The Chemical Evolution of Helium in Globular Clusters: Implications for the Self-Pollution Scenario

We investigate the suggestion that there are stellar populations in some globular clusters with enhanced helium (Y 6 0.28-0.40) compared to the primordial value. We assume that a previous generation of massive asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars have polluted the cluster. Two independent sets of AGB...

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Veröffentlicht in:The Astrophysical journal 2006-12, Vol.652 (2), p.1240-1245
Hauptverfasser: Karakas, A. I, Fenner, Y, Sills, Alison, Campbell, S. W, Lattanzio, J. C
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Sprache:eng
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Zusammenfassung:We investigate the suggestion that there are stellar populations in some globular clusters with enhanced helium (Y 6 0.28-0.40) compared to the primordial value. We assume that a previous generation of massive asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars have polluted the cluster. Two independent sets of AGB yields are used to follow the evolution of helium and CNO using a Salpeter initial mass function (IMF) and two top-heavy IMFs. In no case are we able to produce the postulated large Y 6 0.35 without violating the observational constraint that the CNO content is nearly constant.
ISSN:0004-637X
1538-4357
DOI:10.1086/508504