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On the origin of the helium-rich population in the peculiar globular cluster Omega Centauri

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 April 2010

Donatella Romano
Affiliation:
Dept. of Astronomy, Bologna University, Via Ranzani 1, I-40127, Bologna, Italy email: donatella.romano@oabo.inaf.it INAF-Bologna Observatory, Via Ranzani 1, I-40127, Bologna, Italy
M. Tosi
Affiliation:
INAF-Bologna Observatory, Via Ranzani 1, I-40127, Bologna, Italy
M. Cignoni
Affiliation:
Dept. of Astronomy, Bologna University, Via Ranzani 1, I-40127, Bologna, Italy email: donatella.romano@oabo.inaf.it INAF-Bologna Observatory, Via Ranzani 1, I-40127, Bologna, Italy
F. Matteucci
Affiliation:
Dept. of Physics, Trieste University, Via Tiepolo 11, I-34143, Trieste, Italy
E. Pancino
Affiliation:
INAF-Bologna Observatory, Via Ranzani 1, I-40127, Bologna, Italy
M. Bellazzini
Affiliation:
INAF-Bologna Observatory, Via Ranzani 1, I-40127, Bologna, Italy
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Abstract

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In this contribution we discuss the origin of the extreme helium-rich stars which inhabit the blue main sequence (bMS) of the Galactic globular cluster Omega Centauri. In a scenario where the cluster is the surviving remnant of a dwarf galaxy ingested by the Milky Way many Gyr ago, the peculiar chemical composition of the bMS stars can be naturally explained by considering the effects of strong differential galactic winds, which develop owing to multiple supernova explosions in a shallow potential well.

Type
Contributed Papers
Copyright
Copyright © International Astronomical Union 2010

References

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