The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society (천문학회보)
- Volume 42 Issue 2
- /
- Pages.86.2-86.2
- /
- 2017
- /
- 1226-2692(pISSN)
On the origin of blue straggler stars in dwarf galaxies
- Kim, Hak-Sub (Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute) ;
- Han, Sang-Il (Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute) ;
- Joo, Seok-Joo (Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute) ;
- Yoon, Suk-Jin (Center for Galaxy Evolution Research Yonsei University) ;
- Lee, Young-Wook (Center for Galaxy Evolution Research Yonsei University)
- Published : 2017.10.10
Abstract
Blue stragglers (BSs) are the objects that are brighter and bluer than the stars at main-sequence turn-off point. In this study, we present the Ca-by and VI photometry for Galactic dwarf spheroidal galaxies using Subaru/Suprime-Cam and investigate the spatial distribution characteristics of BS stars using the hk index as a photometric metallicity indicator. We compare the cumulative radial distribution of the BS stars with those of two groups of red-giant-branch (RGB) stars divided by the hk-index strength, and find that the spatial distribution of all BS stars is closer to that of hk-weak (i.e. metal-poor) RGB stars. We also find that the hk-strong BS stars are more centrally concentrated than the hk-weak ones. We will discuss the use of hk-index as a metallicity indicator for the hot BS stars and suggest possible explanations for the results in terms of the origin of BS stars in the dwarf gal.
Keywords