A new age determination Gamma^2 Velorum from binary stellar evolution models

Abstract

We derive a new age for the Gamma^2 Velorum binary by comparing recent observations to our set of binary models. We find that it is very unlikely the stars have not interacted, which implies that previous estimates of the age from single-star models of 3.5+/-0.4 Myrs are incorrect. We prefer an older age of 5.5+/-1 Myrs that agrees with the age of other lower mass stars in the Vela OB association. We also find that our favoured binary model shows the components of the binary have interacted in a Case B, post main-sequence, mass-transfer event. During the mass-transfer event, the envelopes of both components where radiative and therefore the damping of tidal forces are relatively weak. This explains why the binary is still eccentric after mass-transfer.

Letter accepted for publication by MNRAS, 5 pages, 3 figures, 1 table

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