52 research outputs found
Oxygen and Sodium Abundances in M13 (NGC 6205) Giants: Linking Globular Cluster Formation Scenarios, Deep Mixing, and Post-RGB Evolution
We present O, Na, and Fe abundances, as well as radial velocities, for 113
red giant branch (RGB) and asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars in the globular
cluster M13. The abundances and velocities are based on spectra obtained with
the WIYN-Hydra spectrograph, and the observations range in luminosity from the
horizontal branch (HB) to RGB-tip. The results are examined in the context of
recent globular cluster formation scenarios. We find that M13 exhibits many key
characteristics that suggest its formation and chemical enrichment are
well-described by current models. Some of these observations include: the
central concentration of O-poor stars, the notable decrease in [O/Fe] (but
small increase in [Na/Fe]) with increasing luminosity that affects primarily
the "extreme" population, the small fraction of stars with halo-like
composition, and the paucity of O-poor AGB stars. In agreement with recent
work, we conclude that the most O-poor M13 giants are likely He-enriched and
that most (all?) O-poor RGB stars evolve to become extreme HB and AGB-manqu\'e
stars. In contrast, the "primordial" and "intermediate" population stars appear
to experience standard HB and AGB evolution.Comment: Accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journal Letters. 18
pages; 3 figures; 1 tabl
Detailed Abundances for a Large Sample of Giant Stars in the Globular Cluster 47 Tucanae (NGC 104)
47 Tuc is an ideal target to study chemical evolution and GC formation in
massive more metal-rich GCs since is the closest, massive GC. We present
chemical abundances for O, Na, Al, Si, Ca, Ti, Fe, Ni, La, and Eu in 164 red
giant branch (RGB) stars in the massive globular cluster 47 Tuc using spectra
obtained with both the Hydra multi-fiber spectrograph at the Blanco 4-m
telescope and the FLAMES multi-object spectrograph at the Very Large Telescope.
We find an average [Fe/H]=--0.790.09 dex, consistent with literature
values, as well as over-abundances of alpha-elements
([\alpha/\mbox{Fe}]\sim0.3 dex). The n-capture process elements indicate that
47 Tuc is r-process dominated ([Eu/La]=+0.24), and the light elements O, Na,
and Al exhibit star-to-star variations. The Na-O anti-correlation, a signature
typically seen in Galactic globular clusters, is present in 47 Tuc, and extends
to include a small number of stars with [O/Fe] \,--0.5. Additionally, the
[O/Na] ratios of our sample reveal that the cluster stars can be separated into
three distinct populations. A KS-test demonstrates that the O-poor/Na-rich
stars are more centrally concentrated than the O-rich/Na-poor stars. The
observed number and radial distribution of 47 Tuc's stellar populations, as
distinguished by their light element composition, agrees closely with the
results obtained from photometric data. We do not find evidence supporting a
strong Na-Al correlation in 47 Tuc, which is consistent with current models of
AGB nucleosynthesis yields.Comment: Accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journa
Chemical Compositions of Red Giant Stars in the Old Open Cluster NGC 7789
We have gathered optical-region spectra, derived model atmosphere parameters,
and computed elemental abundances for 15 red giant stars in the open cluster
NGC 7789. We focus on the light element group CNOLi that provides clues to
evolutionary changes associated with internal fusion events and chemical
mixing. We confirm and extend an early report that NGC 7789 stars 193 and 301
have anomalously large Li abundances, and that these values are apparently
unconnected to any other elements' abundances in these stars. A companion study
of He I lambda 10830 lines in both field stars and cluster members shows that
star 301 has a strong He feature while star 193 does not. Possible explanations
for the large Li abundances of these stars include helium flash-induced mixing
events and binary interactions at some past or present times. In either case an
internal eruption of energy could cause fresh synthesis of lithium via the
Cameron-Fowler Beryllium transport mechanism. Rapid transport of lithium to the
outer layers may have created significant chromospheric transient disturbances,
producing enough helium ionization to allow for the strong lambda 10830
absorption in star 301.Comment: AJ, in pres
NGC 7789: An Open Cluster Case Study
We have obtained high-resolution spectra of 32 giants in the open cluster NGC
7789 using the Wisconsin-Indiana-Yale-NOAO Hydra spectrograph. We explore
differences in atmospheric parameters and elemental abundances caused by the
use of the linelist developed for the Gaia-ESO Survey (GES) compared to one
based on Arcturus used in our previous work. [Fe/H] values decrease when using
the GES linelist instead of the Arcturus-based linelist; these differences are
probably driven by systematically lower (~ -0.1 dex) GES surface gravities.
