1,318 research outputs found
Globular Cluster Abundances from High-Resolution, Integrated-Light Spectroscopy. II. Expanding the Metallicity Range for Old Clusters and Updated Analysis Techniques
We present abundances of globular clusters in the Milky Way and Fornax from
integrated light spectra. Our goal is to evaluate the consistency of the
integrated light analysis relative to standard abundance analysis for
individual stars in those same clusters. This sample includes an updated
analysis of 7 clusters from our previous publications and results for 5 new
clusters that expand the metallicity range over which our technique has been
tested. We find that the [Fe/H] measured from integrated light spectra agrees
to 0.1 dex for globular clusters with metallicities as high as
[Fe/H]=, but the abundances measured for more metal rich clusters may be
underestimated. In addition we systematically evaluate the accuracy of
abundance ratios, [X/Fe], for Na I, Mg I, Al I, Si I, Ca I, Ti I, Ti II, Sc II,
V I, Cr I, Mn I, Co I, Ni I, Cu I, Y II, Zr I, Ba II, La II, Nd II, and Eu II.
The elements for which the integrated light analysis gives results that are
most similar to analysis of individual stellar spectra are Fe I, Ca I, Si I, Ni
I, and Ba II. The elements that show the greatest differences include Mg I and
Zr I. Some elements show good agreement only over a limited range in
metallicity. More stellar abundance data in these clusters would enable more
complete evaluation of the integrated light results for other important
elements.Comment: Accepted for publication in ApJ, 37 pages, 13 tables, 29 figure
s/alpha/Fe Abundance Ratios in Halo Field Stars: Is there a Globular Cluster Connection?
We try to understand the s- and r-process elements vs Ti/Fe plots derived by
Jehin et al. (1999) for mildly metal-poor stars within the framework of the
analytical semi-empirical models for these elements by Pagel & Tautvaisiene
(1995, 1997). Jehin et al. distinguished two Pop II subgroups: IIa with
alpha/Fe and s-elements/Fe increasing together, which they attribute to pure
SNII activity, and IIb with constant alpha/Fe and a range in s/Fe which they
attribute to a prolonged accretion phase in parent globular clusters. However,
their sample consists mainly of thick-disk stars with only 4 clear halo
members, of which two are `anomalous' in the sense defined by Nissen & Schuster
(1997). Only the remaining two halo stars (and one in Nissen & Schuster's
sample) depart significantly from Y/Ti (or s/alpha) ratios predicted by our
model.Comment: 6 pages, 5 figures To appear in: Roma-Trieste Workshop 1999: `The
Chemical Evolution of the Milky Way: Stars vs Clusters', Vulcano Sept. 1999.
F. Giovanelli & F. Matteucci (eds), Kluwer, Dordrech
Globular Cluster Abundances from High-Resolution, Integrated-Light Spectroscopy. III. The Large Magellanic Cloud: Fe and Ages
In this paper we refine our method for the abundance analysis of high
resolution spectroscopy of the integrated light of unresolved globular clusters
(GCs). This method was previously demonstrated for the analysis of old (10
Gyr) Milky Way GCs. Here we extend the technique to young clusters using a
training set of 9 GCs in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC). Depending on the
signal-to-noise ratio of the data, we use 20-100 Fe lines per cluster to
successfully constrain the ages of old clusters to within a 5 Gyr range,
the ages of 2 Gyr clusters to a 1-2 Gyr range, and the ages of the
youngest clusters (0.05-1 Gyr) to a 200 Myr range. We also demonstrate
that we can measure [Fe/H] in clusters with any age less than 12 Gyrs with
similar or only slightly larger uncertainties (0.1-0.25 dex) than those
obtained for old Milky Way GCs (0.1 dex); the slightly larger uncertainties are
due to the rapid evolution in stellar populations at these ages. In this paper,
we present only Fe abundances and ages. In the next paper in this series, we
present our complete analysis of the elements for which we are able
to measure abundances. For several of the clusters in this sample, there are no
high resolution abundances in the literature from individual member stars; our
results are the first detailed chemical abundances available. The spectra used
in this paper were obtained at Las Campanas with the echelle on the du Pont
Telescope and with the MIKE spectrograph on the Magellan Clay Telescope.Comment: 34 pages, accepted for publication in Ap
Globular Cluster Abundances from High-Resolution Integrated Light Spectra, I: 47 Tuc
We describe the detailed chemical abundance analysis of a high-resolution
(R~35,000), integrated-light (IL), spectrum of the core of the Galactic
globular cluster 47 Tuc, obtained using the du Pont echelle at Las Campanas. We
develop an abundance analysis strategy that can be applied to spatial
unresolved extra- galactic clusters. We have computed abundances for Na, Mg,
Al, Si, Ca, Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Y, Zr, Ba, La, Nd and Eu. For an
analysis with the known color-magnitude diagram (cmd) for 47 Tuc we obtain a
mean [Fe/H] value of -0.75 +/-0.026+/-0.045 dex (random and systematic error),
in good agreement with the mean of 5 recent high resolution abundance studies,
at -0.70 dex. Typical random errors on our mean [X/Fe] ratios are 0.07-0.10
dex, similar to studies of individual stars in 47 Tuc, although Na and Al
appear enhanced, perhaps due to proton burning in the most luminous cluster
stars. Our IL abundance analysis with an unknown cmd employed theoretical
Teramo isochrones; however, we apply zero-point abundance corrections to
account for the factor of 3 underprediction of stars at the AGB bump
luminosity. While line diagnostics alone provide only mild constraints on the
cluster age (ruling-out ages younger than ~2 Gyr), when theoretical IL B-V
colors are combined with metallicity derived from the Fe I lines, the age is
constrained to 10--15 Gyr and we obtain [Fe/H]=-0.70 +/-0.021 +/-0.052 dex. We
find that Fe I line diagnostics may also be used to constrain the horizontal
branch morphology of an unresolved cluster. Lastly, our spectrum synthesis of
5.4 million TiO lines indicates that the 7300-7600A TiO window should be useful
for estimating the effect of M giants on the IL abundances, and important for
clusters more metal-rich than 47 Tuc.Comment: 40 pages text & references, 4 tables, 19 figures (72 pages total).
