Institution: Birla Institute of Astrophysics, India

Title: Study of Exotic Stellar Populations in Open Clusters and Galactic Fields

Abstract: Binary interactions can significantly alter stellar evolution, producing exotic populations that cannot be fully explained by single-star evolution. In this talk, I will present a multi-wavelength study of blue straggler stars (BSSs), yellow straggler stars (YSSs), and blue lurkers in open clusters, along with BSSs in the Galactic field. Using ultraviolet observations from AstroSat/UVIT together with multi-wavelength photometry, I search for hot white-dwarf companions and constrain the mass-transfer histories of these systems. I will also discuss time-domain studies using TESS and ZTF light curves to investigate variability and binarity. I will discuss how binary-evolution modelling with MESA can be used to trace the evolutionary history of the BSS–white dwarf system. Together, these complementary approaches provide insights into the formation pathways of exotic stellar populations and the role of binary interactions in shaping stellar evolution.

Host: Bob Mathieu

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