Meridional Circulation. I. A Formation Channel for Lithium-rich and Super Lithium-rich Red Clump Stars

Fuente: arXiv
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Autori principali: Li, Xue-Feng, Shi, Jian-Rong, Li, Yan, Yan, Hong-Liang, Zhang, Jing-Hua
Natura: Preprint
Pubblicazione: 2025
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author Li, Xue-Feng
Shi, Jian-Rong
Li, Yan
Yan, Hong-Liang
Zhang, Jing-Hua
author_facet Li, Xue-Feng
Shi, Jian-Rong
Li, Yan
Yan, Hong-Liang
Zhang, Jing-Hua
contents Current observations indicate that stars with higher rotation rates appear to maintain more surface lithium, and the majority of lithium-rich giants are indeed red clump stars. Hence, we investigate the mechanisms behind lithium enrichment in rotating red clump stars and the pathways to forming lithium-rich red clump stars. Meridional circulation is prevalent in the radiative zone of rotating giants. We model its radial mixing as a diffusion process and derive the corresponding diffusion coefficient based on its material transfer effect. Due to uncertainties in numerical calculations, we consider an average diffusion effect. Additionally, certain limiting conditions for the radial velocity of meridional circulation are incorporated. With varying input rotation velocities, we simulate the lithium evolution for red clump stars with this model. Our results indicate that the material transfer effect due to meridional circulation can efficiently transport beryllium, produced by H burning, into the convective envelope. This meridional circulation can lead to lithium enrichment, with a maximum lithium abundance increment approaching \(3.0\,\rm dex\). Consequently, it is capable of forming both lithium-rich and super lithium-rich red clump stars. The degree of lithium enrichment exhibits a strong positive correlation with the rotation velocity, i.e., faster red clump stars show more surface lithium. Furthermore, our models indicate that lithium-rich red clump stars are relatively young (\(\sim 10^6\,\rm yr\)), which aligns with observation evidences.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2502_14201
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Meridional Circulation. I. A Formation Channel for Lithium-rich and Super Lithium-rich Red Clump Stars
Li, Xue-Feng
Shi, Jian-Rong
Li, Yan
Yan, Hong-Liang
Zhang, Jing-Hua
Solar and Stellar Astrophysics
Astrophysics of Galaxies
Current observations indicate that stars with higher rotation rates appear to maintain more surface lithium, and the majority of lithium-rich giants are indeed red clump stars. Hence, we investigate the mechanisms behind lithium enrichment in rotating red clump stars and the pathways to forming lithium-rich red clump stars. Meridional circulation is prevalent in the radiative zone of rotating giants. We model its radial mixing as a diffusion process and derive the corresponding diffusion coefficient based on its material transfer effect. Due to uncertainties in numerical calculations, we consider an average diffusion effect. Additionally, certain limiting conditions for the radial velocity of meridional circulation are incorporated. With varying input rotation velocities, we simulate the lithium evolution for red clump stars with this model. Our results indicate that the material transfer effect due to meridional circulation can efficiently transport beryllium, produced by H burning, into the convective envelope. This meridional circulation can lead to lithium enrichment, with a maximum lithium abundance increment approaching \(3.0\,\rm dex\). Consequently, it is capable of forming both lithium-rich and super lithium-rich red clump stars. The degree of lithium enrichment exhibits a strong positive correlation with the rotation velocity, i.e., faster red clump stars show more surface lithium. Furthermore, our models indicate that lithium-rich red clump stars are relatively young (\(\sim 10^6\,\rm yr\)), which aligns with observation evidences.
title Meridional Circulation. I. A Formation Channel for Lithium-rich and Super Lithium-rich Red Clump Stars
topic Solar and Stellar Astrophysics
Astrophysics of Galaxies
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2502.14201