Bibcode
DOI
Recio-Blanco, Alejandra; Piotto, Giampaolo; Aparicio, Antonio; Renzini, Alvio
Bibliographical reference
The Astrophysical Journal, Volume 572, Issue 1, pp. L71-L74.
Advertised on:
6
2002
Journal
Citations
59
Refereed citations
47
Description
We present high-resolution Very Large Telescope/Ultraviolet Visual
Echelle Spectrograph observations of 56 stars in the extended
horizontal-branch (EHB) of the Galactic globular clusters NGC 1904, NGC
2808, NGC 6093, and NGC 7078. Our data reveal for the first time the
presence in NGC 1904 of a sizable population of fast (vsini>=20 km
s-1) horizontal-branch (HB) rotators, confined to the cool
end of the EHB, similar to that found in M13. We also confirm the fast
rotators already observed in NGC 7078. The cooler stars
(Teff<11,500 K) in these three clusters show a range of
rotation rates, with a group of stars rotating at ~15 km s-1
or less and a fast rotating group at ~30 km s-1. Apparently,
the fast rotators are relatively more abundant in NGC 1904 and M13 than
in NGC 7078. No fast rotators have been identified in NGC 2808 and NGC
6093. All the stars hotter than Teff~11,500 K have projected
rotational velocities of vsini<12 km s-1, but less than
20% have vsini<2 km s-1. The connection between
photometric gaps in the HB and the change in the projected rotational
velocities is not confirmed by the new data. However, our data are
consistent with a relation between this discontinuity and the HB jump.
We discuss a number of possibilities for the origin of the stellar
rotation distribution along the HB. We conclude that none of them can
yet provide a satisfactory explanation of the observations. Based on
observations with the ESO Very Large Telescope Ultraviolet Visual
Echelle Spectrograph at the Paranal Observatory, Chile.