| 1. |
- Caffau, E., et al.
(författare)
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The photospheric solar oxygen project - I. Abundance analysis of atomic lines and influence of atmospheric models
- 2008
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Ingår i: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - : EDP Sciences. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 488:3, s. 1031-1046
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Context. The solar oxygen abundance has undergone a major downward revision in the past decade, the most noticeable one being the update including 3D hydrodynamical simulations to model the solar photosphere. Up to now, such an analysis has only been carried out by one group using one radiation-hydrodynamics code. Aims. We investigate the photospheric oxygen abundance considering lines from atomic transitions. We also consider the relationship between the solar model used and the resulting solar oxygen abundance, to understand whether the downward abundance revision is specifically related to 3D hydrodynamical effects. Methods. We performed a new determination of the solar photospheric oxygen abundance by analysing different high-resolution high signal-to-noise ratio atlases of the solar flux and disc-centre intensity, making use of the latest generation of CO5BOLD 3D solar model atmospheres. Results. We find 8.73 <= log (N-O/N-H) + 12 <= 8.79. The lower and upper values represent extreme assumptions on the role of collisional excitation and ionisation by neutral hydrogen for the NLTE level populations of neutral oxygen. The error of our analysis is +/- (0.04 +/- 0.03) dex, the last being related to NLTE corrections, the first error to any other effect. The 3D "granulation effects" do not play a decisive role in lowering the oxygen abundance. Conclusions. Our recommended value is log (N-O/N-H) = 8.76 +/- 0.07, considering our present ignorance of the role of collisions with hydrogen atoms on the NLTE level populations of oxygen. The reasons for lower O abundances in the past are identified as (1) the lower equivalent widths adopted and (2) the choice of neglecting collisions with hydrogen atoms in the statistical equilibrium calculations for oxygen.
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| 2. |
- Bonifacio, P., et al.
(författare)
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First stars XII. Abundances in extremely metal-poor turnoff stars, and comparison with the giants
- 2009
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Ingår i: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - : EDP Sciences. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 501:2, s. 519-530
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Context. The detailed chemical abundances of extremely metal-poor (EMP) stars are key guides to understanding the early chemical evolution of the Galaxy. Most existing data, however, treat giant stars that may have experienced internal mixing later. Aims. We aim to compare the results for giants with new, accurate abundances for all observable elements in 18 EMP turno. stars. Methods. VLT/UVES spectra at R similar to 45 000 and S/N similar to 130 per pixel (lambda lambda 330-1000 nm) are analysed with OSMARCS model atmospheres and the TURBOSPECTRUM code to derive abundances for C, Mg, Si, Ca, Sc, Ti, Cr, Mn, Co, Ni, Zn, Sr, and Ba. Results. For Ca, Ni, Sr, and Ba, we find excellent consistency with our earlier sample of EMP giants, at all metallicities. However, our abundances of C, Sc, Ti, Cr, Mn and Co are similar to 0.2 dex larger than in giants of similar metallicity. Mg and Si abundances are similar to 0.2 dex lower (the giant [Mg/Fe] values are slightly revised), while Zn is again similar to 0.4 dex higher than in giants of similar [Fe/H] (6 stars only). Conclusions. For C, the dwarf/giant discrepancy could possibly have an astrophysical cause, but for the other elements it must arise from shortcomings in the analysis. Approximate computations of granulation (3D) effects yield smaller corrections for giants than for dwarfs, but suggest that this is an unlikely explanation, except perhaps for C, Cr, and Mn. NLTE computations for Na and Al provide consistent abundances between dwarfs and giants, unlike the LTE results, and would be highly desirable for the other discrepant elements as well. Meanwhile, we recommend using the giant abundances as reference data for Galactic chemical evolution models.
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| 3. |
- Sivarani, T., et al.
