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At least 919 records · Page 51
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DOE OSTI2013

THE STAR FORMATION HISTORY OF THE VERY METAL-POOR BLUE COMPACT DWARF I Zw 18 FROM HST/ACS DATA

We have derived the star formation history (SFH) of the blue compact dwarf galaxy I Zw 18 through comparison of deep HST/ACS data with synthetic color-magnitude diagrams (CMDs). A statistical analysis was implemented for the identification of the best-fit SFH and relative uncertainties. We confirm that I Zw 18 is not a truly young galaxy, having started forming stars earlier than ∼1 Gyr ago, and possibly at epochs as old as a Hubble time. In I Zw 18's main body we infer a lower limit of ≈2 × 10{sup 6} M {sub ☉} for the mass locked up in old stars. I Zw 18's main body has been forming stars very actively during the last ∼10 Myr, with an average star formation rate (SFR) as high as ≈1 M {sub ☉} yr{sup –1} (or ≈2 × 10{sup –5} M {sub ☉} yr{sup –1} pc{sup –2}). On the other hand, the secondary body was much less active at these epochs, in agreement with the absence of significant nebular emission. The high current SFR can explain the very blue colors and the high ionized gas content in I Zw 18, resembling primeval galaxies in the early universe. Detailed chemical evolution models are required to quantitatively check whether the SFH from the synthetic CMDs can explain the low measured element abundances, or if galactic winds with loss of metals are needed.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2015

HATS9-b and HATS10-b: Two compact hot jupiters in field 7 of the K2 mission

We report the discovery of two transiting extrasolar planets by the HATSouth survey. HATS-9b orbits an old (10.8 ± 1.5 Gyr) V = 13.3 G dwarf star with a period P≈1.9153 days. The host star has a mass of 1.03 M{sub ⊙}, radius of 1.503 R{sub ⊙} , and effective temperature 5366 ± 70 K. The planetary companion has a mass of 0.837 M{sub J} and radius of 1.065 R{sub J}, yielding a mean density of 0.85 g cm{sup −3}. HATS-10b orbits a V = 13.1 G dwarf star with a period P≈3.3128 days. The host star has a mass of 1.1 M{sub ⊙}, radius of 1.11 R{sub ⊙} , and effective temperature 5880 ± 120 K. The planetary companion has a mass of 0.53 M{sub J} and radius of 0.97 R{sub J}, yielding a mean density of 0.7 g cm{sup −3}. Both planets are compact in comparison with planets receiving similar irradiation from their host stars and lie in the nominal coordinates of Field 7 of K2, but only HATS-9b falls on working silicon. Future characterization of HATS-9b with the exquisite photometric precision of the Kepler telescope may provide measurements of its reflected light signature.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2011

COMPACT OPTICAL COUNTERPARTS OF ULTRALUMINOUS X-RAY SOURCES

Using archival Hubble Space Telescope (HST) imaging data, we report the multiband photometric properties of 13 ultraluminous X-ray sources (ULXs) that have a unique compact optical counterpart. Both magnitude and color variation are detected at timescales of days to years. The optical color, variability, and X-ray to optical flux ratio indicate that the optical emission of most ULXs is dominated by X-ray reprocessing on the disk, similar to that of low-mass X-ray binaries. For most sources, the optical spectrum is a power law, F{sub {nu}}{proportional_to}{nu}{sup {alpha}} with {alpha} in the range 1.0-2.0 and the optically emitting region has a size on the order of 10{sup 12} cm. Exceptions are NGC 2403 X-1 and M83 IXO 82, which show optical spectra consistent with direct emission from a standard thin disk, M101 ULX-1 and M81 ULS1, which have X-ray to optical flux ratios more similar to high-mass X-ray binaries, and IC 342 X-1, in which the optical light may be dominated by the companion star. Inconsistent extinction between the optical counterpart of NGC 5204 X-1 and the nearby optical nebulae suggests that they may be unrelated.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2011

