scholarly journals Extra-Mixing in Luminous Cool Red Giants: Hints from Evolved Stars With and Without Li

2009 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 168-175 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Guandalini ◽  
S. Palmerini ◽  
M. Busso ◽  
S. Uttenthaler
Keyword(s):  
Asymptotic Giant Branch ◽  
Evolutionary Status ◽  
Red Giants ◽  
Low Mass Stars ◽  
Magnetic Buoyancy ◽  
Low Mass ◽  
Red Giant ◽  
Mass Circulation ◽  
Short Time

AbstractWe present an analysis of Li abundances in low mass stars (LMS) during the Red Giant Branch (RGB) and Asymptotic Giant Branch (AGB) stages, based on a new determination of their luminosities and evolutionary status. By applying recently suggested models for extra-mixing, induced by magnetic buoyancy, we show that both Li-rich and Li-poor stars can be accounted for. The simplest scenario implies the development of fast instabilities on the RGB, where Li is produced. When the fields increase in strength, buoyancy slows down and Li is destroyed. 3He is consumed, at variable rates. The process continues on the AGB, where however moderate mass circulation rates have little effect on Li due to the short time available. O-rich and C-rich stars show different histories of Li production/destruction, possibly indicative of different masses. More complex transport schemes are allowed by magnetic buoyancy, with larger effects on Li, but most normal LMS seem to show only the range of Li variation discussed here.

scholarly journals Abundance Ratios in Metal-Poor Globular Clusters: Deep Mixing and its Effect on Stellar Populations of the Galactic Halo

1998 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 53-57
Author(s):  
Robert P. Kraft
Keyword(s):  
Globular Clusters ◽  
Galactic Halo ◽  
Light Element ◽  
Asymptotic Giant Branch ◽  
Proton Capture ◽  
Low Mass Stars ◽  
Element Abundances ◽  
Deep Mixing ◽  
Low Mass ◽  
Red Giant

Only a bit more than 25 years ago, it seemed possible to assume that all Galactic globular clusters were chemically homogeneous. There were indications that star-to-star Fe abundance variations existed in ω Cen, but this massive cluster appeared to be unique. Following Osborn’s (1971) initial discovery, Zinn’s (1973) observation that M92 asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars had weaker G-bands than subgiants with equivalent temperatures provided the first extensive evidence that there might be variations in the abundances of the light elements in an otherwise “normal” cluster. Since then star-to-star variations in the abundances of C, N, O, Na, Mg and Al have been observed in all cases in which sample sizes have exceeded 5-10 stars, e.g., in clusters such as M92, M15, M13, M3, ω Cen, MIO and M5. Among giants in these clusters one finds large surface O abundance differences, and these are intimately related to differences of other light element abundances, not only of C and N, but also of Na, Mg and Al (cf. reviews by Suntzeff 1993, Briley et al 1994, and Kraft 1994). The abundances of Na and O, as well as Al and Mg, are anticorrelated. Prime examples are found among giants in M15 (Sneden et al 1997), M13 (Pilachowski et al 1996; Shetrone 1996a,b; and Kraft et al 1997) and ω Cen (Norris & Da Costa 1995a,b). These observed anticorrelations almost certainly result from proton- capture chains that convert C to N, 0 to N, Ne to Na and Mg to Al in or near the hydrogen fusion layers of evolved cluster stars. But which stars? An appealing idea is that during the giant branch lifetimes of the low-mass stars that we now observe, substantial portions of the stellar envelopes have been cycled through regions near the H-burning shell where proton-capture nucleosynthesis can occur. This so-called “evolutionary” scenario involving deep envelope mixing in first ascent red giant branch (RGB) stars has been studied by Denissenkov & Denissenkova (1990), Langer & Hoffman (1995), Cavallo et al (1996, 1997) and Langer et al (1997). The mixing mechanism that brings proton-capture products to the surface is poorly understood (Denissenkov & Weiss 1996, Denissenkov et al 1997, Langer et al 1997), but deep mixing driven by angular momentum has been suggested (Sweigart & Mengel 1979, Kraft 1994, Langer & Hoffman 1995, Sweigart 1997).

