201 research outputs found
Origin of the heavy elements in HD 140283. Measurement of europium abundance
HD 140283 is a nearby (V=7.7) subgiant metal-poor star, extensively analysed
in the literature. Although many spectra have been obtained for this star, none
showed a signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio high enough to enable a very accurate
derivation of abundances from weak lines. The detection of europium proves that
the neutron-capture elements in this star originate in the r-process, and not
in the s-process, as recently claimed in the literature. Based on the OSMARCS
1D LTE atmospheric model and with a consistent approach based on the spectrum
synthesis code Turbospectrum, we measured the europium lines at 4129 {\AA} and
4205 {\AA}, taking into account the hyperfine structure of the transitions. The
spectrum, obtained with a long exposure time of seven hours at the
Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope (CFHT), has a resolving power of 81000 and a S/N
ratio of 800 at 4100 {\AA}. We were able to determine the abundance A(Eu)=-2.35
dex, compatible with the value predicted for the europium from the r-process.
The abundance ratio [Eu/Ba]=+0.58 dex agrees with the trend observed in
metal-poor stars and is also compatible with a strong r-process contribution to
the origin of the neutron-capture elements in HD 140283.Comment: 10 pages, 7 figures. To be published in A\&
High-resolution abundance analysis of HD 140283
HD 140283 is a reference subgiant that is metal poor and confirmed to be a
very old star. The abundances of this type of old star can constrain the nature
and nucleosynthesis processes that occurred in its (even older) progenitors.
The present study may shed light on nucleosynthesis processes yielding heavy
elements early in the Galaxy. A detailed abundance analysis of a high-quality
spectrum is carried out, with the intent of providing a reference on stellar
lines and abundances of a very old, metal-poor subgiant. We aim to derive
abundances from most available and measurable spectral lines. The analysis is
carried out using high-resolution (R = 81 000) and high signal-to-noise ratio
(800 < S/N/pixel < 3400) spectrum, in the wavelength range 3700 - 10475,
obtained with a seven-hour exposure time, using the ESPaDOnS at the CFHT. The
calculations in LTE were performed with the OSMARCS 1D atmospheric model and
the spectrum synthesis code Turbospectrum, while the analysis in NLTE is based
on the MULTI code. We present LTE abundances for 26 elements, and NLTE
calculations for the species C I, O I, Na I, Mg I, Al I, K I, Ca I, Sr II, and
Ba II lines. The abundance analysis provided an extensive line list suitable
for metal-poor subgiant stars. The results for Li, CNO, alpha-, and iron peak
elements are in good agreement with literature. The newly NLTE Ba abundance,
along with a NLTE Eu correction and a 3D Ba correction from literature, leads
to [Eu/Ba] = +0.59 +/- 0.18. This result confirms a dominant r-process
contribution, possibly together with a very small contribution from the main
s-process, to the neutron-capture elements in HD 140283. Overabundances of the
lighter heavy elements and the high abundances derived for Ba, La, and Ce
favour the operation of the weak r-process in HD 140283.Comment: 34 pages, 27 figure
Iron-peak elements Sc, V, Mn, Cu and Zn in Galactic bulge globular clusters
Globular clusters are tracers of the history of star formation and chemical
enrichment in the early Galaxy. Their abundance pattern can help understanding
their chemical enrichment processes. In particular, the iron-peak elements have
been relatively little studied so far in the Galactic bulge. The abundances of
iron-peak elements are derived for the sample clusters, and compared with bulge
field, and thick disk stars. We derive abundances of the iron-peak elements Sc,
V, Mn, Cu, and Zn in individual stars of five bulge globular clusters (NGC
6528, NGC 6553, NGC 6522, NGC 6558, HP1), and of the reference thick disk/inner
halo cluster 47 Tucanae (NGC 104). High resolution spectra were obtained with
the UVES spectrograph at the Very Large Telescope over the years. The sample
globular clusters studied span metallicities in the range -1.2<Fe/H]<0.0. V and
Sc appear to vary in lockstep with Fe, indicating that they are produced in the
same supernovae as Fe. We find that Mn is deficient in metal-poor stars,
confirming that it is underproduced in massive stars; Mn-over-Fe steadily
