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26 April 2024 |
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The Initial-Final Mass Relation: First Constraints at the Low Mass End | | Jasonjot S. Kalirai
; Brad M. S. Hansen
; Daniel D. Kelson
; David B. Reitzel
; R. Michael Rich
; Harvey B. Richer
; | | Date: |
27 Jun 2007 | | Abstract: | The initial-final mass relation represents a mapping between the mass of a
white dwarf remnant and the mass that the hydrogen burning main-sequence star
that created it once had. The relation thus far has been constrained using a
sample of ~40 stars in young open clusters, ranging in initial mass from ~2.75
-- 7 Msun, and shows a general trend that connects larger mass main-sequence
stars with larger mass white dwarfs. In this paper, we present CFHT/CFH12K
photometric and Keck/LRIS multiobject spectroscopic observations of a sample of
22 white dwarfs in two old open clusters, NGC 7789 (t = 1.4 Gyr) and NGC 6819
(t = 2.5 Gyr). We measure masses for the highest signal-to-noise spectra by
fitting the Balmer lines to atmosphere models and place the first constraints
on the low mass end of the initial-final mass relation. Our results indicate
that the observed trend at higher masses continues down to very low masses,
with M_initial = 1.6 Msun main-sequence stars forming M_final = 0.54 Msun white
dwarfs. When added to our new data from the very old cluster NGC 6791, the
relation is extended down to M_initial = 1.16 Msun (corresponding to M_final =
0.51 Msun). This extention of the relation represents a four fold increase in
the total number of hydrogen burning stars for which the integrated mass loss
can now be calculated, assuming a Salpeter initial mass function. For the first
time, the new leverage at the low mass end is used to derive a purely empirical
initial-final mass relation without the need for any indirectly motivated
anchor points. The sample of white dwarfs in these clusters also shows three
very interesting systems that we discuss further: a DB (helium atmosphere)
white dwarf, a magnetic white dwarf, and a DAB (mixed hydrogen/helium
atmosphere or a double degenerate DA+DB) white dwarf(s). | | Source: | arXiv, arxiv.0706.3894 | | Services: | Forum | Review | PDF | Favorites | |
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