scholarly journals Low Mass Stars or Intermediate Mass Stars? The Stellar Origin of Presolar Oxide Grains Revealed by Their Isotopic Composition

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Palmerini ◽  
S. Cristallo ◽  
M. Busso ◽  
M. La Cognata ◽  
M. L. Sergi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Asymptotic Giant Branch ◽  
Agb Stars ◽  
Low Mass Stars ◽  
Stellar Nucleosynthesis ◽  
Intermediate Mass Stars ◽  
Low Mass ◽  
Oxygen Isotopic ◽  
Red Giant ◽  
Group 2 ◽  
Group 1

Among presolar grains, oxide ones are made of oxygen, aluminum, and a small fraction of magnesium, produced by the 26Al decay. The largest part of presolar oxide grains belong to the so-called group 1 and 2, which have been suggested to form in Red Giant Branch (RGB) and Asymptotic Giant Branch (AGB) stars, respectively. However, standard stellar nucleosynthesis models cannot account for the 17O/16O, 18O/16O, and 26Al/27Al values recorded in those grains. Hence, for more than 20 years, the occurrence of mixing phenomena coupled with stellar nucleosynthesis have been suggested to account for this peculiar isotopic mix. Nowadays, models of massive AGB stars experiencing Hot Bottom Burning or low mass AGB stars where Cool Bottom Process, or another kind of extra-mixing, is at play, nicely fit the oxygen isotopic mix of group 2 oxide grains. The largest values of the 26Al/27Al ratio seem somewhat more difficult to account for.

scholarly journals Why Do Low-Mass Stars Become Red Giants?

2009 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 203-208 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard J. Stancliffe ◽  
Alessandro Chieffi ◽  
John C. Lattanzio ◽  
Ross P. Church
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Weight ◽  
Stellar Evolution ◽  
Energy Generation ◽  
Red Giants ◽  
Low Mass Stars ◽  
Change In The Mean ◽  
Low Mass ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Red Giant ◽  
Mean Molecular Weight

AbstractWe revisit the problem of why stars become red giants. We modify the physics of a standard stellar evolution code in order to determine what does and what does not contribute to a star becoming a red giant. In particular, we have run tests to try to separate the effects of changes in the mean molecular weight and in the energy generation. The implications for why stars become red giants are discussed. We find that while a change in the mean molecular weight is necessary (but not sufficient) for a 1-M⊙ star to become a red giant, this is not the case in a star of 5 M⊙. It therefore seems that there may be more than one way to make a giant.

scholarly journals The Effect of Coulomb Interactions on the Helium Flash

1989 ◽  
Vol 114 ◽  
pp. 81-84
Author(s):  
A. Harpaz ◽  
A. Kovetz
Keyword(s):  
Mass Loss ◽  
Charged Particles ◽  
Red Giants ◽  
Coulomb Interactions ◽  
Core Mass ◽  
The Core ◽  
Low Mass ◽  
Red Giant ◽  
Recent Claim

AbstractDetailed evolutionary calculations show that Coulomb interactions between the charged particles of a stellar plasma reduce the core mass at which a low mass red giant undergoes the helium flash (contrary to a recent claim). This has implications for the determination of the rate of mass loss from red giants.

scholarly journals Red giant stars: from mixed modes to angular momentum

2019 ◽  
Vol 82 ◽  
pp. 189-211
Author(s):  
K. Belkacem
Keyword(s):  
Angular Momentum ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Red Giants ◽  
Low Mass Stars ◽  
Giant Stars ◽  
Physical Mechanisms ◽  
Star Evolution ◽  
Low Mass ◽  
Mixed Modes ◽  
Red Giant

