The ages of Galactic globular clusters in the context of self-enrichment

Understand

A significant fraction of stars in globular clusters (about 70%-85%) exhibit peculiar chemical patterns with strong abundance variations in light elements along with constant abundances in heavy elements.

• These abundance anomalies can be created in the H-burning core of a first generation of fast rotating massive stars and the corresponding elements are convoyed to the stellar surface thanks to rotational induced mixing.
• If the rotation of the stars is fast enough this matter is ejected at low velocity through a mechanical wind at the equator.
• It then pollutes the ISM from which a second generation of chemically anomalous stars can be formed.