Nucleosynthesis in Type II supernovae and the abundances in metal-poor stars

We explore the effects on nucleosynthesis in Type II supernovae of various parameters (mass cut, neutron excess, explosion energy, progenitor mass) in order to explain the observed trends of the iron-peak element abundance ratios ([Cr/Fe], [Mn/Fe], [Co/Fe] and [Ni/Fe]) in halo stars as a function of metallicity for the range $-4 \le$ [Fe/H] $\le -2.5$. [Cr/Fe] and [Mn/Fe] decrease with decreasing [Fe/H], while [Co/Fe] behaves the opposite way and increases. We show that such a behavior can be explained by a variation of mass cuts in Type II supernovae as a function of progenitor mass, which provides a changing mix of nucleosynthesis from an alpha-rich freeze-out of Si-burning and incomplete Si-burning. This explanation is consistent with the amount of ejected $^{56}$Ni determined from modeling the early light curves of individual supernovae. We also suggest that the ratio [H/Fe] of halo stars is mainly determined by the mass of interstellar hydrogen mixed with the ejecta of a single supernova which is larger for larger explosion energy and the larger Str\"omgren radius of the progenitor.Comment: 17 pages, LaTeX, Accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journal, more discussion on the Galactic chemical evolutio

The link between chemical anomalies along the red giant branch and the horizontal branch extension in globular clusters

We find a strong correlation between the extension of the Na-O anticorrelation observed in red giant branch (RGB) stars and the high temperature extension of the horizontal branch (HB) blue tails of Galactic globular clusters (GCs). The longer is the O-depleted tail of the Na-O anticorrelation observed in the RGB stars, the higher is the maximum temperature reached by the bluest HB stars in the GC. This result provides a clear, empirical evidence of a link between the extension of the HB and the presence of star-to-star abundance variations of proton-capture elements in GC stars. We discuss the possible interpretation of this correlation.Comment: Comments: 6 pages, 1 figure, uses emulateapj.cls; accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journal Letter

The Chemical Compositions of the SRd Variable Stars-- II. WY Andromedae, VW Eridani, and UW Librae

Chemical compositions are derived from high-resolution spectra for three stars classed as SRd variables in the General Catalogue of Variable Stars. These stars are shown to be metal-poor supergiants: WY And with [Fe/H] = -1.0, VW Eri with [Fe/H] = -1.8, and UW Lib with [Fe/H] = -1.2. Their compositions are identical to within the measurement errors with the compositions of subdwarfs, subgiants, and less evolved giants of the same FeH. The stars are at the tip of the first giant branch or in the early stages of evolution along the asymptotic giant branch (AGB). There is no convincing evidence that these SRd variables are experiencing thermal pulsing and the third dredge-up on the AGB. The SRds appear to be the cool limit of the sequence of RV Tauri variables.Comment: 14 pages, 1 figure, 4 table

Star-to-star Na and O abundance variations along the red giant branch in NGC 2808

We report for the first time Na and O abundances from high-resolution, high S/N echelle spectra of 20 red giants in NGC 2808, taken as part of the Science Verification program of the FLAMES multi-object spectrograph at the ESO VLT. In these stars, spanning about 3 mag from the red giant branch (RGB) tip, large variations are detected in the abundances of oxygen and sodium, anticorrelated with each other; this is a well known evidence of proton-capture reactions at high temperatures in the ON and NeNa cycles. One star appears super O-poor; if the extension of the Na-O anticorrelation is confirmed, NGC 2808 might reach O depletion levels as large as those of M 13. This result confirms our previous findings based on lower resolution spectra (Carretta et al. 2003) of a large star-to-star scatter in proton capture elements at all positions along the RGB in NGC 2808, with no significant evolutionary contribution. Finally, the average metallicity for NGC 2808 is [Fe/H]= -1.14 +/- 0.01 dex (rms=0.06) from 19 stars.Comment: 12 pages, 3 figures, accepted for publication in ApJ Letter

Beryllium in turnoff stars of NGC6397: early Galaxy spallation, cosmochronology and cluster formation

We present the first detection of beryllium in two turnoff stars of the old, metal-poor globular cluster NGC 6397. The beryllium lines are clearly detected and we determine a mean beryllium abundance of log(Be/H)=-12.35 +/- 0.2. The beryllium abundance is very similar to that of field stars of similar Fe content. We interpret the beryllium abundance observed as the result of primary spallation of cosmic rays acting on a Galactic scale, showing that beryllium can be used as a powerful cosmochronometer for the first stellar generations. With this method, we estimate that the cluster formed 0.2-0.3 Gyr after the onset of star formation in the Galaxy, in excellent agreement with the age derived from main sequence fitting. From the same spectra we also find low O (noticeably different for the two stars) and high N abundances, suggesting that the original gas was enriched in CNO processed material. Our beryllium results, together with the N, O, and Li abundances, provide insights on the formation of this globular cluster, showing that any CNO processing of the gas must have occurred in the protocluster cloud before the formation of the stars we observe now. We encounter, however, difficulties in giving a fully consistent picture of the cluster formation, able to explain the complex overall abundance pattern.Comment: to appear in A&

Na-O Anticorrelation and HB. IV. Detection of He-rich and He-poor stellar populations in the globular cluster NGC 6218