ULTRA-COMPACT DWARFS IN THE COMA CLUSTER

We have undertaken a spectroscopic search for ultra-compact dwarf galaxies (UCDs) in the dense core of the dynamically evolved, massive Coma cluster as part of the Hubble Space Telescope/Advanced Camera for Surveys (HST/ACS) Coma Cluster Treasury Survey. UCD candidates were initially chosen based on color, magnitude, degree of resolution within the ACS images, and the known properties of Fornax and Virgo UCDs. Follow-up spectroscopy with Keck/Low-Resolution Imaging Spectrometer confirmed 27 candidates as members of the Coma cluster, a success rate >60% for targeted objects brighter than M{sub R} = -12. Another 14 candidates may also prove to be Coma members, but low signal-to-noise spectra prevent definitive conclusions. An investigation of the properties and distribution of the Coma UCDs finds these objects to be very similar to UCDs discovered in other environments. The Coma UCDs tend to be clustered around giant galaxies in the cluster core and have colors/metallicity that correlate with the host galaxy. With properties and a distribution similar to that of the Coma cluster globular cluster population, we find strong support for a star cluster origin for the majority of the Coma UCDs. However, a few UCDs appear to have stellar population or structural properties which differentiate them from the old star cluster populations found in the Coma cluster, perhaps indicating that UCDs may form through multiple formation channels.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2011

X-RAYS FROM BLUE COMPACT DWARF GALAXIES

We measured the X-ray fluxes from an optically selected sample of blue compact dwarf galaxies (BCDs) with metallicities <0.07 and solar distances less than 15 Mpc. Four X-ray point sources were observed in three galaxies, with five galaxies having no detectable X-ray emission. Comparing X-ray luminosity and star formation rate (SFR), we find that the total X-ray luminosity of the sample is more than 10 times greater than expected if X-ray luminosity scales with SFR according to the relation found for normal-metallicity star-forming galaxies. However, due to the low number of sources detected, one can exclude the hypothesis that the relation of the X-ray binaries to SFR in low-metallicity BCDs is identical to that in normal galaxies only at the 96.6% confidence level. It has recently been proposed that X-ray binaries were an important source of heating and reionization of the intergalactic medium at the epoch of reionization. If BCDs are analogs to unevolved galaxies in the early universe, then enhanced X-ray binary production in BCDs would suggest an enhanced impact of X-ray binaries on the early thermal history of the universe.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2011

GLOBAL MODELING OF RADIATIVELY DRIVEN ACCRETION OF METALS FROM COMPACT DEBRIS DISKS ONTO WHITE DWARFS

Recent infrared observations have revealed the presence of compact (radii {approx}< R{sub sun}) debris disks around more than a dozen metal-rich white dwarfs (WDs), likely produced by a tidal disruption of asteroids. Accretion of high-Z material from these disks may account for the metal contamination of these WDs. It was previously shown using local calculations that the Poynting-Robertson (PR) drag acting on the dense, optically thick disk naturally drives metal accretion onto the WD at the typical rate M-dot{sub PR}{approx}10{sup 8} g s{sup -1}. Here we extend this local analysis by exploring the global evolution of the debris disk under the action of the PR drag for a variety of assumptions about the disk properties. We find that massive disks (mass {approx}> 10{sup 20} g), which are optically thick to incident stellar radiation, inevitably give rise to metal accretion at rates M-dot {approx}>0.2 M-dot{sub PR}. The magnitude of M-dot and its time evolution are determined predominantly by the initial pattern of the radial distribution of the debris (i.e., ring-like versus disk-like) but not by the total mass of the disk. The latter determines only the disk lifetime, which can be several Myr or longer. The evolution of an optically thick disk generically results in the development of a sharp outer edge of the disk. We also find that the low-mass ({approx}< 10{sup 20} g), optically thin disks exhibit M-dot << M-dot{sub PR} and evolve on a characteristic timescale {approx}10{sup 5}-10{sup 6} yr, independent of their total mass.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2011

