sequence are efficient at producing He-3, which they mix into the convective envelope on the giant branch and should distribute into the Galaxy by way of envelope loss. This process is so efficient that it is difficult to reconcile the low observed cosmic abundance of He-3 with the predictions of both stellar and Big Bang nucleosynthesis. In this paper we find, by modeling a red giant with a fully three-dimensional hydrodynamic code and a full nucleosynthetic network, that mixing arises in the supposedly stable and radiative zone between the hydrogen-burning shell and the base of the convective envelope. This mixing is due to Rayleigh-Taylor instability within a zone just above the hydrogen-burning shell, where a nuclear reaction lowers the mean molecular weight slightly. Thus we are able to remove the threat that He-3 production in low-mass stars poses to the Big Bang nucleosynthesis of He-3.Comment: Accepted by Science, and available from Science Express onlin

Low and intermediate-mass close binary evolution and the initial - final mass relation

Using Eggleton's stellar evolution code, we carry out 150 runs of Pop I binary evolution calculations, with the initial primary mass between 1 and 8 solar masses the initial mass ratio between 1.1 and 4, and the onset of Roche lobe overflow (RLOF) at an early, middle, or late Hertzsprung-gap stage. We assume that RLOF is conservative in the calculations, and find that the remnant mass of the primary may change by more than 40 per cent over the range of initial mass ratio or orbital period, for a given primary mass. This is contrary to the often-held belief that the remnant mass depends only on the progenitor mass if mass transfer begins in the Hertzsprung gap. We fit a formula, with an error less than 3.6 per cent, for the remnant (white dwarf) mass as a function of the initial mass of the primary, the initial mass ratio, and the radius of the primary at the onset of RLOF. We also find that a carbon-oxygen white dwarf with mass as low as 0.33 solar masses may be formed if the primary's initial mass is around 2.5 solar masses.Comment: 7 pages for main text, 11 pages for appendix (table A1), 12 figure

The Evolutionary Status of SS433

We consider possible evolutionary models for SS 433. We assume that common-envelope evolution is avoided if radiation pressure is able to expel most of a super-Eddington accretion flow from a region smaller than the accretor's Roche lobe. This condition is satisfied, at least initially, for largely radiative donors with masses in the range 4-12 solar masses. For donors more massive than about 5 solar masses, moderate mass ratios q = M_2/M_1 > 1 are indicated, thus tending to favor black-hole accretors. For lower mass donors, evolutionary considerations do not distinguish between a neutron star or black hole accretor. In all cases the mass transfer (and mass loss) rates are much larger than the likely mass-loss rate in the precessing jets. Almost all of the transferred mass is expelled at radii considerably larger than the jet acceleration region, producing the "stationary" H-alpha line, the infrared luminosity, and accounting for the low X-ray luminosity.Comment: 13 pages, Astrophysical Journal Letters, accepte