A DYNAMICAL SIGNATURE OF MULTIPLE STELLAR POPULATIONS IN 47 TUCANAE
Creators
- 1. Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z1 (Canada)
- 2. Space Telescope Science Institute, Baltimore, MD 21218 (United States)
- 3. Department of Astrophysics, American Museum of Natural History, Central Park West at 79th Street, New York, NY 10024 (United States)
- 4. Research School of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Australian National University, Weston, ACT 2611 (Australia)
- 5. National Research Council, Herzberg Institute of Astrophysics, Victoria, BC V9E 2E7 (Canada)
- 6. Division of Astronomy and Astrophysics, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095 (United States)
Description
Based on the width of its main sequence, and an actual observed split when viewed through particular filters, it is widely accepted that 47 Tucanae contains multiple stellar populations. In this contribution, we divide the main sequence of 47 Tuc into four color groups, which presumably represent stars of various chemical compositions. The kinematic properties of each of these groups are explored via proper motions, and a strong signal emerges of differing proper-motion anisotropies with differing main-sequence color; the bluest main-sequence stars exhibit the largest proper-motion anisotropy which becomes undetectable for the reddest stars. In addition, the bluest stars are also the most centrally concentrated. A similar analysis for Small Magellanic Cloud stars, which are located in the background of 47 Tuc on our frames, yields none of the anisotropy exhibited by the 47 Tuc stars. We discuss implications of these results for possible formation scenarios of the various populations.
Availability note (English)
Available from http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/2041-8205/771/1/L15Additional details
Identifiers
Publishing Information
- Journal Title
- Astrophysical Journal Letters
- Journal Volume
- 771
- Journal Issue
- 1
- Journal Page Range
- [5 p.]
- ISSN
- 2041-8205
INIS
- Country of Publication
- United States
- Country of Input or Organization
- International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
- INIS RN
- 44075349
- Subject category
- S79: ASTROPHYSICS, COSMOLOGY AND ASTRONOMY;
- Descriptors DEI
- ANISOTROPY; ASTRONOMY; ASTROPHYSICS; CHEMICAL COMPOSITION; HERTZSPRUNG-RUSSELL DIAGRAM; MAGELLANIC CLOUDS; MAIN SEQUENCE STARS; OPTICAL FILTERS; PROPER MOTION; RED GIANT STARS
- Descriptors DEC
- DIAGRAMS; FILTERS; GALAXIES; GIANT STARS; INFORMATION; MOTION; PHYSICS; STARS