SPITZER/INFRARED SPECTROGRAPH INVESTIGATION OF MIPSGAL 24 {mu}m COMPACT BUBBLES

The MIPSGAL 24 {mu}m Galactic Plane Survey has revealed more than 400 compact-extended objects. Less than 15% of these MIPSGAL bubbles (MBs) are known and identified as evolved stars. We present Spitzer observations of four MBs obtained with the InfraRed Spectrograph to determine the origin of the mid-IR emission. We model the mid-IR gas lines and the dust emission to infer physical conditions within the MBs and consequently their nature. Two MBs show a dust-poor spectrum dominated by highly ionized gas lines of [O IV], [Ne III], [Ne V], [S III], and [S IV]. We identify them as planetary nebulae with a density of a few 10{sup 3} cm{sup -3} and a central white dwarf of {approx}>200,000 K. The mid-IR emission of the two other MBs is dominated by a dust continuum and lower-excitation lines. Both of them show a central source in the near-IR (Two Micron All Sky Survey and IRAC) broadband images. The first dust-rich MB matches a Wolf-Rayet star of {approx}60,000 K at 7.5 kpc with dust components of {approx}170 and {approx}1750 K. Its mass is about 10{sup -3} M{sub sun} and its mass loss is about 10{sup -6} M{sub sun} yr{sup -1}. The second dust-rich MB has recently been suggested as a Be/B[e]/luminous blue variable candidate. The gas lines of [Fe II] as well as hot continuum components ({approx}300 and {approx}1250 K) arise from the inside of the MB while its outer shell emits a colder dust component ({approx}75 K). The distance to the MB remains highly uncertain. Its mass is about 10{sup -3} M{sub sun} and its mass loss is about 10{sup -5} M{sub sun} yr{sup -1}.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2011

ACCELERATING COMPACT OBJECT MERGERS IN TRIPLE SYSTEMS WITH THE KOZAI RESONANCE: A MECHANISM FOR 'PROMPT' TYPE Ia SUPERNOVAE, GAMMA-RAY BURSTS, AND OTHER EXOTICA

White dwarf-white dwarf (WD-WD) and neutron star-neutron star (NS-NS) mergers may produce Type Ia supernovae and gamma-ray bursts (GRBs), respectively. A general problem is how to produce binaries with semi-major axes small enough to merge in significantly less than the Hubble time (t{sub H}), and thus accommodate the observation that these events closely follow episodes of star formation. I explore the possibility that such systems are not binaries at all, but actually coeval, or dynamical formed, triple systems. The tertiary induces Kozai oscillations in the inner binary, driving it to high eccentricity, and reducing its gravitational wave (GW) merger timescale. This effect significantly increases the allowed range of binary period P such that the merger time is t{sub merge} < t{sub H}. In principle, Chandrasekhar-mass binaries with P {approx} 300 days can merge in {approx}< t{sub H} if they contain a prograde solar-mass tertiary at high enough inclination. For retrograde tertiaries, the maximum P such that t{sub merge} {approx}< t{sub H} is yet larger. In contrast, P {approx}< 0.3 days is required in the absence of a tertiary. I discuss implications of these findings for the production of transients formed via compact object binary mergers. Based on the statistics of solar-type binaries, I argue that many such binaries should be in triple systems affected by the Kozai resonance. If true, expectations for the mHz GW signal from individual sources, the diffuse background, and the foreground for GW experiments like LISA are modified. This work motivates future studies of triples systems of A, B, and O stars, and new types of searches for WD-WD binaries in triple systems.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2011

SPECTROSCOPY OF LUMINOUS COMPACT BLUE GALAXIES IN DISTANT CLUSTERS. I. SPECTROSCOPIC DATA

We used the DEIMOS spectrograph on the Keck II Telescope to obtain spectra of galaxies in the fields of five distant, rich galaxy clusters over the redshift range 0.5 < z < 0.9 in a search for luminous compact blue galaxies (LCBGs). Unlike traditional studies of galaxy clusters, we preferentially targeted blue cluster members identified via multi-band photometric pre-selection based on imaging data from the WIYN telescope. Of the 1288 sources that we targeted, we determined secure spectroscopic redshifts for 848 sources, yielding a total success rate of 66%. Our redshift measurements are in good agreement with those previously reported in the literature, except for 11 targets which we believe were previously in error. Within our sample, we confirm the presence of 53 LCBGs in the five galaxy clusters. The clusters all stand out as distinct peaks in the redshift distribution of LCBGs with the average number density of LCBGs ranging from 1.65 {+-} 0.25 Mpc{sup -3} at z = 0.55 to 3.13 {+-} 0.65 Mpc{sup -3} at z = 0.8. The number density of LCBGs in clusters exceeds the field density by a factor of 749 {+-} 116 at z = 0.55; at z = 0.8, the corresponding ratio is E = 416 {+-} 95. At z = 0.55, this enhancement is well above that seen for blue galaxies or the overall cluster population, indicating that LCBGs are preferentially triggered in high-density environments at intermediate redshifts.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2011

