Subgiant
From Aetilc
A subgiant is a star that is brighter than a normal main-sequence star of the same spectral class, but not as bright as true giant stars. The term subgiant is applied both to a particular spectral luminosity class and to a stage in the evolution of a star.
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[edit] Properties
In general, stars with lower metallicity are smaller and hotter than stars with higher metallicity. For subgiants, this is complicated by different ages and core masses at the main sequence turnoff. Low metallicity stars develop a larger helium core before leaving the main sequence, hence lower mass stars show a hook at the start of the subgiant branch. The helium core mass of a Z=0.001 (extreme population II) 1 M☉ star at the end of the main sequence is nearly double that of a Z=0.02 (population I) star. The low metallicity star is also over 1,000 K hotter and over twice as luminous at the start of the subgiant branch. The difference in temperature is less pronounced at the end of the subgiant branch, but the low metallicity star is larger and nearly four times as luminous. Similar differences exist in the evolution of stars with other masses, and key values such as the mass of a star that will become a supergiant instead of reaching the red giant branch are lower at low metallicity.
[edit] Very-low-mass stars
Stars less massive than about 0.4 M☉ are convective throughout most of the star. These stars continue to fuse hydrogen in their cores until essentially the entire star has been converted to helium, and they do not develop into subgiants. Stars of this mass have main-sequence lifetimes many times longer than the current age of the Universe.
[edit] 0.4 M☉ to 1 M☉
Stars less massive than the Sun have non-convective cores with a strong temperature gradient from the centre outwards. When they exhaust hydrogen at the centre of the star, a thick shell of hydrogen outside the central core continues to fuse without interruption. The star is considered to be a subgiant at this point although there is little change visible from the exterior.
The helium core mass is below the Schönberg–Chandrasekhar limit and it remains in thermal equilibrium with the fusing hydrogen shell. Its mass continues to increase and the star very slowly expands as the hydrogen shell migrates outwards. Any increase in energy output from the shell goes into expanding the envelop of the star and the luminosity stays approximately constant. The subgiant branch for these stars is short, horizontal, and heavily populated, as visible in very old clusters.
After several billion years, the helium core becomes too massive to support its own weight and becomes degenerate. Its temperature increases, the rate of fusion in the hydrogen shell increases, the outer layers become strongly convective, and the luminosity increases at approximately the same effective temperature. The star is now on the red giant branch.
[edit] Mass above 1 M☉
Stars more massive than the Sun have a convective core on the main sequence. They develop a more massive helium core, taking up a larger fraction of the star, before they exhaust the hydrogen in the entire convective region. Fusion in the star ceases entirely and the core begins to contract and increase in temperature. The entire star contracts and increases in temperature, with the radiated luminosity actually increasing despite the lack of fusion. This continues for several million years before the core becomes hot enough to ignite hydrogen in a shell, which reverses the temperature and luminosity increase and the star starts to expand and cool. This hook is generally defined as the end of the main sequence and the start of the subgiant branch in these stars.
[edit] Massive stars
Beyond about 8-12 M☉, depending on metallicity, stars have hot massive convective cores on the main sequence due to CNO cycle fusion. Hydrogen shell fusion and subsequent core helium fusion begin quickly following core hydrogen exhaustion, before the star could reach the red giant branch. Such stars, for example early B main sequence stars, experience a brief and shortened subgiant branch before becoming supergiants. They may also be assigned a giant spectral luminosity class during this transition.
