Massive stars at low metallicity: Evolution and surface abundances of O dwarfs in the SMC

TL;DR

This study investigates the evolution, rotation, and surface chemical abundances of O-type dwarf stars in the Small Magellanic Cloud, providing insights into stellar evolution at low metallicity through spectral analysis and comparison with models.

Contribution

It offers new observational data on O-type dwarfs in the SMC and evaluates their properties against stellar evolution models, highlighting the need for stronger mixing in models.

Findings

Fast rotators are likely several million years old.

Observed nitrogen abundances suggest weak dependence on stellar mass.

Discrepancies in models for slowly rotating N-rich stars.

Abstract

We study the evolution, rotation, and surface abundances of O-type dwarfs in the Small Magellanic Cloud. We analyzed the UV and optical spectra of twenty-three objects and derived photospheric and wind properties. The observed binary fraction of the sample is ~ 26%, which is compatible with more systematic studies, if one considers that the actual binary fraction is potentially larger owing to low-luminosity companions and that the sample excluded obvious spectroscopic binaries. The location of the fastest rotators in the H-R diagram indicates that these could be several Myr old. The offset in the position of these fast rotators compared with the other stars confirms the predictions of evolutionary models that fast-rotating stars tend to evolve more vertically in the H-R diagram. Only one star of luminosity-class Vz, expected to best characterize extreme youth, is located on the ZAMS, the other two stars are more evolved. The distribution of nitrogen abundance of O and B stars suggests that the mechanisms responsible for the chemical enrichment of slowly rotating massive stars depends only weakly on the star's mass. We confirm that the group of slowly rotating N-rich stars is not reproduced by the evolutionary tracks. Our results call for stronger mixing in the models to explain the range of observed N abundances. All stars have an N/C ratio as a function of stellar luminosity that matches the predictions of the stellar evolution models well. More massive stars have a higher N/C ratio than the less massive stars. Faster rotators show on average a higher N/C ratio than slower rotators. The N/O versus N/C ratios agree qualitatively well with those of stellar evolution models. The only discrepant behavior is observed for the youngest two stars of the sample, which both show very strong signs of mixing, which is unexpected for their evolutionary status.