FORMATION OF COMPACT STELLAR CLUSTERS BY HIGH-REDSHIFT GALAXY OUTFLOWS. III. OBSERVABILITY AND CONNECTION TO HALO GLOBULAR CLUSTERS

The early universe hosted a large population of low-mass virialized 'minihalos', that were not massive enough to form stars on their own. While most minihalos were photoevaporated by ionizing photons from star-forming galaxies, these galaxies also drove large outflows, which in some cases would have reached the minihalos in advance of ionization fronts. In the previous papers in this series, we carried out high-resolution, three-dimensional adaptive mesh refinement simulations of outflow-minihalo interactions that included non-equilibrium chemistry, radiative cooling, and turbulent mixing. We found that, for a fiducial set of parameters, minihalos were transformed into dense, chemically homogenous stellar clusters. Here we conduct a suite of simulations that follow these interactions over a wide range of parameters including minihalo mass, minihalo formation redshift, outflow energy, outflow redshift, distance, concentration, and spin. In almost all cases, the shocked minihalos form molecules through non-equilibrium reactions and then cool rapidly to become compact, chemically homogenous stellar clusters. Furthermore, we show that the unique properties of these clusters make them a prime target for direct study with the next generation of telescopes, and that there are many reasons to suspect that their low-redshift counterparts are the observed population of halo globular clusters.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2012

A RAY-TRACING ALGORITHM FOR SPINNING COMPACT OBJECT SPACETIMES WITH ARBITRARY QUADRUPOLE MOMENTS. I. QUASI-KERR BLACK HOLES

We describe a new numerical algorithm for ray tracing in the external spacetimes of spinning compact objects characterized by arbitrary quadrupole moments. Such spacetimes describe non-Kerr vacuum solutions that can be used to test the no-hair theorem in conjunction with observations of accreting black holes. They are also appropriate for neutron stars with spin frequencies in the {approx_equal} 300-600 Hz range, which are typical of the bursting sources in low-mass X-ray binaries. We use our algorithm to show that allowing for the quadrupole moment of the spacetime to take arbitrary values leads to observable effects in the profiles of relativistic broadened fluorescent iron lines from geometrically thin accretion disks.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2012

IN-SPIRALING CLUMPS IN BLUE COMPACT DWARF GALAXIES

Giant star formation clumps in dwarf irregular galaxies can have masses exceeding a few percent of the galaxy mass enclosed inside their orbital radii. They can produce sufficient torques on dark matter halo particles, halo stars, and the surrounding disk to lose their angular momentum and spiral into the central region in 1 Gyr. Pairs of giant clumps with similarly large relative masses can interact and exchange angular momentum to the same degree. The result of this angular momentum loss is a growing central concentration of old stars, gas, and star formation that can produce a long-lived starburst in the inner region, identified with the blue compact dwarf (BCD) phase. This central concentration is proposed to be analogous to the bulge in a young spiral galaxy. Observations of star complexes in five local BCDs confirm the relatively large clump masses that are expected for this process. The observed clumps also seem to contain old field stars, even after background light subtraction, in which case the clumps may be long-lived. The two examples with clumps closest to the center have the largest relative clump masses and the greatest contributions from old stars. An additional indication that the dense central regions of BCDs are like bulges is the high ratio of the inner disk scale height to the scale length, which is comparable to 1 for four of the galaxies.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2012

