Germanium, Arsenic, and Selenium Abundances in Metal-Poor Stars

The elements germanium (Ge, Z=32), arsenic (As, Z=33), and selenium (Se, Z=34) span the transition from charged-particle or explosive synthesis of the iron-group elements to neutron-capture synthesis of heavier elements. Among these three elements, only the chemical evolution of germanium has been studied previously. Here we use archive observations made with the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph on board the Hubble Space Telescope and observations from several ground-based facilities to study the chemical enrichment histories of seven stars with metallicities -2.6 < [Fe/H] < -0.4. We perform a standard abundance analysis of germanium, arsenic, selenium, and several other elements produced by neutron-capture reactions. When combined with previous derivations of germanium abundances in metal-poor stars, our sample reveals an increase in the [Ge/Fe] ratios at higher metallicities. This could mark the onset of the weak s-process contribution to germanium. In contrast, the [As/Fe] and [Se/Fe] ratios remain roughly constant. These data do not directly indicate the origin of germanium, arsenic, and selenium at low metallicity, but they suggest that the weak and main components of the s-process are not likely sources.Comment: Accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journal. (12 pages, 5 figures

Heavy Element Dispersion in the Metal-Poor Globular Cluster M92

Dispersion among the light elements is common in globular clusters (GCs), while dispersion among heavier elements is less common. We present detection of r-process dispersion relative to Fe in 19 red giants of the metal-poor GC M92. Using spectra obtained with the Hydra multi-object spectrograph on the WIYN Telescope at Kitt Peak National Observatory, we derive differential abundances for 21 species of 19 elements. The Fe-group elements, plus Y and Zr, are homogeneous at a level of 0.07-0.16 dex. The heavy elements La, Eu, and Ho exhibit clear star-to-star dispersion spanning 0.5-0.8 dex. The abundances of these elements are correlated with one another, and we demonstrate that they were produced by r-process nucleosynthesis. This r-process dispersion is not correlated with the dispersion in C, N, or Na in M92, indicating that r-process inhomogeneities were present in the gas throughout star formation. The r-process dispersion is similar to that previously observed in the metal-poor GC M15, but its origin in M15 or M92 is unknown at present.Comment: Accepted for publication in the Astronomical Journal (22 pages, 12 figures). v2: references update

Detailed Abundances of 15 Stars in the Metal-Poor Globular Cluster NGC 4833

We have observed 15 red giant stars in the relatively massive, metal-poor globular cluster NGC 4833 using the Magellan Inamori Kyocera Echelle spectrograph at Magellan. We calculate stellar parameters for each star and perform a standard abundance analysis to derive abundances of 43 species of 39 elements, including 20 elements heavier than the iron group. We derive = -2.25 +/- 0.02 from Fe I lines and = -2.19 +/- 0.013 from Fe II lines. We confirm earlier results that found no internal metallicity spread in NGC 4833, and there are no significant star-to-star abundance dispersions among any elements in the iron group (19 <= Z <= 30). We recover the usual abundance variations among the light elements C, N, O, Na, Mg, Al, and possibly Si. The heavy-element distribution reflects enrichment by r-process nucleosynthesis ([Eu/Fe] = +0.36 +/- 0.03), as found in many other metal-poor globular clusters. We investigate small star-to-star variations found among the neutron-capture elements, and we conclude that these are probably not real variations. Upper limits on the Th abundance, log epsilon (Th/Eu) < -0.47 +/- 0.09, indicate that NGC 4833, like other globular clusters where Th has been studied, did not experience a so-called "actinide boost."Comment: Accepted for publication in MNRAS. Version 2 adds final publication referenc

Detailed Abundance Analysis of the Brightest Star in Segue 2, the Least Massive Galaxy

