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

TL;DR

This paper explores the origin of helium-rich stars in Omega Centauri, proposing that their peculiar composition results from galactic winds caused by supernovae in its history as a dwarf galaxy remnant.

Contribution

It introduces a scenario linking the helium-rich population to galactic winds driven by supernovae in Omega Centauri's past as a dwarf galaxy remnant.

Findings

Helium-rich stars likely formed from material affected by galactic winds.

The chemical peculiarities can be explained by supernova-driven winds.

Omega Centauri's history as a dwarf galaxy remnant influences its stellar populations.

Abstract

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.