Solar-like oscillations are ubiquitous to low-mass stars from the main-sequence to the red-giant branch as demonstrated by the space-borne missions CoRoT and Kepler. Understanding the physical mechanisms governing their amplitudes as well as their behavior along with the star evolution is a prerequisite for interpreting the wealth of seismic data and for inferring stellar internal structure. In this paper, I discuss our current knowledge of mode amplitudes with particular emphasis on non-radial modes in red giants (hereafter mixed modes). Then, I will show how these modes permit to unveil the rotation of the inner-most layers of low-mass stars and how they put stringent constraints on the redistribution of angular momentum.

scholarly journals Mirror principle and the red-giant bump: the battle of entropy in low-mass stars

2020 ◽  
Vol 492 (4) ◽  
pp. 5940-5948 ◽  
Author(s):  
S Hekker ◽  
G C Angelou ◽  
Y Elsworth ◽  
S Basu
Keyword(s):  
Red Giants ◽  
Low Mass Stars ◽  
Hydrogen Burning ◽  
Specific Entropy ◽  
Low Mass ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Red Giant ◽  
Mirror Principle ◽  
Physical Reasons ◽  
Mean Molecular Weight

ABSTRACT The evolution of low-mass stars into red giants is still poorly understood. During this evolution the core of the star contracts and, simultaneously, the envelope expands – a process known as the ‘mirror’. Additionally, there is a short phase where the trend for increasing luminosity is reversed. This is known as the red giant branch bump. We explore the underlying physical reasons for these two phenomena by considering the specific entropy distribution in the star and its temporal changes. We find that between the luminosity maximum and luminosity minimum of the bump there is no mirror present and the star is fully contracting. The contraction is halted and the star regains its mirror when the hydrogen-burning shell reaches the mean molecular weight discontinuity. This marks the luminosity minimum of the bump.

scholarly journals Thermohaline mixing in low-mass giants

2008 ◽  
Vol 4 (S252) ◽  
pp. 103-109 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Cantiello ◽  
N. Langer
Keyword(s):  
Differential Rotation ◽  
Main Sequence ◽  
Red Giants ◽  
Helium Burning ◽  
Low Mass Stars ◽  
Mixing Processes ◽  
Low Mass ◽  
Magnetic Mixing ◽  
Red Giant

AbstractThermohaline mixing has recently been proposed to occur in low mass red giants, with large consequences for the chemical yields of low mass stars. We investigate the role of thermohaline mixing during the evolution of stars between 1 M⊙ and 3 M⊙, in comparison to other mixing processes acting in these stars. We confirm that thermohaline mixing has the potential to destroy most of the 3He which is produced earlier on the main sequence during the red giant stage. In our models we find that this process is working only in stars with initial mass M ≲ 1.5 M⊙. Moreover, we report that thermohaline mixing can be present during core helium burning and beyond in stars which still have a 3He reservoir. While rotational and magnetic mixing is negligible compared to the thermohaline mixing in the relevant layers, the interaction of thermohaline motions with differential rotation and magnetic fields may be essential to establish the time scale of thermohaline mixing in red giants.

scholarly journals Asteroseismology of luminous red giants with Kepler. II. Dependence of mass loss on pulsations and radiation

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jie Yu ◽  
Saskia Hekker ◽  
Timothy R Bedding ◽  
Dennis Stello ◽  
Daniel Huber ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mass Loss ◽  
Mass Loss Rate ◽  
Asymptotic Giant Branch ◽  
Red Giants ◽  
Asymptotic Giant Branch Stars ◽  
Chemical Enrichment ◽  
Dust Mass ◽  
Red Giant ◽  
The Masses ◽  
Loss Rates

