Related papers: Blue straggler formation at core collapse
The importance of stellar encounters in producing stellar exotica in dense stellar clusters is reviewed. We discuss how collisions between main-sequence stars may be responsible for the production of blue stragglers in globular clusters. We…
Numerical simulations have established that star clusters with densities comparable to the high redshift ($z>6$-$10$) James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) proto globular clusters may build up extremely massive (EMSs; $m_\mathrm{\star}>1000…
Many possible scenarios for the formation of multiple stellar populations (MSP) in globular clusters (GCs) have been discussed so far, including the involvement of asymptotic giant branch stars, fast rotating main sequence stars, very…
By using high-resolution spectra acquired with FLAMES-GIRAFFE at the ESO/VLT, we measured radial and rotational velocities for 110 Blue Straggler stars (BSSs) in Omega Centauri, the globular cluster-like stellar system harboring the largest…
Blue straggler stars are exotic objects present in all stellar environments whose nature and formation channels are still partially unclear. They seem to be particularly abundant in open clusters (OCs), thus offering a unique chance to…
The existence of blue straggler stars (BSSs) in dwarf spheroidal galaxies (dSphs) is still an open question. In fact, many BSS candidates have been observed in the Local Group dSphs, but it is unclear whether they are real BSSs or young…
We review possible dynamical formation processes for central massive black holes in dense star clusters. We focus on the early dynamical evolution of young clusters containing a few thousand to a few million stars. One natural formation…
A number of theories have been put forward to explain the bi-modal stellar rotational distribution observed in young massive clusters. These include stellar mergers and interactions induced in binary systems, and the role of angular…
Blue straggler stars in stellar clusters are a subset of stars that are bluer and appear younger than other cluster members, seemingly straggling behind in their evolution. They offer a unique opportunity to understand the stellar dynamics…
We present the first investigation of the Blue Straggler star (BSS) population in two isolated dwarf spheroidal galaxies of the Local Group, Cetus and Tucana. Deep HST/ACS photometry allowed us to identify samples of 940 and 1214…
Blue Straggler Stars (BSS) are among the brightest and more massive stars in globular clusters (GCs). For this reason they represent an ideal tool to probe the dynamical evolution of these stellar systems. Here I show, following the results…
Globular cluster systems exhibit a bewildering variety of characteristics. No single scenario appears to be able to account for the wide range of specific globular cluster frequencies that are observed in galaxies of various types. The…
We continue our exploration of collisionally merged stars in the blue straggler region of the color-magnitude diagram. We report the results of new SPH calculations of parabolic collisions between two main-sequence stars, with the initial…
A sample of 86 contact binary systems in 14 globular clusters with available color index data in (B-V) or in (V-I) has been analyzed. At least one third of all systems are numerous foreground Galactic Disk projections over long lines of…
We present semi-analytical models and simplified $N$-body simulations with $10^4$ and $10^5$ particles aimed at probing the role of dynamical friction (DF) in determining the radial distribution of Blue Straggler Stars (BSSs) in globular…
Stellar collisions are an important formation channel for blue straggler stars in globular and old open clusters. Hydrodynamical simulations have shown that the remnants of such collisions are out of thermal equilibrium, are not strongly…
We have used a proper combination of multiband high-resolution {\it HST-WFPC2} and wide-field ground based observations to image the galactic globular cluster NGC 6266 (M62). The extensive photometric data set allows us to determine the…
In this paper, we present the simulations for the primordial blue stragglers in the old open cluster M67 based on detailed modelling of the evolutionary processes. The principal aim is to discuss the contribution of mass transfer between…
The parameter A+, defined as the area enclosed between the cumulative radial distribution of blue straggler stars (BSSs) and that of a reference population, is a powerful indicator of the level of BSS central segregation. As part of the…
Sub-subgiant stars (SSGs) lie to the red of the main-sequence and fainter than the red giant branch in cluster color-magnitude diagrams (CMDs), a region not easily populated by standard stellar evolution pathways. While there has been…