We present the first high resolution spectroscopic observations of one red giant star in the ultra-faint dwarf galaxy Segue 2, which has the lowest total mass (including dark matter) estimated for any known galaxy. These observations were made using the MIKE spectrograph on the Magellan II Telescope at Las Campanas Observatory. We perform a standard abundance analysis of this star, SDSS J021933.13+200830.2, and present abundances of 21 species of 18 elements as well as upper limits for 25 additional species. We derive [Fe/H] = -2.9, in excellent agreement with previous estimates from medium resolution spectroscopy. Our main result is that this star bears the chemical signatures commonly found in field stars of similar metallicity. The heavy elements produced by neutron-capture reactions are present, but they are deficient at levels characteristic of stars in other ultra-faint dwarf galaxies and a few luminous dwarf galaxies. The otherwise normal abundance patterns suggest that the gas from which this star formed was enriched by metals from multiple Type II supernovae reflecting a relatively well-sampled IMF. This adds to the growing body of evidence indicating that Segue 2 may have been substantially more massive in the past.Comment: Accepted for publication in MNRAS. 13 pages, 7 figures, 3 tables, including 1 long machine-readable table availabl

Detection of Phosphorus, Sulphur, and Zinc in the Carbon-Enhanced Metal-Poor Star BD+44 493

The carbon-enhanced metal-poor star BD+44 493 ([Fe/H]=-3.9) has been proposed as a candidate second-generation star enriched by metals from a single Pop III star. We report the first detections of P and S and the second detection of Zn in any extremely metal-poor carbon-enhanced star, using new spectra of BD+44 493 collected by the Cosmic Origins Spectrograph on the Hubble Space Telescope. We derive [P/Fe]=-0.34 +/- 0.21, [S/Fe]=+0.07 +/- 0.41, and [Zn/Fe]=-0.10 +/- 0.24. We increase by ten-fold the number of Si I lines detected in BD+44 493, yielding [Si/Fe]=+0.15 +/- 0.22. The solar [S/Fe] and [Zn/Fe] ratios exclude the hypothesis that the abundance pattern in BD+44 493 results from depletion of refractory elements onto dust grains. Comparison with zero-metallicity supernova models suggests that the stellar progenitor that enriched BD+44 493 was massive and ejected much less than 0.07 Msun of Ni-56, characteristic of a faint supernova.Comment: Accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journal Letters (4 pages, 2 figures

The diverse origins of neutron-capture elements in the metal-poor star HD 94028 : possible detection of products of i-process nucleosynthesis

We present a detailed analysis of the composition and nucleosynthetic origins of the heavy elements in the metal-poor ([Fe/H] = −1.62 ± 0.09) star HD 94028. Previous studies revealed that this star is mildly enhanced in elements produced by the slow neutron-capture process (s process; e.g., [Pb/Fe] = +0.79 ± 0.32) and rapid neutron-capture process (r process; e.g., [Eu/Fe] = +0.22 ± 0.12), including unusually large molybdenum ([Mo/Fe] = +0.97 ± 0.16) and ruthenium ([Ru/Fe] = +0.69 ± 0.17) enhancements. However, this star is not enhanced in carbon ([C/Fe] = −0.06 ± 0.19). We analyze an archival near-ultraviolet spectrum of HD 94028, collected using the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph on board the Hubble Space Telescope, and other archival optical spectra collected from ground-based telescopes. We report abundances or upper limits derived from 64 species of 56 elements. We compare these observations with s-process yields from low-metallicity AGB evolution and nucleosynthesis models. No combination of s- and r-process patterns can adequately reproduce the observed abundances, including the super-solar [As/Ge] ratio (+0.99 ± 0.23) and the enhanced [Mo/Fe] and [Ru/Fe] ratios. We can fit these features when including an additional contribution from the intermediate neutron-capture process (i process), which perhaps operated through the ingestion of H in He-burning convective regions in massive stars, super-AGB stars, or low-mass AGB stars. Currently, only the i process appears capable of consistently producing the super-solar [As/Ge] ratios and ratios among neighboring heavy elements found in HD 94028. Other metal-poor stars also show enhanced [As/Ge] ratios, hinting that operation of the i process may have been common in the early Galaxy