increases at the higher metallicities due to a metallicity-dependent enrichment
by supernovae of type Ia. Cu behaves as a secondary element, indicating its
production in a weak-s process in massive stars. Zn has an alpha-like behaviour
at low metallicities, which can be explained in terms of nucleosynthesis in
hypernovae. At the metal-rich end, Zn decreases with increasing metallicity,
similarly to the alpha-elements.Comment: article resubmitted to Astronomy & Astrophysics, taking into account
referee's comment
High-resolution abundance analysis of red giants in the metal-poor bulge globular cluster HP~1
The globular cluster HP~1 is projected at only 3.33 degrees from the Galactic
center. Together with its distance, this makes it one of the most central
globular clusters in the Milky Way. It has a blue horizontal branch (BHB) and a
metallicity of [Fe/H]~-1.0. This means that it probably is one of the oldest
objects in the Galaxy. Abundance ratios can reveal the nucleosynthesis pattern
of the first stars as well as the early chemical enrichment and early formation
of stellar populations. High-resolution spectra obtained for six stars were
analyzed to derive the abundances of the light elements C, N, O, Na, and Al,
the alpha-elements Mg, Si, Ca, and Ti, and the heavy elements Sr, Y , Zr, Ba,
La, and Eu.} High-resolution spectra of six red giants that are confirmed
members of the bulge globular cluster HP~1 were obtained with the 8m VLT
UT2-Kueyen telescope with the UVES spectrograph in FLAMES-UVES configuration.
The spectroscopic parameter derivation was based on the excitation and
ionization equilibrium of FeI and FeII. We confirm a mean metallicity of [Fe/H]
= -1.06~0.10, by adding the two stars that were previously analyzed in HP~1.
The alpha-elements O and Mg are enhanced by about +0.3<[O,Mg/Fe]<+0.5 dex, Si
is moderately enhanced with +0.15<[Si/Fe]<+0.35dex, while Ca and Ti show lower
values of -0.04<[Ca,Ti/Fe]<+0.28dex. The r-element Eu is also enhanced with
[Eu/Fe]~+0.4, which together with O and Mg is indicative of early enrichment by
type II supernovae. Na and Al are low, but it is unclear if Na-O are
anticorrelated. The heavy elements are moderately enhanced, with
-0.20<[La/Fe]<+0.43dex and 0.0<[Ba/Fe]<+0.75~dex, which is compatible with
r-process formation. The spread in Y, Zr, Ba, and La abundances, on the other
hand, appears to be compatible with the spinstar scenario or other additional
mechanisms such as the weak r-process.Comment: 15 pages, 8 figures In press in Astronomy & Astrophysics (2016
First stars XVI. STIS/HST abundances of heavy-elements in the uranium-rich star CS 31082-001
Detailed abundances of the elements produced by r-process nucleosynthesis in
various circumstances are our best observational clues to their origin, since
the site(s) of r-element production is(are) still not known with certainty. A
small fraction of extremely metal-poor (EMP) stars exhibit excesses of heavy
neutron-capture elements produced in the r-process, and CS 31082-001 is among
the 4 well-known r-process-enhanced EMP stars. Observations with HST/STIS
provide abundances for elements observable only from the UV region. Here we aim
to supplement the optical data with abundances from near-UV spectroscopy of the
first and second peak of the r-elements, which are crucial to giving insight
into the nucleosynthesis of the elements beyond iron. The UVES spectrum
provided additional measurements, thereby improving the previous results. The
spectra were analyzed with the OSMARCS LTE model atmosphere and with a
consistent approach based on the spectrum synthesis code Turbospectrum to
derive abundances of heavy elements in CS 31082-001, using updated oscillator
strengths from the recent literature. We computed synthetic spectra for all
lines of the elements of interest, checking for proper intensities and possible
blends. We combined the abundances of heavy elements derived in previous works
with the derivation of abundances from all reliable new list of lines, for the
first and second peaks of r-elements. We were able to derive new abundances for
23 n-elements, 6 of them - Ge, Mo, Lu, Ta, W, and Re - were not available in
previous works, making this star the most complete r-II object studied, with a
total of 37 detections of n-capture elements. We also present the first NLTE+3D
lead abundance in this star. The results provide improved constraints on the
nature of the r-process.Comment: 20 pages, 21 figures, 3 tables. Accepted for publication in Astronomy
