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Nils Ryde

Nils Ryde

Professor

Nils Ryde

The blue straggler V106 in NGC6791 : A prototype progenitor of old single giants masquerading as young

Author

  • K. Brogaard
  • S. M. Christiansen
  • F. Grundahl
  • A. Miglio
  • R. G. Izzard
  • T. M. Tauris
  • E. L. Sandquist
  • D. A. Vanden Berg
  • J. Jessen-Hansen
  • T. Arentoft
  • H. Bruntt
  • S. Frandsen
  • J. A. Orosz
  • G. A. Feiden
  • R. Mathieu
  • A. Geller
  • M. Shetrone
  • N. Ryde
  • D. Stello
  • I. Platais
  • S. Meibom

Summary, in English

We determine the properties of the binary star V106 in the old open cluster NGC6791. We identify the system to be a blue straggler cluster member by using a combination of groundbased and Kepler photometry and multi-epoch spectroscopy. The properties of the primary component are found to be Mp ~ 1.67M, more massive than the cluster turn-off, with Rp ~ 1.91R and Teff = 7110 ± 100 K. The secondary component is highly oversized and overluminous for its low mass with Ms ~ 0.182M, R ~ 0.864R, and T =6875±200 K. We identify this secondary star as a bloated (proto) extremely low-mass helium white dwarf. These properties of V106 suggest that it represents a typical Algol-paradox system and that it evolved through a mass-transfer phase, which provides insight into its past evolution. We present a detailed binary stellar evolution model for the formation of V106 using the MESA code and find that the mass-transfer phase only ceased about 40 Myr ago. Due to the short orbital period (P = 1.4463 d), another mass-transfer phase is unavoidable once the current primary star evolves towards the red giant phase. We argue that V106 will evolve through a common-envelope phase within the next 100 Myr and merge to become a single overmassive giant. The high mass will make it appear young for its true age, which is revealed by the cluster properties. Therefore, V106 is potentially a prototype progenitor of old field giants masquerading as young.

Department/s

  • Lund Observatory - Undergoing reorganization

Publishing year

2018-12-01

Language

English

Pages

5062-5072

Publication/Series

Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society

Volume

481

Issue

4

Document type

Journal article

Publisher

Oxford University Press

Topic

  • Astronomy, Astrophysics and Cosmology

Keywords

  • Binaries: close
  • Blue stragglers
  • Stars: fundamental parameters
  • Stars: individual: V106
  • White dwarfs

Status

Published

ISBN/ISSN/Other

  • ISSN: 0035-8711