A New Generation of Standard Solar Models Vinyoles, Núria; Serenelli, Aldo M.; Villante, Francesco L. ...
The Astrophysical journal,
02/2017, Volume:
835, Issue:
2
Journal Article
Peer reviewed
Open access
We compute a new generation of standard solar models (SSMs) that includes recent updates on some important nuclear reaction rates and a more consistent treatment of the equation of state. Models also ...include a novel and flexible treatment of opacity uncertainties based on opacity kernels, required in light of recent theoretical and experimental works on radiative opacity. Two large sets of SSMs, each based on a different canonical set of solar abundances with high and low metallicity (Z), are computed to determine model uncertainties and correlations among different observables. We present detailed comparisons of high- and low-Z models against different ensembles of solar observables, including solar neutrinos, surface helium abundance, depth of the convective envelope, and sound speed profile. A global comparison, including all observables, yields a p-value of 2.7 for the high-Z model and 4.7 for the low-Z one. When the sound speed differences in the narrow region of are excluded from the analysis, results are 0.9 and 3.0 for high- and low-Z models respectively. These results show that high-Z models agree well with solar data but have a systematic problem right below the bottom of the convective envelope linked to steepness of molecular weight and temperature gradients, and that low-Z models lead to a much more general disagreement with solar data. We also show that, while simple parametrizations of opacity uncertainties can strongly alleviate the solar abundance problem, they are insufficient to substantially improve the agreement of SSMs with helioseismic data beyond that obtained for high-Z models due to the intrinsic correlations of theoretical predictions.
Aims. Our aim is to measure the masses and radii of the stars in a newly-discovered detached eclipsing binary system to a high precision (≈1%), enabling the system to be used for the calibration of ...free parameters in stellar evolutionary models. Methods. Photometry from the Wide Angle Search for Planets (WASP) project was used to identify 1SWASP J063930.33-322404.8 (TYC 7091-888-1, WASP 0369-32 hereafter) as a detached eclipsing binary system with total eclipses and an orbital period of P = 11.66 days. Lightcurve parameters for WASP 0639-32 are obtained using the EBOP lightcurve model, with standard errors evaluated using a prayer-bead algorithm. Radial velocities were measured from 11 high-resolution spectra using a broadening function approach, and an orbit was fitted using SBOP. Observed spectra were disentangled and an equivalent width fitting method was used to obtain effective temperatures and metallicities for both stars. A Bayesian framework is used to explore a grid of stellar evolution models, where both helium abundance and mixing length are free to vary, and use observed parameters (mass, density, temperature, and metallicity) for each star to obtain the age and constrain the helium abundance of the system. Results. The masses and radii are found to be M1 = 1.1544 ± 0.0043 M⊙, R1 = 1.833 ± 0.023 R⊙, and M2 = 0.7833 ± 0.0028 M⊙, R2 = 0.7286 ± 0.0081 R⊙ for the primary and secondary, respectively. The effective temperatures were found to be T1 = 6330 ± 50 K and T2 = 5400 ± 80 K for the primary and secondary star, respectively. The system has an age of 4.2−0.1+0.8$4.2^{+0.8}_{-0.1}$4.2−0.1+0.8 Gyr, and a helium abundance in the range 0.251–0.271. Conclusions. WASP 0639-32 is a rare example of a well-characterised detached eclipsing binary system containing a star near the main-sequence turn-off point. This makes it possible to measure a precise age for the stars in this binary system and to estimate their helium abundance. Further work is needed to explore how this helium abundance estimate depends on other free parameters in the stellar models.
Asteroseismology can make a substantial contribution to our understanding of the formation history and evolution of our Galaxy by providing precisely determined stellar properties for thousands of ...stars in different regions of the Milky Way. We present here the different sets of observables used in determining asteroseismic stellar properties, the typical level of precision obtained, the current status of results for ages of dwarfs and giants, and the improvements than can be expected in the near future in the context of Galactic archaeology.
We evaluate the logarithmic derivative of the depth of the solar convective zone (CZ) with respect to the logarithm of the radiative opacity, ln R sub(CZ)/ ln . We use this expression to show that ...the radiative opacity near the base of the solar CZ must be known to an accuracy of c1% in order to calculate the CZ depth to the accuracy of the helioseismological measurement, R sub(CZ) = 0.713 c 0.001 R sub( ). The radiative opacity near the base of the CZ that is obtained from OPAL tables must be increased by 621% in the 2004 Bahcall-Pinsonneault solar model if one wants to invoke opacity errors in order to reconcile recent solar heavy abundance determinations with the helioseismological measurement of R sub(CZ). We show that the radiative opacity near the base of the CZ depends sensitively on the assumed heavy-element mass fraction, Z. The uncertainty in the measured value of Z is currently the limiting factor in our ability to calculate the depth of the CZ. Different state-of-the-art interpolation schemes using the existing OPAL tables yield opacity values that differ by 64%. We describe the finer grid spacings that are necessary to interpolate the radiative opacity to c1%. Uncertainties due to the equation of state do not significantly affect the calculated depth of the CZ.
Context.
