Lifetimes, transition probabilities, and level energies in Fe I

We use time-resolved laser-induced fluorescence to measure the lifetime of 186 Fe levels with energies between 25 900 and 60 758 cm . Measured emission branching fractions for these levels yield transition probabilities for 1174 transitions in the range 225-2666 nm. We find another 640 Fe transition probabilities by interpolating level populations in the inductively coupled plasma spectral source. We demonstrate the reliability of the interpolation method by comparing our transition probabilities with absorption oscillator strengths measured by the Oxford group [Blackwell et al., Mon. Not. R. Astron. Soc. 201, 595-602 (1982)]. We derive precise Fe level energies to support the automated method that is used to identify transitions in our spectra

Boron in Very Metal-Poor Stars

We have observed the B I 2497 A line to derive the boron abundances of two very metal-poor stars selected to help in tracing the origin and evolution of this element in the early Galaxy: BD +23 3130 and HD 84937. The observations were conducted using the Goddard High Resolution Spectrograph on board the Hubble Space Telescope. A very detailed abundance analysis via spectral synthesis has been carried out for these two stars, as well as for two other metal-poor objects with published spectra, using both Kurucz and OSMARCS model photospheres, and taking into account consistently the NLTE effects on the line formation. We have also re-assessed all published boron abundances of old disk and halo unevolved stars. Our analysis shows that the combination of high effective temperature (Teff > 6000 K, for which boron is mainly ionized) and low metallicity ([Fe/H]<-1) makes it difficult to obtain accurate estimates of boron abundances from the B I 2497 A line. This is the case of HD 84937 and three other published objects (including two stars with [Fe/H] ~ -3), for which only upper limits can be established. BD +23 3130, with [Fe/H] ~ -2.9 and logN(B)_NLTE=0.05+/-0.30, appears then as the most metal-poor star for which a firm measurement of the boron abundance presently exists. The evolution of the boron abundance with metallicity that emerges from the seven remaining stars with Teff < 6000 K and [Fe/H]<-1, for which beryllium abundances were derived using the same stellar parameters, shows a linear increase with a slope ~ 1. Furthermore, the B/Be ratio found is constant at a value ~ 20 for stars in the range -3<[Fe/H]<-1. These results point to spallation reactions of ambient protons and alpha particles with energetic particles enriched in CNO as the origin of boron and beryllium in halo stars.Comment: 38 pages, 11 Encapsulated Postscript figures (included), uses aaspp4.sty. Accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journal. The preprint is also available at: http://www.iac.es/publicaciones/preprints.htm

Center-to-Limb Variation of Solar 3-D Hydrodynamical Simulations

We examine closely the solar Center-to-Limb variation of continua and lines and compare observations with predictions from both a 3-D hydrodynamic simulation of the solar surface (provided by M. Asplund and collaborators) and 1-D model atmospheres. Intensities from the 3-D time series are derived by means of the new synthesis code ASSET, which overcomes limitations of previously available codes by including a consistent treatment of scattering and allowing for arbitrarily complex line and continuum opacities. In the continuum, we find very similar discrepancies between synthesis and observation for both types of model atmospheres. This is in contrast to previous studies that used a ``horizontally'' and time averaged representation of the 3-D model and found a significantly larger disagreement with observations. The presence of temperature and velocity fields in the 3-D simulation provides a significant advantage when it comes to reproduce solar spectral line shapes. Nonetheless, a comparison of observed and synthetic equivalent widths reveals that the 3-D model also predicts more uniform abundances as a function of position angle on the disk. We conclude that the 3-D simulation provides not only a more realistic description of the gas dynamics, but, despite its simplified treatment of the radiation transport, it also predicts reasonably well the observed Center-to-Limb variation, which is indicative of a thermal structure free from significant systematic errors.Comment: 18 pages, 9 figures; accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journal (June 1, 2008

Oxygen Abundances in Two Metal-Poor Subgiants from the Analysis of the 6300 A Forbidden O I Line