Using the GES linelist we determine abundances for 10 elements - Fe, Mg, Si,
Ca, Ti, Na, Ni, Zr, Ba, and La. We find the cluster's average metallicity
[Fe/H] = 0.03 +/- 0.07 dex, in good agreement with literature values, and a
lower [Mg/Fe] abundance than has been reported before for this cluster (0.11
+/- 0.05 dex). We also find the neutron-capture element barium to be highly
enhanced - [Ba/Fe] = +0.48 +/- 0.08 - and disparate from cluster measurements
of neutron-capture elements La and Zr (-0.08 +/- 0.05 and 0.08 +/- 0.08,
respectively). This is in accordance with recent discoveries of supersolar Ba
enhancement in young clusters along with more modest enhancement of other
neutron-capture elements formed in similar environments.Comment: 15 pages, 9 figures, Table 1 typo fixe
Europium, Samarium, and Neodymium Isotopic Fractions in Metal-Poor Stars
We have derived isotopic fractions of europium, samarium, and neodymium in
two metal-poor giants with differing neutron-capture nucleosynthetic histories.
These isotopic fractions were measured from new high resolution (R ~ 120,000),
high signal-to-noise (S/N ~ 160-1000) spectra obtained with the 2dCoude
spectrograph of McDonald Observatory's 2.7m Smith telescope. Synthetic spectra
were generated using recent high-precision laboratory measurements of hyperfine
and isotopic subcomponents of several transitions of these elements and matched
quantitatively to the observed spectra. We interpret our isotopic fractions by
the nucleosynthesis predictions of the stellar model, which reproduces
s-process nucleosynthesis from the physical conditions expected in low-mass,
thermally-pulsing stars on the AGB, and the classical method, which
approximates s-process nucleosynthesis by a steady neutron flux impinging upon
Fe-peak seed nuclei. Our Eu isotopic fraction in HD 175305 is consistent with
an r-process origin by the classical method and is consistent with either an r-
or an s-process origin by the stellar model. Our Sm isotopic fraction in HD
175305 suggests a predominantly r-process origin, and our Sm isotopic fraction
in HD 196944 is consistent with an s-process origin. The Nd isotopic fractions,
while consistent with either r-process or s-process origins, have very little
ability to distinguish between any physical values for the isotopic fraction in
either star. This study for the first time extends the n-capture origin of
multiple rare earths in metal-poor stars from elemental abundances to the
isotopic level, strengthening the r-process interpretation for HD 175305 and
the s-process interpretation for HD196944.Comment: 40 pages, 16 figures. Accepted for publication in ApJ. Full versions
of tables 4 and 5 are available from the first author upon reques
Metallicity Distribution Functions, Radial Velocities, and Alpha Element Abundances in Three Off-Axis Bulge Fields
We present radial velocities and chemical abundance ratios of [Fe/H], [O/Fe],
[Si/Fe], and [Ca/Fe] for 264 red giant branch (RGB) stars in three Galactic
bulge off-axis fields located near (l,b)=(-5.5,-7), (-4,-9), and (+8.5,+9). The
results are based on equivalent width and spectrum synthesis analyses of
moderate resolution (R~18,000), high signal-to-noise ratio (S/N~75-300) spectra
obtained with the Hydra spectrographs on the Blanco 4m and WIYN 3.5m
telescopes. The targets were selected from the blue side of the giant branch to
avoid cool stars that would be strongly affected by CN and TiO; however, a
comparison of the color-metallicity distribution in literature samples suggests
our selection of bluer targets should not present a significant bias against
metal-rich stars. We find a full range in metallicity that spans
[Fe/H]\approx-1.5 to +0.5, and that, in accordance with the previously observed
minor-axis vertical metallicity gradient, the median [Fe/H] also declines with
increasing Galactic latitude in off-axis fields. The off-axis vertical [Fe/H]
gradient in the southern bulge is estimated to be ~0.4 dex/kpc. The (+8.5,+9)
field exhibits a higher than expected metallicity, with a median [Fe/H]=-0.23,
that might be related to a stronger presence of the X--shaped bulge structure
along that line-of-sight. All fields exhibit an identical, strong decrease in
velocity dispersion with increasing metallicity that is consistent with
observations in similar minor-axis outer bulge fields. Additionally, the
[O/Fe], [Si/Fe], and [Ca/Fe] versus [Fe/H] trends are identical among our three
fields, and are in good agreement with past bulge studies. [abridged]Comment: Accepted for Publication in the Astrophysical Journal; 120 pages
(main text ends on page 24); 22 figures (figures end on page 46); 6 tables;
electronic versions of the tables can be made available upon request to
author C. Johnso
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