Using $^{26}$Al to detect ongoing self-enrichment in young massive star clusters

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Auteurs principaux: Nowak, Katarzyna, Krause, Martin G. H., Siegert, Thomas, Forbrich, Jan, Yates, Robert M., Ramírez-Galeano, Laura, Charbonnel, Corinne, Gieles, Mark
Format: Preprint
Publié: 2024
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author Nowak, Katarzyna
Krause, Martin G. H.
Siegert, Thomas
Forbrich, Jan
Yates, Robert M.
Ramírez-Galeano, Laura
Charbonnel, Corinne
Gieles, Mark
author_facet Nowak, Katarzyna
Krause, Martin G. H.
Siegert, Thomas
Forbrich, Jan
Yates, Robert M.
Ramírez-Galeano, Laura
Charbonnel, Corinne
Gieles, Mark
contents Self-enrichment is one of the leading explanations for chemical anomalies in globular clusters. In this scenario, various candidate polluter stars have been proposed to eject gas with altered chemical composition during the self-enrichment process. Most of the proposed polluters will also eject radioactive $^{26}$Al into the surroundings. Hence, any detection of $^{26}$Al in young massive star clusters (YMCs) would support the self-enrichment scenario if YMCs were indeed the progenitors of globular clusters. Observations of gamma-ray data from COMPTEL and INTEGRAL, as well as detections of $^{26}$AlF molecules by the Atacama Large Millimeter-submillimeter Array (ALMA), indicate the maturing of $^{26}$Al detection methods. Detection possibilities will be enhanced in the short- to mid-term by the upcoming launch of the Compton Spectrometer and Imager (COSI). The Square Kilometer Array (SKA) could in principle also detect radio recombination lines of the positronium formed from the decay products of $^{26}$Al. Here, we show for a sample of YMCs in the nearby Universe, where self-enrichment could plausibly take place. For some nearby galaxies, this could enhance $^{26}$Al by an order of one magnitude. Detecting $^{26}$AlF with ALMA appears feasible for many candidate self-enrichment clusters, although significant challenges remain with other detection methods. The Large Magellanic Cloud, with its YMC R136, stands out as the most promising candidate. Detecting a 1.8~MeV radioactive decay line of $^{26}$Al here would require at least 15 months of targeted observation with COSI, assuming ongoing self-enrichment in R136.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2409_16362
institution arXiv
publishDate 2024
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Using $^{26}$Al to detect ongoing self-enrichment in young massive star clusters
Nowak, Katarzyna
Krause, Martin G. H.
Siegert, Thomas
Forbrich, Jan
Yates, Robert M.
Ramírez-Galeano, Laura
Charbonnel, Corinne
Gieles, Mark
Astrophysics of Galaxies
Self-enrichment is one of the leading explanations for chemical anomalies in globular clusters. In this scenario, various candidate polluter stars have been proposed to eject gas with altered chemical composition during the self-enrichment process. Most of the proposed polluters will also eject radioactive $^{26}$Al into the surroundings. Hence, any detection of $^{26}$Al in young massive star clusters (YMCs) would support the self-enrichment scenario if YMCs were indeed the progenitors of globular clusters. Observations of gamma-ray data from COMPTEL and INTEGRAL, as well as detections of $^{26}$AlF molecules by the Atacama Large Millimeter-submillimeter Array (ALMA), indicate the maturing of $^{26}$Al detection methods. Detection possibilities will be enhanced in the short- to mid-term by the upcoming launch of the Compton Spectrometer and Imager (COSI). The Square Kilometer Array (SKA) could in principle also detect radio recombination lines of the positronium formed from the decay products of $^{26}$Al. Here, we show for a sample of YMCs in the nearby Universe, where self-enrichment could plausibly take place. For some nearby galaxies, this could enhance $^{26}$Al by an order of one magnitude. Detecting $^{26}$AlF with ALMA appears feasible for many candidate self-enrichment clusters, although significant challenges remain with other detection methods. The Large Magellanic Cloud, with its YMC R136, stands out as the most promising candidate. Detecting a 1.8~MeV radioactive decay line of $^{26}$Al here would require at least 15 months of targeted observation with COSI, assuming ongoing self-enrichment in R136.
title Using $^{26}$Al to detect ongoing self-enrichment in young massive star clusters
topic Astrophysics of Galaxies
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2409.16362