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Article
Bayesian Hierarchical Modelling of Initial-Final Mass Relations Across Star Clusters
Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
  • Shijing Si, Imperial College London
  • David A. van Dyk, Imperial College London
  • Ted von Hippel, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
  • Elliot Robinson, Argiope Technical Solutions
  • Elizabeth Jeffery, California Polytechnic State University
  • David C Stenning, Imperial College London
Submitting Campus
Daytona Beach
Department
Physical Sciences
Document Type
Article
Publication/Presentation Date
7-18-2018
Abstract/Description

The initial-final mass relation (IFMR) of white dwarfs (WDs) plays an important role in stellar evolution. To derive precise estimates of IFMRs and explore how they may vary among star clusters, we propose a Bayesian hierarchical model that pools photometric data from multiple star clusters. After performing a simulation study to show the benefits of the Bayesian hierarchical model, we apply this model to five star clusters: the Hyades, M67, NGC 188, NGC 2168, and NGC 2477, leading to reasonable and consistent estimates of IFMRs for these clusters. We illustrate how a cluster-specific analysis of NGC 188 using its own photometric data can produce an unreasonable IFMR since its WDs have a narrow range of zero-age main sequence (ZAMS) masses. However, the Bayesian hierarchical model corrects the cluster-specific analysis by borrowing strength from other clusters, thus generating more reliable estimates of IFMR parameters. The data analysis presents the benefits of Bayesian hierarchical modelling over conventional cluster-specific methods, which motivates us to elaborate the powerful statistical techniques in this article.

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/sty1913
Publisher
Royal Astronomical Society
Grant or Award Name
Marie-Skodowska-Curie RISE Grant (H2020-MSCA-RISE-2015-691164), NSF Award AST-1715718
Citation Information
Shijing Si, David A. van Dyk, Ted von Hippel, Elliot Robinson, et al.. "Bayesian Hierarchical Modelling of Initial-Final Mass Relations Across Star Clusters" Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society Vol. 480 Iss. 1 (2018) p. 1300 - 1321
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/ted-vonhippel/53/