THE MASS OF PROGENITORS OF WHITE DWARFTS IN OPEN CLUSTERS

  • LEE SEE-WOO (Department of Astronomy, Seoul National University) ;
  • SUNG HWANKYUNG (Department of Astronomy, Seoul National University)
  • 발행 : 1996.04.01

초록

31 white dwarfs in 10 open clusters are examined, and their maximum mass and the upper mass limit of their progenitors are obtained as $1.22\pm0.02M_{\bigodot}\;and\;7.2\pm0.4M_{\bigodot}$ respectively, suggesting that the upper mass limit of white dwarfs is less than 8M_{\bigodot}$ The final mass of white dwarfs shows no clear correlation with the initial mass of their progenitors, and it is found that a deficient gap of initial mass exists between $\~4\;and\;~5.2M_{\bigodot}$. This gap seems to correspond to the mass range for carbon detonation or deflagration. The total expected numbers of white dwarfs are $11\~22$ in Hyades with 7 known white dwarfs and 17 in Praesepe with 8 known white dwarfs. These known white dwrfs are all younger than the others in both clusters. But one known white dwarf in Pleiades is older one among $2\~3$ expected white dwarfs.

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