Bibcode
Urbaneja, M. A.; Herrero, A.; Lennon, D. J.; Corral, L. J.; Meynet, G.
Bibliographical reference
The Astrophysical Journal, Volume 735, Issue 1, article id. 39 (2011).
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7
2011
Journal
Citations
8
Refereed citations
7
Description
A detailed study of the blue supergiant UIT 005 (B2-2.5Ia+)
in M 33 is presented. The results of our quantitative spectral analysis
indicate that the star is a very luminous (log L/L sun ~ 5.9
dex) and massive (M ~ 50 M sun) object, showing a very high
nitrogen-to-oxygen ratio in its surface (N/O~8, by mass). Based on the
derived Mg and Si abundances, we argue that this high N/O ratio cannot
be the result of an initial low O content due to its location on the
disk of M 33, a galaxy known to present a steep metallicity gradient. In
combination with the He abundance, the most plausible interpretation is
that UIT 005 is in an advanced stage of evolution, showing in its
surface N enrichment and O depletion resulting from mixing with CNO
processed material from the stellar interior. A comparison with the
predictions of current stellar evolutionary models indicates that there
are significant discrepancies, in particular with regard to the degree
of chemical processing, with the models predicting a much lower degree
of O depletion than observed. At the same time, the mass-loss rate
derived in our analysis is an order of magnitude lower than the values
considered in the evolutionary calculations. Based on a study of the
surrounding stellar population and the nearby cluster, NGC 588, using
Hubble Space Telescope/WFPC2 photometry, we suggest that UIT 005 could
be in fact a runaway star from this cluster. Regardless of its origin,
the derived parameters place the star in a region of the
Hertzsprung-Russell diagram where luminous blue variables (LBVs) are
usually found, but we find no evidence supporting photometric or
spectroscopic variability, except for small Hα changes, otherwise
observed in Galactic B-type supergiants. Whether UIT 005 is an LBV in a
dormant state or a regular blue supergiant could not be discerned in
this study. Subsequent monitoring would help us to improve our knowledge
of the more massive stars, bridging the gap between regular and more
exotic blue supergiants.
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Physical properties and evolution of Massive Stars
This project aims at the searching, observation and analysis of massive stars in nearby galaxies to provide a solid empirical ground to understand their physical properties as a function of those key parameters that gobern their evolution (i.e. mass, spin, metallicity, mass loss, and binary interaction). Massive stars are central objects to
Sergio
Simón Díaz