Binary-driven stellar rotation evolution at the main-sequence turn-off in star clusters

TL;DR

This study investigates stellar rotation distributions in intermediate-age star clusters, revealing a correlation with binary fractions and suggesting a binary-driven formation mechanism affecting the main-sequence turn-off stars.

Contribution

The paper introduces a novel method to derive stellar rotation distributions using Gaia data and stellar models, linking rotation to binary fractions in star clusters.

Findings

A tight correlation between slow rotator ratio and binary fraction.

Blue main-sequence stars are more centrally concentrated.

The origin of rotation distribution may be binary-driven.

Abstract

The impact of stellar rotation on the morphology of star cluster colour-magnitude diagrams is widely acknowledged. However, the physics driving the distribution of the equatorial rotation velocities of main-sequence turn-off (MSTO) stars is as yet poorly understood. Using Gaia Data Release 2 photometry and new Southern African Large Telescope medium-resolution spectroscopy, we analyse the intermediate-age ($\sim1\,$Gyr-old) Galactic open clusters NGC 3960, NGC 6134 and IC 4756 and develop a novel method to derive their stellar rotation distributions based on SYCLIST stellar rotation models. Combined with literature data for the open clusters NGC 5822 and NGC 2818, we find a tight correlation between the number ratio of slow rotators and the clusters' binary fractions. The blue-main-sequence stars in at least two of our clusters are more centrally concentrated than their red-main-sequence counterparts. The origin of the equatorial stellar rotation distribution and its evolution remains as yet unidentified. However, the observed correlation in our open cluster sample suggests a binary-driven formation mechanism.