Nucleosynthesis in AGB stars traced by oxygen isotopic ratios: I. Determining the stellar initial mass by means of the 17O/18O ratio
Artikel i vetenskaplig tidskrift, 2017

Aims. We seek to investigate the 17O/18O ratio for a sample of AGB stars containing M-, S-, and C-type stars. These ratios are evaluated in relation to fundamental stellar evolution parameters: the stellar initial mass and pulsation period. Methods. Circumstellar 13C16O, 12C17O, and 12C18O line observations were obtained for a sample of nine stars with various single-dish long-wavelength facilities. Line intensity ratios are shown to relate directly to the surface 17O/18O abundance ratio. Results. Stellar evolution models predict the 17O/18O ratio to be a sensitive function of initial mass and to remain constant throughout the entire TP-AGB phase for stars initially less massive than 5 M?. This makes the measured ratio a probe of the initial stellar mass. Conclusions. Observed 17O/18O ratios are found to be well in the range predicted by stellar evolution models that do not consider convective overshooting. From this, accurate initial mass estimates are calculated for seven sources. For the remaining two sources, there are two mass solutions, although there is a larger probability that the low-mass solution is correct. Finally, we present hints at a possible separation between M/S- and C-type stars when comparing the 17O/18O ratio to the stellar pulsation period.

Stars: evolution

Stars: fundamental parameters

Circumstellar matter

Stars: AGB and post-AGB

Författare

R. De Nutte

KU Leuven

L. Decin

Anton Pannekoek Institute for Astronomy

KU Leuven

Hans Olofsson

Chalmers, Rymd- och geovetenskap, Onsala rymdobservatorium

Robin Lombaert

Galaktisk astrofysik

KU Leuven

A. de Koter

KU Leuven

Anton Pannekoek Institute for Astronomy

A. Karakas

Australian National University

Monash University

S. Milam

NASA Goddard Space Flight Center

S. Ramstedt

Uppsala universitet

R. J. Stancliffe

Universität Bonn

W. Homan

KU Leuven

M. Van De Sande

KU Leuven

Astronomy and Astrophysics

0004-6361 (ISSN) 1432-0746 (eISSN)

Vol. 600 A71

Ämneskategorier

Astronomi, astrofysik och kosmologi

DOI

10.1051/0004-6361/201629195

Mer information

Senast uppdaterat

2018-09-12