Recent LTE analyses (Israelian et al. 1998 and Bosegaard et al. 1999) of the OH bands in the optical-ultraviolet spectra of nearby metal-poor subdwarfs indicate that oxygen abundances are generally higher than those previously determined. The difference increases with decreasing metallicity and reaches delta([O/Fe]) ~ +0.6 dex as [Fe/H] approaches -3.0. Employing high resolution (R = 50000), high S/N (~ 250) echelle spectra of the two stars found by Israelian et al. (1998) to have the highest [O/Fe]-ratios, viz, BD +23 3130 and BD +37 1458, we conducted abundance analyses based on about 60 Fe I and 7-9 Fe II lines. We determined from Kurucz LTE models the values of the stellar parameters, as well as abundances of Na, Ni, and the traditional alpha-elements, independent of the calibration of color vs $T_{eff}$ scales. We determined oxygen abundances from spectral synthesis of the stronger line (6300 A) of the [O I] doublet. The syntheses of the [O I] line lead to smaller values of [O/Fe], consistent with those found earlier among halo field and globular cluster giants. We obtain [O/Fe] = +0.35 +/- 0.2 for BD +23 3130 and +0.50 +/- 0.2 for BD +37 1458. In the former, the [O I] line is very weak (~ 1 mA), so that the quoted [O/Fe] value may in reality be an upper limit. Therefore in these two stars a discrepancy exists between the [O/Fe]- ratios derived from [O I] and the OH feature, and the origin of this difference remains unclear. Until the matter is clarified, we suggest it is premature to conclude that the ab initio oxygen abundances of old, metal-poor stars need to be revised drastically upward.Comment: 38 pages, 5 tables, 14 figures To appear in July 1999 AJ Updated April 16, 1999. Fixed typo

Realistic model atmosphere and revised abundances of the coolest Ap star HD101065

Among the known Ap stars, HD101065 is probably one of the most interesting objects, demonstrating very rich spectra of rare-earth elements (REE). Strongly peculiar photometric parameters of this star that can not be fully reproduced by any modern theoretical calculations, even those accounting for realistic chemistry of its atmosphere. In this study we investigate a role of missing REE line opacity and construct a self-consistent atmospheric model based on accurate abundance and chemical stratification analysis. We employed the LLmodels stellar model atmosphere code together with DDAFit and SynthMag software packages to derive homogeneous and stratified abundances for 52 chemical elements and to construct a self-consistent model of HD101065 atmosphere. The opacity in REE lines is accounted for in details, by using up-to-date extensive theoretical calculations. We show that REE elements play a key role in the radiative energy balance in the atmosphere of HD101065, leading to the strong suppression of the Balmer jump and energy redistribution very different from that of normal stars. Introducing new line lists of REEs allowed us to reproduce, for the first time, spectral energy distribution of HD101065 and achieve a better agreement between the unusually small observed Str\"omgren c1 index and the model predictions. Using combined photometric and spectroscopic approaches and based on the iterative procedure of abundance and stratification analysis we find effective temperature of HD101065 to be Teff=6400K.Comment: Accepted by A&A, 13 pages (3 of Online Material), 10 figures, 4 table

Mapping Vesta: First Results from Dawn’s Survey Orbit

The geologic objectives of the Dawn Mission [1] are to derive Vesta’s shape, map the surface geology, understand the geological context and contribute to the determination of the asteroids’ origin and evolution.Geomorphology and distribution of surface features will provide evidence for impact cratering, tectonic activity, volcanism, and regolith processes. Spectral measurements of the surface will provide evidence of the compositional characteristics of geological units. Age information, as derived from crater sizefrequency distributions, provides the stratigraphic context for the structural and compositional mapping results, thus revealing the geologic history of Vesta. We present here the first results of the Dawn mission from data collected during the approach to Vesta, and its first discrete orbit phase – the Survey Orbit, which lasts 21 days after the spacecraft had established a circular polar orbit at a radius of ~3000 km with a beta angle of 10°-15°

Abundances of Extremely Metal-Poor Star Candidates

We present chemical abundances for 110 stars identified in objective-prism surveys as candidates to be very metal-poor. The abundances are derived from high S/N, intermediate-resolution spectra obtained with the Keck Observatory Echelle Spectrometer and Imager. An additional 25 stars with well-determined abundances ranging from [Fe/H]$=-1.5$ and -3.2 were observed and the results used to help calibrate our analysis and determine the accuracy of our abundance determinations. Abundances for the program stars were measured for Fe, Mg, Ca, Ti, Cr and Ba with an accuracy of approximately 0.3 dex. 53 of the stars in our sample have [Fe/H]<= -2, 22 have [Fe/H]<= -2.5 and 13 stars have [Fe/H]<= -2.9. Surprisingly, approximately one third of the sample is relatively metal rich with [Fe/H]>-1.5. In addition to identifying a number of extremely metal-poor stars, this study also shows that moderate-resolution spectra obtained with the Keck Echelle Spectrometer and Imager yield relatively accurate abundances for stars as faint as V=14 in modest exposure time (~20 minutes). This capability will prove useful if the so-far elusive stars at [Fe/H]<-4 turn out to be mostly fainter than V=15.Comment: 60 pages, 10 figures, Accepted for publication in the A

