Characterizing Blue Straggler Star Populations in Globular Clusters using HST Photometric Survey Data

TL;DR

This study analyzes blue straggler star populations in globular clusters using HST data, employing proper motion cleaning and stellar models to understand their properties and formation mechanisms.

Contribution

It provides a large catalog of BSSs in globular clusters and uses stellar models to estimate their masses and ages, offering insights into their formation.

Findings

Large catalog of BSSs constructed

Mass and age estimates for BSSs derived

Constraints on formation mechanisms established

Abstract

We present early results from a detailed analysis of the BSS population in Galactic GCs based on HST data.Using proper motion cleaning of the color-magnitude diagrams we construct a large catalog of BSSs and study some population properties.Stellar evolutionary models are used to find stellar mass and age estimates for the BSS populations in order to establish constraints related to the dynamical interactions in which they may have formed.