Changes include addition of B-V color to help constrain GC age. To appear in
Ap
Two distinct halo populations in the solar neighborhood. II. Evidence from stellar abundances of Mn, Cu, Zn, Y, and Ba
A previous study (Nissen & Schuster 2010) of 94 dwarf stars with -1.6 <
[Fe/H] < -0.4 has revealed the existence of two distinct halo populations with
a systematic difference in [alpha/Fe] at a given metallicity. In continuation
of that work, abundances of Mn, Cu, Zn, Y, and Ba are determined for the same
sample of stars. Equivalent widths of atomic lines are measured from high
resolution VLT/UVES and NOT/FIES spectra and used to derive precise abundance
ratios from an LTE analysis based on MARCS model atmospheres. Systematic
differences between the `high-alpha' and `low-alpha' halo populations are found
for [Cu/Fe], [Zn/Fe], and [Ba/Y], whereas there is no significant difference in
the case of [Mn/Fe]. At a given metallicity, [Cu/Fe] shows a large scatter that
is closely correlated with a corresponding scatter in [Na/Fe] and [Ni/Fe]. The
metallicity trends of [Cu/Fe], [Zn/Fe], and [Ba/Y] can be explained from
existing nucleosynthesis calculations if the high-alpha stars formed in regions
with such a high star formation rate that only massive stars and Type II
supernovae contributed to the chemical enrichment. The low-alpha stars, on the
other hand, most likely originate from systems with a slower chemical
evolution, characterized by additional enrichment from Type Ia supernovae and
low-mass AGB stars.Comment: Accepted for publication in A&
The GIRAFFE Inner Bulge Survey (GIBS). I. Survey Description and a kinematical map of the Milky Way bulge
The Galactic bulge is a massive, old component of the Milky Way. It is known
to host a bar, and it has recently been demonstrated to have a pronounced
boxy/peanut structure in its outer region. Several independent studies suggest
the presence of more than one stellar populations in the bulge, with different
origins and a relative fraction changing across the bulge area. This is the
first of a series of papers presenting the results of the Giraffe Inner Bulge
Survey, carried out at the ESO-VLT with the multifibre spectrograph FLAMES.
Spectra of ~5000 red clump giants in 24 bulge fields have been obtained at
resolution R=6500, in the infrared Calcium triplet wavelength region at 8500
{\AA}. They are used to derive radial velocities and metallicities, based on
new calibration specifically devised for this project. Radial velocities for
another ~1200 bulge red clump giants, obtained from similar archive data, have
been added to the sample. Higher resolution spectra have been obtained for 450
additional stars at latitude b=-3.5, with the aim of investigating chemical
abundance patterns variations with longitude, across the inner bulge. In total
we present here radial velocities for 6392 RC stars. We derive a radial
velocity, and velocity dispersion map of the Milky Way bulge, useful to be
compared with similar maps of external bulges, and to infer the expected
velocities and dispersion at any line of sight. The K-type giants kinematics is
consistent with the cylindrical rotation pattern of M-giants from the BRAVA
survey. Our sample enables to extend this result to latitude b=-2, closer to
the Galactic plane than probed by previous surveys. Finally, we find strong
evidence for a velocity dispersion peak at (0,-1) and (0,-2), possibly
indicative of a high density peak in the central 250 pc of the bulgeComment: A&A in pres
VLT/UVES Spectroscopy of Individual Stars in Three Globular Clusters in the Fornax Dwarf Spheroidal Galaxy
We present a high resolution (R ~ 43000) abundance analysis of a total of
nine stars in three of the five globular clusters associated with the nearby
Fornax dwarf spheroidal galaxy. These three clusters (1, 2 and 3) trace the
oldest, most metal-poor stellar populations in Fornax. We determine abundances
of O, Mg, Ca, Ti, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Zn, Y, Ba, La, Nd and Eu in most of these
stars, and for some stars also Mn and La. We demonstrate that classical
indirect methods (isochrone fitting and integrated spectra) of metallicity
determination lead to values of [Fe/H] which are 0.3 to 0.5 dex too high, and
that this is primarily due to the underlying reference calibration typically
used by these studies. We show that Cluster 1, with [Fe /H] = -2.5, now holds
the record for the lowest metallicity globular cluster. We also measure an
over-abundance of Eu in Cluster 3 stars that has only been previously detected
in a subgroup of stars in M15. We find that the Fornax globular cluster
properties are a global match to what is found in their Galactic counterparts;
including deep mixing abundance patterns in two stars. We conclude that at the
epoch of formation of globular clusters both the Milky Way and the Fornax dwarf
spheroidal galaxy shared the same initial conditions, presumably pre-enriched
by the same processes, with identical nucleosynthesis patterns.Comment: 16 pages, 12 figures. Accepted for publication in A&
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