Oxygen and Magnesium Abundance in the Ultra-Metal-Poor Giants CS22949-037 and CS29498-043: Challenges in Models of Atmospheres

We report the results of a non-LTE Fe, O and Mg abundance analysis of the carbon-nitrogen-rich ultra-metal-poor giants CS29498--043 and CS22949--037. The abundance of oxygen has been derived from measurements of the oxygen triplet at 7771-5 A in high resolution spectra obtained with KeckI/HIRES and the forbidden line [OI] 6300 A detected in the TNG/SARG spectra of CS29498-043. Detailed non-LTE analysis of Fe lines has provided reliable stellar parameters which, however, do not resolve the oxygen abundance conflict as derived from the OI 7771-5 A triplet and the [OI] 6300 A forbidden lines. We obtained the following oxygen abundance: for CS22949-037 [O/Fe] =3.13, 1.95; and for CS29498-043; [O/Fe]=3.02, 2.49, based on the OI 7771-5 A triplet and the [OI] 6300 A forbidden line, respectively. A similar conflict appears to exist between the forbidden resonance line MgI 4571 A and several subordinate lines, such as MgI 5172 and 5183 A. Our analysis demonstrates the failure of standard plane--parallel atmosphere models to describe the physical conditions in the line-forming regions of these ultra-metal-poor giants.Comment: 16 pages, 15 figures, accepted by Astronomy and Astrophysic

Systems Analysis Unfolds the Relationship between the Phosphoketolase Pathway and Growth in Aspergillus nidulans

Background: Aspergillus nidulans is an important model organism for studies on fundamental eukaryotic cell biology and on industrial processes due to its close relation to A. niger and A. oryzae. Here we identified the gene coding for a novel metabolic pathway in A. nidulans, namely the phosphoketolase pathway, and investigated the role of an increased phosphoketolase activity. Methodology/Principal Findings: Over-expression of the phosphoketolase gene (phk) improved the specific growth rate on xylose, glycerol and ethanol. Transcriptome analysis showed that a total of 1,222 genes were significantly affected by overexpression of the phk, while more than half of the affected genes were carbon source specific. During growth on glucose medium, the transcriptome analysis showed that the response to phk over-expression is targeted to neutralize the effect of the over-expression by regulating the acetate metabolism and initiate a growth dampening response. Conclusions/Significance: Metabolic flux analysis using 13C-labelled glucose, showed that over-expression of phosphoketolase added flexibility to the central metabolism. Our findings further suggests that A. nidulans is not optimized for growth on xylose, glycerol or ethanol as the sole carbon sources. © 2008 Panagiotou et al.published_or_final_versio

A-type Supergiant Abundances in the SMC: Probes of Evolution

New abundances of N, O, Na, Mg, Si, Ca, Sc, Ti, Cr, Fe, Sr, Zr, and Ba are presented for 10 A-type supergiants in the SMC, plus upper limits for C. In interpreting the CNO results for constraints on stellar evolution theories, careful attention has been paid to the comparison abundances, i.e., the present day abundances of SMC nebulae and B-dwarf stars. These new results are also compared to published results from F-K supergiant analyses, and found to be in good agreement when both sets of data are carefully examined as differential (SMC minus Galactic standard) abundances. With the exception of nitrogen, very small star-to-star abundance variations are found for all elements in this analysis. The N variations are not predicted by standard stellar evolution models. Instead, the results support the new predictions reported from rotating stellar models, where the range in nitrogen is the result of partial mixing of CN-cycled gas from the stellar interior due to main-sequence rotation at different rates (c.f., Langer & Heger 1998). The overall overabundance of nitrogen in the sampled stars also implies these stars have undergone the first dredge-up in addition to having been mixed while on the main-sequence. The alpha-elements (O, Mg, Si, Ca, Ti) have similar underabundances to Fe, which is not the same as seen in metal-poor stars in the solar neighborhood of the Galaxy. In addition, certain light s-process elements (Zr, Ba) are slightly more underabundant than Fe, which is predicted by the bursting chemical evolution model presented by Pagel & Tautvaisiene (1998) for the SMC.Comment: Accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journal, Manuscript #39295. Accepted January 4, 199