We used the multifiber spectrograph FLAMES on the ESO Very Large Telescope UT2 to derive atmospheric parameters, metallicities and abundances of O and Na for 79 red giant stars in the Galactic globular cluster NGC 6218 (M 12). We analyzed stars in the magnitude range from about 1 mag below the bump to the tip of the Red Giant Branch. The average metallicity we derive is [Fe/H]=-1.31+/-0.004+/-0.028 dex (random and systematic errors, respectively), with a very small star-to-star scatter (rms=0.033 dex), from moderately high-resolution Giraffe spectra. This is the first extensive spectroscopic abundance analysis in this cluster. Our results indicate that NGC 6218 is very homogeneous as far as heavy elements are concerned. On the other hand, light elements involved in the well known proton-capture reactions of H-burning at high temperature, such as O and Na, show large variations, anticorrelated with each other, at all luminosities along the red giant branch. The conclusion is that the Na-O anticorrelation must be established in early times at the cluster formation. We interpret the variation of Na found near the RGB-bump as the effect of two distinct populations having different bump luminosities, as predicted for different He content. To our knowledge, NGC 6218 is the first GC where such a signature has been spectroscopically detected, when combined with consistent and homogeneous data obtained for NGC 6752 to gain in statistical significance.Comment: 15 pages, 10 figures; fig.5 degraded in resolution; tables 2,3,5 available at CDS. Accepted for publication on A&

Abundances in Stars from the Red Giant Branch Tip to Near the Main Sequence Turn Off in M71: III. Abundance Ratios

We present abundance ratios for 23 elements with respect to Fe in a sample of stars with a wide range in luminosity, from luminous giants to stars near the turnoff, in the globular cluster M71. The analyzed spectra, obtained with HIRES at the Keck Observatory, are of high dispersion (R=35,000). We find that the neutron capture, the iron peak and the alpha-element abundance ratios show no trend with Teff, and low scatter around the mean between the top of the RGB and near the main sequence turnoff. The alpha-elements Mg, Ca, Si and Ti are overabundant relative to Fe. The anti-correlation between O and Na abundances, observed in other metal poor globular clusters, is detected in our sample and extends to the main sequence. A statistically significant correlation between Al and Na abundances is observed among the M71 stars in our sample, extending to Mv = +1.8, fainter than the luminosity of the RGB bump in M5. Lithium is varying, as expected, and Zr may be varying from star to star as well. M71 appears to have abundance ratios very similar to M5 whose bright giants were studied by Ivans et al. (2001), but seems to have a smaller amplitude of star-to-star variations at a given luminosity, as might be expected from its higher metallicity. The results of our abundance analysis of 25 stars in M71 provide sufficient evidence of abundance variations at unexpectedly low luminosities to rule out the mixing scenario. Either alone or, even more powerfully, combined with other recent studies of C and N abundances in M71 stars, the existence of such abundance variations cannot be reproduced within the context of our current understanding of stellar evolution.Comment: AJ, in press (June 2002), 18 figure

Element abundances in the metal rich open cluster NGC6253

We have carried out a big FLAMES survey of 10 Galactic open clusters aiming at different goals. One of them is the determination of chemical abundances, in order to put constraints on the radial metallicity gradient in the disk and its evolution. One of the sample clusters is the very metal rich NGC 6253. We have obtained UVES high resolution spectra of seven candidate cluster members (from the turn off up to the red clump) with the goal of determining the chemical composition of NGC 6253 and to investigate its origin and role in the interpretation of the radial metallicity gradient in the disk. Equivalent width analysis and spectral synthesis were performed using MOOG and Kurucz model atmospheres. We derived abundances of Fe, alpha- and Fe-peak elements, the light element Na and the s-process element Ba. Excluding two likely non-members and the clump giant, whose metallicity from equivalent widths is overestimated, we find an average [Fe/H]=+0.36+/-0.07 (rms) for the cluster. For most of the other elements we derive solar abundance ratios.Comment: accepted by A&A (02/01/2007), 21 pages, 11 ps figure

Abundances and Kinematics of Field Halo and Disk Stars I: Observational Data and Abundance Analysis

We describe observations and abundance analysis of a high-resolution, high-S/N survey of 168 stars, most of which are metal-poor dwarfs. We follow a self-consistent LTE analysis technique to determine the stellar parameters and abundances, and estimate the effects of random and systematic uncertainties on the resulting abundances. Element-to-iron ratios are derived for key alpha, odd, Fe-peak, r- and s-process elements. Effects of Non-LTE on the analysis of Fe I lines are shown to be very small on the average. Spectroscopically determined surface gravities are derived that are generally close to those obtained from Hipparcos parallaxes.Comment: 41 pages, 7 Postscript figures. Accepted for publication in the A

The Spectra of Main Sequence Stars in Galactic Globular Clusters II. CH and CN Bands in M71

Spectra with a high signal-to-noise ratio of 79 stars which are just below the main sequence turnoff of M71 are presented. They yield indices for the strength of the G band of CH and the ultraviolet CN band at 3885 \AA. These indices are each to first order bimodal and they are anti-correlated. There are approximately equal numbers of CN weak/CH strong and CN strong/CH weak main sequence stars in M71. It is not yet clear whether these star-to-star variations arise from primordial variations or from mixing within a fraction of individual stars as they evolve.Comment: Accepted for publication in the AJ to appear back to back with paper I. 14 pages with 5 figure