Destruction of 3He in Low Mass Stars and Implications for Chemical Evolution

Abstract

Recent observations of 3He/H in different environments tend to prove that 3He is not produced in low mass stars, contrary to the standard predictions of stellar evolution theory. We show how a simple consistent mechanism, namely rotation-induced mixing, can lead to the destruction of 3He in low mass stars and simultaneously account for the low 12C/13C ratios and low lithium abundances observed in giant stars of different populations. This process should both naturally account for the recent measurements of 3He/H in galactic HII regions and allow for high values of 3He observed in some planetary nebulae.