Bayesian analysis of two stellar populations in Galactic globular clusters III: Analysis of 30 clusters
File(s)16-mnras-multipop-III.pdf (1.49 MB)
Accepted version
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
We use Cycle 21 Hubble Space Telescope (HST) observations and HST archival ACS
Treasury observations of 30 Galactic Globular Clusters to characterize two distinct
stellar populations. A sophisticated Bayesian technique is employed to simultaneously
sample the joint posterior distribution of age, distance, and extinction for each cluster,
as well as unique helium values for two populations within each cluster and the
relative proportion of those populations. We find the helium differences among the
two populations in the clusters fall in the range of ∼0.04 to 0.11. Because adequate
models varying in CNO are not presently available, we view these spreads as upper
limits and present them with statistical rather than observational uncertainties. Evidence
supports previous studies suggesting an increase in helium content concurrent
with increasing mass of the cluster and also find that the proportion of the first population
of stars increases with mass as well. Our results are examined in the context of
proposed globular cluster formation scenarios. Additionally, we leverage our Bayesian
technique to shed light on inconsistencies between the theoretical models and the
observed data.
Treasury observations of 30 Galactic Globular Clusters to characterize two distinct
stellar populations. A sophisticated Bayesian technique is employed to simultaneously
sample the joint posterior distribution of age, distance, and extinction for each cluster,
as well as unique helium values for two populations within each cluster and the
relative proportion of those populations. We find the helium differences among the
two populations in the clusters fall in the range of ∼0.04 to 0.11. Because adequate
models varying in CNO are not presently available, we view these spreads as upper
limits and present them with statistical rather than observational uncertainties. Evidence
supports previous studies suggesting an increase in helium content concurrent
with increasing mass of the cluster and also find that the proportion of the first population
of stars increases with mass as well. Our results are examined in the context of
proposed globular cluster formation scenarios. Additionally, we leverage our Bayesian
technique to shed light on inconsistencies between the theoretical models and the
observed data.
Date Issued
2016-09-07
Date Acceptance
2016-09-05
Citation
Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 2016, 463 (4), pp.3768-3782
ISSN
1365-2966
Publisher
Oxford University Press (OUP)
Start Page
3768
End Page
3782
Journal / Book Title
Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Volume
463
Issue
4
Copyright Statement
© 2016 The Authors Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Royal Astronomical Society.
Sponsor
The Royal Society
Commission of the European Communities
Grant Number
WM110023
FP7-PEOPLE-2012-CIG-321865
Subjects
Science & Technology
Physical Sciences
Astronomy & Astrophysics
Hertzsprung-Russell and colour-magnitude diagrams
Galaxy: formation
globular clusters: general
COLOR-MAGNITUDE DIAGRAMS
HORIZONTAL-BRANCH MORPHOLOGY
SPACE-TELESCOPE PHOTOMETRY
INITIAL HELIUM ABUNDANCE
NA-O ANTICORRELATION
RED GIANT BRANCH
UV LEGACY SURVEY
2ND-GENERATION STARS
MULTIPLE POPULATIONS
OMEGA-CENTAURI
astro-ph.SR
astro-ph.GA
0201 Astronomical And Space Sciences
Publication Status
Published