Abstract Mass loss by red giants is an important process to understand the final stages of stellar evolution and the chemical enrichment of the interstellar medium. Mass-loss rates are thought to be controlled by pulsation-enhanced dust-driven outflows. Here we investigate the relationships between mass loss, pulsations, and radiation, using 3213 luminous Kepler red giants and 135000 ASAS–SN semiregulars and Miras. Mass-loss rates are traced by infrared colours using 2MASS and WISE and by observed-to-model WISE fluxes, and are also estimated using dust mass-loss rates from literature assuming a typical gas-to-dust mass ratio of 400. To specify the pulsations, we extract the period and height of the highest peak in the power spectrum of oscillation. Absolute magnitudes are obtained from the 2MASS Ks band and the Gaia DR2 parallaxes. Our results follow. (i) Substantial mass loss sets in at pulsation periods above ∼60 and ∼100 days, corresponding to Asymptotic-Giant-Branch stars at the base of the period-luminosity sequences C′ and C. (ii) The mass-loss rate starts to rapidly increase in semiregulars for which the luminosity is just above the red-giant-branch tip and gradually plateaus to a level similar to that of Miras. (iii) The mass-loss rates in Miras do not depend on luminosity, consistent with pulsation-enhanced dust-driven winds. (iv) The accumulated mass loss on the Red Giant Branch consistent with asteroseismic predictions reduces the masses of red-clump stars by 6.3%, less than the typical uncertainty on their asteroseismic masses. Thus mass loss is currently not a limitation of stellar age estimates for galactic archaeology studies.

scholarly journals Nucleosynthesis of Light-Element Isotopes in Evolved Stars Experiencing Extended Mixing

2009 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 161-167 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Palmerini ◽  
M. Busso ◽  
E. Maiorca ◽  
R. Guandalini
Keyword(s):  
Mass Transport ◽  
Isotopic Composition ◽  
Light Element ◽  
Asymptotic Giant Branch ◽  
Red Giants ◽  
Agb Stars ◽  
Intermediate Mass ◽  
Evolved Stars ◽  
Magnetic Buoyancy ◽  
Slow Mixing

AbstractWe present computations of nucleosynthesis in red giants and Asymptotic Giant Branch (AGB) stars of Population I experiencing extended mixing. The assumed physical cause for mass transport is the buoyancy of magnetized structures, according to recent suggestions. The peculiar property of such a mechanism is to allow for both fast and slow mixing phenomena, as required for reproducing the spread in Li abundances displayed by red giants and as discussed in an accompanying paper. We explore here the effects of this kind of mass transport on CNO and intermediate-mass nuclei and compare the results with the available evidence from evolved red giants and from the isotopic composition of presolar grains of AGB origin. It is found that a good general accord exists between predictions and measurements; in this framework we also show which type of observational data best constrains the various parameters. We conclude that magnetic buoyancy, allowing for mixing at rather different speeds, can be an interesting scenario to explore for explaining together the abundances of CNO nuclei and of Li.

scholarly journals Observations of low mass stars in clusters: Some constraints and puzzles for stellar evolution theory

1984 ◽  
Vol 105 ◽  
pp. 123-138
Author(s):  
R.D. Cannon
Keyword(s):  
Globular Clusters ◽  
Main Sequence ◽  
Star Clusters ◽  
Variable Stars ◽  
Open Clusters ◽  
Low Mass Stars ◽  
Theory Of Evolution ◽  
Theoretical Predictions ◽  
Low Mass ◽  
Red Giant

This review will attempt to do two things: (i) discuss some of the data which are available for testing the theory of evolution of low mass stars, and (ii) point out some problem areas where observations and theory do not seem to agree very well. This is of course too vast a field of research to be covered in one brief review, so I shall concentrate on one particular aspect, namely the study of star clusters and especially their colour-magnitude (CM) diagrams. Star clusters provide large samples of stars at the same distance and with the same age, and the CM diagram gives the easiest way of comparing theoretical predictions with observations, although crucial evidence is also provided by spectroscopic abundance analyses and studies of variable stars. Since this is primarily a review of observational data it is natural to divide it into two parts: (i) galactic globular clusters, and (ii) old and intermediate-age open clusters. Some additional evidence comes from Local Group galaxies, especially now that CM diagrams which reach the old main sequence are becoming available. For each class of cluster I shall consider successive stages of evolution from the main sequence, up the hydrogen-burning red giant branch, and through the helium-burning giant phase.

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