and Astrophysic
Looking for imprints of the first stellar generations in metal-poor bulge field stars
Context. Efforts to look for signatures of the first stars have concentrated on metal-poor halo objects. However, the low end of the bulge metallicity distribution has been shown to host some of the oldest objects in the Milky Way and hence this Galactic component potentially offers interesting targets to look at imprints of the first stellar generations. As a pilot project, we selected bulge field stars already identified in the ARGOS survey as having [Fe/H] ≈-1 and oversolar [α/Fe] ratios, and we used FLAMES-UVES to obtain detailed abundances of key elements that are believed to reveal imprints of the first stellar generations. Aims: The main purpose of this study is to analyse selected ARGOS stars using new high-resolution (R ~ 45 000) and high-signal-to-noise (S/N> 100) spectra. We aim to derive their stellar parameters and elemental ratios, in particular the abundances of C, N, the α-elements O, Mg, Si, Ca, and Ti, the odd-Z elements Na and Al, the neutron-capture s-process dominated elements Y, Zr, La, and Ba, and the r-element Eu. Methods: High-resolution spectra of five field giant stars were obtained at the 8 m VLT UT2-Kueyen telescope with the UVES spectrograph in FLAMES-UVES configuration. Spectroscopic parameters were derived based on the excitation and ionization equilibrium of Fe i and Fe ii. The abundance analysis was performed with a MARCS LTE spherical model atmosphere grid and the Turbospectrum spectrum synthesis code. Results: We confirm that the analysed stars are moderately metal-poor (-1.04 ≤ [Fe/H] ≤-0.43), non-carbon-enhanced (non-CEMP) with [C/Fe] ≤ + 0.2, and α-enhanced. We find that our three most metal-poor stars are nitrogen enhanced. The α-enhancement suggests that these stars were formed from a gas enriched by core-collapse supernovae, and that the values are in agreement with results in the literature for bulge stars in the same metallicity range. No abundance anomalies (Na - O, Al - O, Al - Mg anti-correlations) were detected in our sample. The heavy elements Y, Zr, Ba, La, and Eu also exhibit oversolar abundances. Three out of the five stars analysed here show slightly enhanced [Y/Ba] ratios similar to those found in other metal-poor bulge globular clusters (NGC 6522 and M 62). Conclusions: This sample shows enhancement in the first-to-second peak abundance ratios of heavy elements, as well as dominantly s-process element excesses. This can be explained by different nucleosynthesis scenarios: (a) the main r-process plus extra mechanisms, such as the weak r-process; (b) mass transfer from asymptotic giant branch stars in binary systems; (c) an early generation of fast-rotating massive stars. Larger samples of moderately metal-poor bulge stars, with detailed chemical abundances, are needed to better constrain the source of dominantly s-process elements in the early Universe. Observations collected at the European Southern Observatory, Paranal, Chile (ESO), under programmes 089.B-0208(A)
Looking for imprints of the first stellar generations in metal-poor bulge field stars
© 2016 ESO. Context. Efforts to look for signatures of the first stars have concentrated on metal-poor halo objects. However, the low end of the bulge metallicity distribution has been shown to host some of the oldest objects in the Milky Way and hence this Galactic component potentially offers interesting targets to look at imprints of the first stellar generations. As a pilot project, we selected bulge field stars already identified in the ARGOS survey as having [Fe/H] 1 and oversolar [α/Fe] ratios, and we used FLAMES-UVES to obtain detailed abundances of key elements that are believed to reveal imprints of the first stellar generations. Aims. The main purpose of this study is to analyse selected ARGOS stars using new high-resolution (R ∼ 45 000) and high-signal-tonoise (S=N > 100) spectra. We aim to derive their stellar parameters and elemental ratios, in particular the abundances of C, N, the α-elements O, Mg, Si, Ca, and Ti, the odd-Z elements Na and Al, the neutron-capture s-process dominated elements Y, Zr, La, and Ba, and the r-element Eu. Methods. High-resolution spectra of five field giant stars were obtained at the 8 m VLT UT2-Kueyen telescope with the UVES spectrograph in FLAMES-UVES configuration. Spectroscopic parameters were derived based on the excitation and ionization equilibrium of Fe i and Fe ii. The