When do stars in 47 Tucanae lose their mass?

Publication Type
Journal Article
Year of Publication
2015
Authors
Jeremy Heyl
Kalirai, Jason
Harvey B. Richer
Marigo, Paola
Antolini, Elisa
Ryan Goldsbury
Parada, Javiera
Name of Publication
The Astrophysical Journal
Volume
810
Date Published
September 1, 2015
ISBN Number
0004-637X
Keywords
globular clusters: individual: 47 Tuc; Hertzsprung–Russell and C–M diagrams; stars: kinematics and dynamics; stars: Population II
Abstract

By examining the diffusion of young white dwarfs through the core of theglobular cluster 47 Tucanae, we estimate the time when the progenitorstar lost the bulk of its mass to become a white dwarf. According tostellar evolution models of the white-dwarf progenitors in 47 Tucanae,we find this epoch to coincide approximately with the star ascending theasymptotic giant branch (AGB) (3.0 ± 8.1 Myr before the tip ofthe AGB) and more than ninety million years after the helium flash (with