The evolution of CNO isotopes: the impact of massive stellar rotators

Author:

Romano Donatella1ORCID,Matteucci Francesca234,Zhang Zhi-Yu56ORCID,Ivison Rob J56ORCID,Ventura Paolo7

Affiliation:

1. INAF, Osservatorio di Astrofisica e Scienza dello Spazio, Via Gobetti 93/3, I-40129 Bologna, Italy

2. Sezione di Astronomia, Dipartimento di Fisica, Università di Trieste, Via Tiepolo 11, I-34131 Trieste, Italy

3. INAF, Osservatorio Astronomico di Trieste, Via Tiepolo 11, I-34131 Trieste, Italy

4. INFN, Sezione di Trieste, Via Valerio 2, I-34127 Trieste, Italy

5. Royal Observatory, Institute for Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, Blackford Hill, Edinburgh, EH9 3HJ, UK

6. European Southern Observatory, Karl-Schwarzschild-Strasse 2, D-85748 Garching bei München, Germany

7. INAF, Osservatorio Astronomico di Roma, Via Frascati 33, I-00040 Monte Porzio Catone, Roma, Italy

Abstract

ABSTRACT Chemical abundances and abundance ratios measured in galaxies provide precious information about the mechanisms, modes, and time-scales of the assembly of cosmic structures. Yet, the nucleogenesis and chemical evolution of elements heavier than helium are dictated mostly by the physics of the stars and the shape of the stellar mass spectrum. In particular, estimates of CNO isotopic abundances in the hot, dusty media of high-redshift starburst galaxies offer a unique glimpse into the shape of the stellar initial mass function (IMF) in extreme environments that cannot be accessed with direct observations (star counts). Underlying uncertainties in stellar evolution and nucleosynthesis theory, however, may hurt our chances of getting a firm grasp of the IMF in these galaxies. In this work, we adopt new yields for massive stars, covering different initial rotational velocities. First, we implement the new yield set in a well-tested chemical evolution model for the Milky Way. The calibrated model is then adapted to the specific case of a prototype submillimetre galaxy (SMG). We show that, if the formation of fast-rotating stars is favoured in the turbulent medium of violently star-forming galaxies irrespective of metallicity, the IMF needs to be skewed towards high-mass stars in order to explain the CNO isotopic ratios observed in SMGs. If, instead, stellar rotation becomes negligible beyond a given metallicity threshold, as is the case for our own Galaxy, there is no need to invoke a top-heavy IMF in starbursts.

Funder

Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica

Publisher

Oxford University Press (OUP)

Subject

Space and Planetary Science,Astronomy and Astrophysics

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