abundance analysis was performed with a MARCS LTE spherical model atmosphere grid and the Turbospectrum spectrum synthesis code. Results.We confirm that the analysed stars are moderately metal-poor (-1:04≤[Fe/H]≤-0:43), non-carbon-enhanced (non-CEMP) with [C/Fe] ≤+0:2, and α-enhanced.We find that our three most metal-poor stars are nitrogen enhanced. The α-enhancement suggests that these stars were formed from a gas enriched by core-collapse supernovae, and that the values are in agreement with results in the literature for bulge stars in the same metallicity range. No abundance anomalies (Na-O, Al-O, Al-Mg anti-correlations) were detected in our sample. The heavy elements Y, Zr, Ba, La, and Eu also exhibit oversolar abundances. Three out of the five stars analysed here show slightly enhanced [Y/Ba] ratios similar to those found in other metal-poor bulge globular clusters (NGC 6522 and M 62). Conclusions. This sample shows enhancement in the first-to-second peak abundance ratios of heavy elements, as well as dominantly s-process element excesses. This can be explained by different nucleosynthesis scenarios: (a) the main r-process plus extra mechanisms, such as the weak r-process; (b) mass transfer from asymptotic giant branch stars in binary systems; (c) an early generation of fast-rotating massive stars. Larger samples of moderately metal-poor bulge stars, with detailed chemical abundances, are needed to better constrain the source of dominantly s-process elements in the early Universe
Looking for imprints of the first stellar generations in metal-poor bulge field stars
Context. Efforts to look for signatures of the first stars have concentrated on metal-poor halo objects. However, the low end of the bulge metallicity distribution has been shown to host some of the oldest objects in the Milky Way and hence this Galactic component potentially offers interesting targets to look at imprints of the first stellar generations. As a pilot project, we selected bulge field stars already identified in the ARGOS survey as having [Fe/H] ≈−1 and oversolar [α/Fe] ratios, and we used FLAMES-UVES to obtain detailed abundances of key elements that are believed to reveal imprints of the first stellar generations.
Aims. The main purpose of this study is to analyse selected ARGOS stars using new high-resolution (R ~ 45 000) and high-signal-to-noise (S/N> 100) spectra. We aim to derive their stellar parameters and elemental ratios, in particular the abundances of C, N, the α-elements O, Mg, Si, Ca, and Ti, the odd-Z elements Na and Al, the neutron-capture s-process dominated elements Y, Zr, La, and Ba, and the r-element Eu.
Methods. High-resolution spectra of five field giant stars were obtained at the 8 m VLT UT2-Kueyen telescope with the UVES spectrograph in FLAMES-UVES configuration. Spectroscopic parameters were derived based on the excitation and ionization equilibrium of Fe i and Fe ii. The abundance analysis was performed with a MARCS LTE spherical model atmosphere grid and the Turbospectrum spectrum synthesis code.
Results. We confirm that the analysed stars are moderately metal-poor (−1.04 ≤ [Fe/H] ≤−0.43), non-carbon-enhanced (non-CEMP) with [C/Fe] ≤ + 0.2, and α-enhanced. We find that our three most metal-poor stars are nitrogen enhanced. The α-enhancement suggests that these stars were formed from a gas enriched by core-collapse supernovae, and that the values are in agreement with results in the literature for bulge stars in the same metallicity range. No abundance anomalies (Na − O, Al − O, Al − Mg anti-correlations) were detected in our sample. The heavy elements Y, Zr, Ba, La, and Eu also exhibit oversolar abundances. Three out of the five stars analysed here show slightly enhanced [Y/Ba] ratios similar to those found in other metal-poor bulge globular clusters (NGC 6522 and M 62).
Conclusions. This sample shows enhancement in the first-to-second peak abundance ratios of heavy elements, as well as dominantly s-process element excesses. This can be explained by different nucleosynthesis scenarios: (a) the main r-process plus extra mechanisms, such as the weak r-process; (b) mass transfer from asymptotic giant branch stars in binary systems; (c) an early generation of fast-rotating massive stars. Larger samples of moderately metal-poor bulge stars, with detailed chemical abundances, are needed to better constrain the source of dominantly s-process elements in the early Universe
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