A Population of Binaries in the Asymptotic Giant Branch of 47 Tucanae?
Open Access
- 9 November 2006
- journal article
- research article
- Published by American Astronomical Society in The Astrophysical Journal
- Vol. 652 (2) , L121-L124
- https://doi.org/10.1086/510019
Abstract
We have used a set of archived Hubble Space Telescope Advanced Camera for Surveys images to probe the evolved populations of the globular cluster 47 Tucanae. We find an excess of asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars in the cluster core. We interpret this feature as the signature of an extrapopulation likely made by the progeny of massive stars originated by the evolution of binary systems. Indeed, the comparison with theoretical tracks suggests that the AGB population of 47 Tuc can be significantly contaminated by more massive stars currently experiencing the first ascending red giant branch.Keywords
All Related Versions
This publication has 21 references indexed in Scilit:
- Transforming observational data and theoretical isochrones into the ACS/WFC Vega-mag systemMonthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 2005
- Discovery of Another Peculiar Radial Distribution of Blue Stragglers in Globular Clusters: The Case of 47 TucanaeThe Astrophysical Journal, 2004
- Blue Stragglers, Young White Dwarfs, and UV‐Excess Stars in the Core of 47 TucanaeThe Astrophysical Journal, 2001
- Observations of 20 Millisecond Pulsars in 47 Tucanae at 20 CentimetersThe Astrophysical Journal, 2000
- The Giant, Horizontal, and Asymptotic Branches of Galactic Globular Clusters. I. The Catalog, Photometric Observables, and FeaturesThe Astronomical Journal, 1999
- SExtractor: Software for source extractionAstronomy and Astrophysics Supplement Series, 1996
- On the luminosity function, lifetimes, and origin of blue stragglers in globular clustersThe Astrophysical Journal, 1995
- Gradients in giant branch morphology in the core of 47 TucanaeThe Astronomical Journal, 1994
- Blue Stragglers in the Galactic globular clusters M3: Evidence for two populationsThe Astronomical Journal, 1993
- The evolution of He-burning stars - Horizontal and asymptotic branches in Galactic globularsThe Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series, 1991