UNDERSTANDING COMPACT OBJECT FORMATION AND NATAL KICKS. III. THE CASE OF CYGNUS X-1

In recent years, accurate observational constraints have become available for an increasing number of Galactic X-ray binaries (XRBs). Together with proper-motion measurements, we could reconstruct the full evolutionary history of XRBs back to the time of compact object formation. In this paper, we present the first study of the persistent X-ray source Cygnus X-1 that takes into account all available observational constraints. Our analysis accounts for three evolutionary phases: orbital evolution and motion through the Galactic potential after the formation of a black hole (BH), and binary orbital dynamics at the time of core collapse. We find that the mass of the BH immediate progenitor is 15.0-20.0 M{sub Sun }, and at the time of core collapse, the BH has potentially received a small kick velocity of {<=}77 km s{sup -1} at 95% confidence. If the BH progenitor mass is less than {approx}17 M{sub Sun }, a non-zero natal kick velocity is required to explain the currently observed properties of Cygnus X-1. Since the BH has only accreted mass from its companion's stellar wind, the negligible amount of accreted mass does not explain the observationally inferred BH spin of a{sub *} > 0.95, and the origin of this extreme BH spin must be connected to the BH formation itself. Right after the BH formation, we find that the BH companion is a 19.8-22.6 M{sub Sun} main-sequence star, orbiting the BH at a period of 4.7-5.2 days. Furthermore, recent observations show that the BH companion is currently super-synchronized. This super-synchronism indicates that the strength of tides exerted on the BH companion should be weaker by a factor of at least two compared to the usually adopted strength.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2012

TOWARD EARLY-WARNING DETECTION OF GRAVITATIONAL WAVES FROM COMPACT BINARY COALESCENCE

Rapid detection of compact binary coalescence (CBC) with a network of advanced gravitational-wave detectors will offer a unique opportunity for multi-messenger astronomy. Prompt detection alerts for the astronomical community might make it possible to observe the onset of electromagnetic emission from CBC. We demonstrate a computationally practical filtering strategy that could produce early-warning triggers before gravitational radiation from the final merger has arrived at the detectors.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2012

BROADBAND JET EMISSION IN YOUNG AND POWERFUL RADIO SOURCES: THE CASE OF THE COMPACT STEEP SPECTRUM QUASAR 3C 186

We present the X-ray analysis of a deep ({approx}200 ks) Chandra observation of the compact steep spectrum radio-loud quasar 3C 186 (z = 1.06) and investigate the contribution of the unresolved radio jet to the total X-ray emission. The spectral analysis is not conclusive on the origin of the bulk of the X-ray emission. In order to examine the jet contribution to the X-ray flux, we model the quasar spectral energy distribution, adopting several scenarios for the jet emission. For the values of the main physical parameters favored by the observables, a dominant role of the jet emission in the X-ray band is ruled out when a single-zone (leptonic) scenario is adopted, even including the contribution of the external photon fields as seed photons for inverse Compton emission. We then consider a structured jet, with the blazar component that-although not directly visible in the X-ray band-provides an intense field of seed synchrotron photons Compton-scattered by electrons in a mildly relativistic knot. In this case, the whole X-ray emission can be accounted for if we assume a blazar luminosity within the range observed from flat spectrum radio quasars. The X-ray radiative efficiency of such a (structured) jet is intimately related to the presence of a complex velocity structure. The jet emission can provide a significant contribution in X-rays if it decelerates within the host galaxy on kiloparsec scales. We discuss the implications of this model in terms of jet dynamics and interaction with the ambient medium.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2012

INVERSE COMPTON X-RAY EMISSION FROM SUPERNOVAE WITH COMPACT PROGENITORS: APPLICATION TO SN2011fe

We present a generalized analytic formalism for the inverse Compton X-ray emission from hydrogen-poor supernovae and apply this framework to SN 2011fe using Swift X-Ray Telescope (XRT), UVOT, and Chandra observations. We characterize the optical properties of SN 2011fe in the Swift bands and find them to be broadly consistent with a 'normal' SN Ia, however, no X-ray source is detected by either XRT or Chandra. We constrain the progenitor system mass-loss rate M-dot < 2 x 10{sup -9} M{sub Sun }yr{sup -1} (3{sigma} c.l.) for wind velocity v{sub w} = 100 km s{sup -1}. Our result rules out symbiotic binary progenitors for SN 2011fe and argues against Roche lobe overflowing subgiants and main-sequence secondary stars if {approx}> 1% of the transferred mass is lost at the Lagrangian points. Regardless of the density profile, the X-ray non-detections are suggestive of a clean environment (n{sub CSM} < 150 cm{sup -3}) for 2 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 15} {approx}< R {approx}< 5 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 16} cm around the progenitor site. This is either consistent with the bulk of material being confined within the binary system or with a significant delay between mass loss and supernova explosion. We furthermore combine X-ray and radio limits from Chomiuk et al. to constrain the post-shock energy density in magnetic fields. Finally, we searched for the shock breakout pulse using gamma-ray observations from the Interplanetary Network and find no compelling evidence for a supernova-associated burst. Based on the compact radius of the progenitor star we estimate that the shock breakout pulse was likely not detectable by current satellites.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2012