A number of He-rich hot subdwarf stars present high abundances for trans-iron elements, such as Sr, Y, Zr, and Pb. Diffusion processes are important in hot subdwarf stars and it is generally ...believed that the high abundances of heavy elements in these peculiar stars are due to the action of radiative levitation. However, during the formation of He-rich hot subdwarf stars, hydrogen can be ingested into the convective zone driven by the He-core flash. It is known that episodes of protons being ingested into He-burning convective zones can lead to neutron-capture processes and the formation of heavy elements.
Aims.
In this work, we aim to explore, for the first time, whether neutron-capture processes can occur in late He-core flashes taking place in the cores of the progenitors of He-rich hot subdwarfs. We aim to explore the possibility of a self-synthesized origin for the heavy elements observed in some He-rich hot subdwarf stars.
Methods.
We computed a detailed evolutionary model for a stripped red-giant star using a stellar evolution code with a nuclear network comprising 32 isotopes. Then we post-processed the stellar models in the phase of helium and hydrogen burning using a post-processing nucleosynthesis code with a nuclear network of 1190 species, which allowed us to follow the neutron-capture processes in detail.
Results.
We find the occurrence of neutron-capture processes in our model, with neutron densities reaching a value of ∼5 × 10
12
cm
−3
. We determined that the trans-iron elements are enhanced in the surface by 1 to 2 dex, as compared to initial compositions. Moreover, the relative abundance pattern X
i
/Fe produced by neutron-capture processes closely resembles those observed in some He-rich hot subdwarf stars, hinting at a possible self-synthesized origin for the heavy elements in these stars.
Conclusions.
We conclude that intermediate neutron-capture processes can occur during a proton ingestion event in the He-core flash of stripped red-giant stars. This mechanism offers a natural channel for the production of the heavy elements observed in certain He-rich hot subdwarf stars.
Context. The Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) is observing bright known planet-host stars across almost the entire sky. These stars have been subject to extensive ground-based ...observations, providing a large number of radial velocity measurements. Aims. The objective of this work is to use the new TESS photometric observations to characterize the star λ2 Fornacis, and following this to update the parameters of the orbiting planet λ2 For b. Methods. We measured the frequencies of the p-mode oscillations in λ2 For, and in combination with non-seismic parameters estimated the stellar fundamental properties using stellar models. Using the revised stellar properties and a time series of archival radial velocities from the UCLES, HIRES and HARPS instruments spanning almost 20 years, we refit the orbit of λ2 For b and searched the residual radial velocities for remaining variability. Results. We find that λ2 For has a mass of 1.16 ± 0.03 M⊙ and a radius of 1.63 ± 0.04 R⊙, with an age of 6.3 ± 0.9 Gyr. This and the updated radial velocity measurements suggest a mass of λ2 For b of 16.8−1.3+1.2 M⊕, which is ∼5M⊕ less than literature estimates. We also detect an additional periodicity at 33 days in the radial velocity measurements, which is likely due to the rotation of the host star. Conclusions. While previous literature estimates of the properties of λ2 For are ambiguous, the asteroseismic measurements place the star firmly at the early stage of its subgiant evolutionary phase. Typically only short time series of photometric data are available from TESS, but by using asteroseismology it is still possible to provide tight constraints on the properties of bright stars that until now have only been observed from the ground. This prompts a reexamination of archival radial velocity data that have been accumulated in the past few decades in order to update the characteristics of the planet hosting systems observed by TESS for which asteroseismology is possible.
Deciphering the assembly history of the Milky Way is a formidable task, which becomes possible only if one can produce high‐resolution chrono‐chemo‐kinematical maps of the Galaxy. Data from ...large‐scale astrometric and spectroscopic surveys will soon provide us with a well‐defined view of the current chemo‐kinematical structure of the Milky Way, but it will only enable a blurred view on the temporal sequence that led to the present‐day Galaxy. As demonstrated by the (ongoing) exploitation of data from the pioneering photometric missions CoRoT, Kepler, and K2, asteroseismology provides the way forward: solar‐like oscillating giants are excellent evolutionary clocks thanks to the availability of seismic constraints on their mass and to the tight age–initial mass relation they adhere to. In this paper we identify five key outstanding questions relating to the formation and evolution of the Milky Way that will need precise and accurate ages for large samples of stars to be addressed, and we identify the requirements in terms of number of targets and the precision on the stellar properties that are needed to tackle such questions. By quantifying the asteroseismic yields expected from PLATO for red giant stars, we demonstrate that these requirements are within the capabilities of the current instrument design, provided that observations are sufficiently long to identify the evolutionary state and allow robust and precise determination of acoustic‐mode frequencies. This will allow us to harvest data of sufficient quality to reach a 10% precision in age. This is a fundamental prerequisite to then reach the more ambitious goal of a similar level of accuracy, which will be possible only if we have at hand a careful appraisal of systematic uncertainties on age deriving from our limited understanding of stellar physics, a goal that conveniently falls within the main aims of PLATO's core science. We therefore strongly endorse PLATO's current design and proposed observational strategy, and conclude that PLATO, as it is, will be a legacy mission for Galactic archaeology.
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