Explaining the multiple populations in globular clusters by multiple episodes of star formation and enrichment without gas expulsion from massive star feedback

TL;DR

This study models the chemical evolution of globular clusters, showing that multiple star formation episodes and local retention of enriched gas can explain observed stellar population variations without gas expulsion.

Contribution

It introduces a new chemical evolution model for globular clusters that accounts for multiple star formation episodes and local enrichment without gas expulsion, aligning with observed chemical patterns.

Findings

Reproduces Na-O anti-correlations in metal-poor GCs

Alleviates the mass budget problem without ad-hoc assumptions

Explains super-He-rich stars in the metal-rich bulge

Abstract

In order to investigate the origin of multiple stellar populations found in globular clusters (GCs) in the halo and bulge of the Milky Way, we have constructed chemical evolution models for their putative low-mass progenitors. In light of recent theoretical developments, we assume that supernova blast waves undergo blowout without expelling the pre-enriched ambient gas, while relatively slow winds of massive stars, together with the winds and ejecta from low to high mass asymptotic-giant-branch stars, are all locally retained in these less massive systems. Interestingly, we find that the observed Na-O anti-correlations in metal-poor GCs can be reproduced when multiple episodes of starburst and enrichment are allowed to continue in these subsystems. A specific form of star formation history with decreasing time intervals between the successive stellar generations, however, is required to obtain this result, which is in good agreement with the parameters obtained from synthetic horizontal-branch models. The "mass budget problem" is also much alleviated by our models without ad-hoc assumptions on star formation efficiency, initial mass function, and the preferential loss of first-generation stars. We also applied these models to investigate the origin of super-He-rich red clump stars in the metal-rich bulge suggested by Lee et al. (2015). We find that chemical enrichment by the winds of massive stars can naturally reproduce the required strong He enhancement in metal-rich subsystems. Our results further underscore that gas expulsion or retention is a key factor in understanding the multiple populations in GCs.