Image of the double cluster h and xi Persei, in the constellation of Perseus, with the blue supergiants in the research study revealed with crosses and consisting of a typical spectrum from the sample. Credit: Abel de Burgos Sierra (IAC).
In the published study observations have actually been taken of some 750 blue supergiant stars in a volume within 6,500 light-years of Earth, that makes this one of the most complete and greatest quality samples acquired till now. For this study, the task IACOB of the IAC has invested over 15 years obtaining spectra (which are the fingerprints of stars) of high quality and high resolution of huge stars, which includes an extensive search for blue supergiants in the Milky Way in order to take a look at the large majority of them. These observations were generally performed with the NOT and Mercatortelescopes at the Roque de los Muchachos observatory on the island of La Palma.
” The analysis of this sample,” explains Abel de Burgos Sierra, a scientist at the IAC and the ULL, and first author of the post “will enable us to tackle some of the concerns about the evolutionary nature and the physical properties of these items which have gone for years without solutions, since they were less popular that other kinds of stars with less mass, despite the fact that they are essential in lots of fields of modern-day astrophysics.”.
Picture of the Milky Way with the blue supergiant stars from the sample superposed. Credit: DSS/Abel de Burgos Sierra (IAC).
To pick the sample, a brand-new method of flagging has been used based upon an easily identifiable tracer in the spectra of these stars (the shape of the profile of the H-neta line). Utilizing a basic measurement this brand-new approach permits the effective and rapid identification of stars within a specific range of temperature level and surface area gravity. Using this the scientists did not need to derive these amounts utilizing the normal approaches of spectral analysis utilizing complex model excellent environments.
” This will be really essential for identifying this type of star when the next significant spectroscopic surveys of enormous stars such as WEAVE-SCIP from the Roque de los Muchachos or 4MIDABLE-LRfrom La Silla, in Chile, start to observe countless spectra of the stars in our galaxy every night during the coming 5 years,” comments Sergio Simón-Díaz, and IAC researcher, a co-author of the post and Principal Investigator (IP) of the IACOB task, an international collaboration led by the IAC, whose objective is to produce the largest database ever of the spectra of enormous stars in the Milky Way.
The next action, in which De Burgos is already working as part of his doctoral thesis, is to acquire precise information about the physical criteria (mass, temperature level, luminosity) and the chemical abundances (He, C, N, O, Si) for the sample of 750 blue supergiants. “This will assist to respond to a few of the most intriguing still unanswered questions which will provide us a much better understanding of this “adolescent phase” of massive stars,” concludes Miguel A. Urbaneja, a scientist at the University of Innsbruck and a co-author of the short article.
Reference: “The IACOB job. IX. Building a modern empirical database of Galactic O9– B9 supergiants: sample choice, completeness, and description” by A. de Burgos, S. Simón-Díaz, M. A. Urbaneja and I. Negueruela, 26 June 2023, Astronomy and Astrophysics.DOI: 10.1051/ 0004-6361/2023 46179.
Amongst the varied spectrum of stars, those with a mass surpassing 8 times that of the Sun are identified as massive stars. When these stars fulfill their end as supernovae, they offer increase to neutron stars and black holes of excellent mass. In the published research study observations have actually been taken of some 750 blue supergiant stars in a volume within 6,500 light-years of Earth, which makes this one of the most complete and highest quality samples obtained up until now. For this research study, the project IACOB of the IAC has actually spent over 15 years getting spectra (which are the finger prints of stars) of high quality and high resolution of massive stars, which consists of an extensive search for blue supergiants in the Milky Way in order to examine the large majority of them. To choose the sample, a new method of flagging has actually been utilized based on an easily identifiable tracer in the spectra of these stars (the shape of the profile of the H-neta line).
Scientists have carried out an extensive study on 750 blue supergiant stars within 6,500 light-years of Earth utilizing the IACOB project, supplying important insights into their evolutionary stage described “stellar teenage years.” The studys findings lead the way for comprehending the nature, development, and crucial role of these stars in the universe, with future works intending to clarify their chemical and physical properties.
Stars function as the basic foundation of galaxies and, by extension, the whole observable universe. Amongst the diverse spectrum of stars, those with a mass exceeding 8 times that of the Sun are identified as massive stars. Their potent radiation and powerful stellar winds put in a considerable impact on the surrounding interstellar medium.
Inside these stars, components beyond hydrogen and helium are formed, playing a critical role in the chemical transformation of galaxies and laying the structure for lifes emergence. When these stars fulfill their end as supernovae, they provide rise to neutron stars and black holes of outstanding mass. All of this implies that their nature and advancement are crucial for astrophysics.
In this context, blue supergiants is the term used to define those enormous stars which remain in an intermediate phase of their lives, an important time, which might be referred to as “outstanding adolescence” which will identify the rest of their lives and their last fates. Given the intricacy of this evolutionary stage, previous research study based upon samples of a couple of tens of these stars has not managed to get sufficient info to understand them in information.
