Related papers: Horizontal Branch Stars and the Ultraviolet Univer…
Strong mass loss on the red giant branch (RGB) can result in the formation of extreme horizontal branch (EHB) stars. The EHB stars spend most of their He core and shell burning phase at high temperatures and produce copious ultraviolet…
We present models of the late stages of stellar evolution intended to explain the UV upturn phenomenon in elliptical galaxies. Such models are sensitive to values of a number of poorly-constrained physical parameters, including metallicity,…
This series of papers comprises a systematic exploration of the hypothesis that the far ultraviolet radiation from star clusters and elliptical galaxies originates from extremely hot horizontal-branch (HB) stars and their post-HB progeny.…
We present an analysis of the far-ultraviolet upturn phenomenon (UVX) observed in elliptical galaxies and spiral galaxy bulges. Our premise is that the UV radiation from these systems emanates primarily from extreme horizontal branch (EHB)…
Horizontal branch (HB) morphology is a complex multiple-parameter problem. Besides the metallicity, two other leading parameters are the mass loss rate (MLR) and the initial He abundance of the HB progenitors. Using the STAREV stellar…
Recent observations and theories suggest that extreme horizontal branch (EHB) stars and their progeny should be the cause of the UV excess seen in the spectra of many elliptical galaxies. Since the Galactic Bulge is the closest…
I review the observational constraints on the stars responsible for the upturn in the UV spectra of ellipticals, ranging from galaxies in the local Universe to distant clusters. In nearby galaxies, this UV upturn is produced by a minority…
Whether or not metal-rich HB stars are the dominant UV source in giant elliptical galaxies (gEs) is an important question in current astronomical research. We follow up our previous evolutionary population synthesis study with quantitative…
Far-ultraviolet radiation is a ubiquitous, if unanticipated, phenomenon in elliptical galaxies and early-type spiral bulges. It is the most variable photometric feature associated with old stellar populations. Recent observational and…
Since the discovery of the Ultraviolet Upturn Phenomenon (``UVX'') in early-type galaxies it has been clear that the stellar populations of such systems contain an unexpected hot component. Recent work has provided strong circumstantial…
We predict mass-loss rates for the late evolutionary phases of low-mass stars, with special emphasis on the consequences for the morphology of the Horizontal Branch (HB). We show that the computed rates, as predicted by the most plausible…
We consider the general theoretical problem of ultraviolet light from old stellar populations (t > 2 Gyr), and the interpretation of galaxy spectra at short wavelengths (lamda < 3200A) The sources believed to be responsible for the observed…
The far-ultraviolet is the most rapidly evolving portion of the spectrum in both very young galaxies and very old galaxies. The ``UV upturn'' in the spectra of elliptical galaxies shortward of 2000 Angstroms offers a promising probe of the…
Using the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph on the Hubble Space Telescope, we have obtained deep far-ultraviolet images of the compact elliptical galaxy M32. When combined with earlier near-ultraviolet images of the same field, these…
Stars with very large mass loss on the red-giant branch can undergo the helium flash while descending the white-dwarf cooling curve. Under these conditions the flash convection zone will mix the hydrogen envelope with the hot helium-…
I review aspects of the evolution of horizontal branch (HB) stars. I start by discussing current topics in the study of HB stellar evolution, including a brief review of the main determinants of the structure of low-mass core helium burning…
Much of the far-UV emission from elliptical galaxies is thought to arise from extreme horizontal branch stars and related objects. Only about 10% of the stellar population needs to evolve through this phase even in galaxies with the…
The UV upturn phenomenon observed in elliptical galaxies is attractive for its potential value as an age indicator of old stellar systems. We present our most recent population models for the UV evolution of elliptical galaxies. We confirm…
We present preliminary results from spectral synthesis models of old stellar populations for the spectral range 912-4000 A with ~ 10A resolution, which can be used to investigate the UVX phenomenon and to assess ages and abundances. Model…
The unexpected high bump in the UV part of the spectrum found in nearby giant elliptical galaxies, a.k.a. the UV upturn, has been a subject of debate. A remarkable progress has been made lately from the observational side, mainly involving…