THE NATURE OF DUST IN COMPACT GALACTIC PLANETARY NEBULAE FROM SPITZER SPECTRA

We present the Spitzer/Infrared Spectrograph (IRS) spectra of 157 compact Galactic planetary nebulae (PNe). These young PNe provide insight on the effects of dust in early post-asymptotic giant branch evolution, before much of the dust is altered or destroyed by the hardening stellar radiation field. Most of the selected targets have PN-type IRS spectra, while a few turned out to be misclassified stars. We inspected the group properties of the PN spectra and classified them based on the different dust classes (featureless or F, carbon-rich dust or CRD, oxygen-rich dust or ORD, mixed-chemistry dust or MCD) and subclasses (aromatic and aliphatic, and crystalline and amorphous). All PNe are characterized by dust continuum and more than 80% of the sample shows solid-state features above the continuum, in contrast with the Magellanic Cloud sample where only {approx}40% of the entire sample displays solid-state features; this is an indication of the strong link between dust properties and metallicity. The Galactic PNe that show solid-state features are almost equally divided among the CRD, ORD, and MCD. We analyzed dust properties together with other PN properties and found that (1) there is an enhancement of MCD PNe toward the Galactic center, in agreement with studies of Galactic bulge PNe; (2) CRD PNe could be seen as defining an evolutionary sequence, contrary to the ORD and MCD PNe, which are scattered in all evolutionary diagrams; (3) carbon-rich and oxygen-rich grains retain different equilibrium temperatures, as expected from models; and (4) ORD PNe are highly asymmetric, i.e., bipolar or bipolar core, and CRD PNe highly symmetric, i.e., round or elliptical; point symmetry is statistically more common in MCD than in other dust class PNe. By comparing the sample of this paper to that of Magellanic Cloud PNe, we find that the latter sample does not include MCD PNe, and the other dust classes are differently populated, with continuity of the fraction of F, CRD, ORD, and MCD populations from high to low metallicity environments. We also find similar sequences for CRD PNe in the Galactic disk and the Magellanic Clouds, except that the Magellanic Cloud PNe seem to attain higher dust temperatures at similar evolutionary stages, in agreement with the observational findings of smaller dust grains (i.e., lower radiation efficiency) in low metallicity interstellar environments.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2012

EFFECTS OF ROTATIONALLY INDUCED MIXING IN COMPACT BINARY SYSTEMS WITH LOW-MASS SECONDARIES AND IN SINGLE SOLAR-TYPE STARS

Many population synthesis and stellar evolution studies have addressed the evolution of close binary systems in which the primary is a compact remnant and the secondary is filling its Roche lobe, thus triggering mass transfer. Although tidal locking is expected in such systems, most studies have neglected the rotationally induced mixing that may occur. Here we study the possible effects of mixing in mass-losing stars for a range of secondary star masses and metallicities. We find that tidal locking can induce rotational mixing prior to contact and thus affect the evolution of the secondary star if the effects of the Spruit-Tayler dynamo are included both for angular momentum and chemical transport. Once contact is made, the effect of mass transfer tends to be more rapid than the evolutionary timescale, so the effects of mixing are no longer directly important, but the mass-transfer strips matter to inner layers that may have been affected by the mixing. These effects are enhanced for secondaries of 1-1.2 M{sub Sun} and for lower metallicities. We discuss the possible implications for the paucity of carbon in the secondaries of the cataclysmic variable SS Cyg and the black hole candidate XTE J1118+480 and for the progenitor evolution of Type Ia supernovae. We also address the issue of the origin of blue straggler stars in globular and open clusters. We find that for models that include rotation consistent with that observed for some blue straggler stars, evolution is chemically homogeneous. This leads to tracks in the H-R diagram that are brighter and bluer than the non-rotating main-sequence turn-off point. Rotational mixing could thus be one of the factors that contribute to the formation of blue stragglers.

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