(författare)
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First stars X. The nature of three unevolved carbon-enhanced metal-poor stars
- 2006
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Ingår i: Astronomy & Astrophysics. - : EDP Sciences. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 459:1, s. 125-135
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Context. On the order of 20% of the very metal-poor stars in the Galaxy exhibit large carbon enhancements. It is important to establish which astrophysical sites and processes are responsible for the elemental abundance patterns of this early Galactic population. Aims. We seek to understand the nature of the progenitors of three main-sequence turnoff Carbon-Enhanced Metal-Poor (CEMP) stars, CS 31080-095, CS 22958-042, and CS 29528-041, based on a detailed abundance analysis. Methods. From high-resolution VLT/UVES spectra (R similar to 43 000), we determine abundances or upper limits for Li, C, N, O, and other important elements, as well as C-12/C-13 isotopic ratios. Results. All three stars have -3.30 <= [Fe/H]<= -2.85 and moderate to high CNO abundances. CS 22958-042 is one of the most carbon-rich CEMP stars known ([C/Fe] = +3.2), while CS 29528-041 (one of the few N-enhanced metal-poor stars known) is one of the most nitrogen rich ([N/Fe] = +3.0). Oxygen is very high in CS 31080-095 ([O/Fe] = +2.35) and in CS 22958-042 ([O/Fe] = +1.35). All three stars exhibit [Sr/Fe] < 0; Ba is not detected in CS 22958-042 ([Ba/Fe] < -0.53),but it is moderately enhanced ([Ba/Fe] similar to 1) in the other two stars. CS 22958-042 displays one of the largest sodium overabundances yet found in CEMP stars ([Na/Fe] = +2.8). CS 22958-042 has C-12/C-13 = 9, similar to most other CEMP stars without enhanced neutron-capture elements, while C-12/C-13 = 40 in CS 31080-095. CS 31080-095 and CS 29528-041 have A(Li) similar to 1.7, below the Spite Plateau, while Li is not detected in CS 22958-042. Conclusions. CS 22958-042 is a CEMP-no star, but the other two stars are in no known class of CEMP star and thus either constitute a new class or are a link between the CEMP-no and CEMP-s classes, adding complexity to the abundance patterns for CEMP stars. We interpret the abundance patterns in our stars to imply that current models for the presumed AGB binary progenitors lack an extra-mixing process, similar to those apparently operating in RGB stars.
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| 4. |
- Spite, M., et al.
(författare)
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First stars IX - Mixing in extremely metal-poor giants. Variation of the C-12/C-13, [Na/Mg] and [Al/Mg] ratios
- 2006
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Ingår i: Astronomy & Astrophysics. - : EDP Sciences. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 455:1, s. 291-301
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Context. Extremely metal-poor (EMP) stars preserve a fossil record of the composition of the ISM when the Galaxy formed. It is crucial, however, to verify whether internal mixing has modified their surface composition, especially in the giants where most elements can be studied. Aims. We aim to understand the CNO abundance variations found in some, but not all EMP field giants analysed earlier. Mixing beyond the first dredge-up of standard models is required, and its origin needs clarification. Methods. The C-12/C-13 ratio is the most robust diagnostic of deep mixing, because it is insensitive to the adopted stellar parameters and should be uniformly high in near-primordial gas. We have measured C-12 and C-13 abundances in 35 EMP giants (including 22 with [Fe/H] < -3.0) from high-quality VLT/UVES spectra analysed with LTE model atmospheres. Correlations with other abundance data are used to study the depth of mixing. Results. The C-12/C-13 ratio is found to correlate with [C/Fe] (and Li/H), and clearly anti-correlate with [N/Fe], as expected if the surface abundances are modified by CNO processed material from the interior. Evidence for such deep mixing is observed in giants above log L/L-circle dot = 2.6, brighter than in less metal-poor stars, but matching the bump in the luminosity function in both cases. Three of the mixed stars are also Na- and Al-rich, another signature of deep mixing, but signatures of the ON cycle are not clearly seen in these stars. Conclusions. Extra mixing processes clearly occur in luminous RGB stars. They cannot be explained by standard convection, nor in a simple way by rotating models. The Na- and Al-rich giants could be AGB stars themselves, but an inhomogeneous early ISM or pollution from a binary companion remain possible alternatives.
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| 5. |
- Spite, M, et al.
(författare)
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First stars VI - Abundances of C, N, O, Li, and mixing in extremely metal-poor giants. Galactic evolution of the light elements
- 2005
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Ingår i: Astronomy & Astrophysics. - : EDP Sciences. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 430:2, s. 655-668
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We have investigated the poorly-understood origin of nitrogen in the early Galaxy by determining N abundances from the NH band at 336 nm in 35 extremely metal-poor halo giants, with carbon and oxygen abundances from Cayrel et al. (2004, A&A, 416, 1117), using high-quality ESO VLT/UVES spectra (30 of our 35 stars are in the range -4.1 <[Fe/H] < -2.7 and 22 stars have [Fe/H] < -3.0). N abundances derived both from the NH band and from the CN band at 389 nm for 10 stars correlate well, but show a systematic difference of 0.4 dex, which we attribute to uncertainties in the physical parameters of the NH band (line positions, gf values, dissociation energy, etc.). Because any dredge-up of CNO processed material to the surface may complicate the interpretation of CNO abundances in giants, we have also measured the surface abundance of lithium in our stars as a diagnostic of such mixing. Our sample shows a clear dichotomy between two groups of stars. The first group shows evidence of C to N conversion through CN cycling and strong Li dilution, a signature of mixing; these stars are generally more evolved and located on the upper Red Giant Branch (RGB) or Horizontal Branch (HB). The second group has [N/Fe] < 0.5, shows no evidence for C to N conversion, and Li is only moderately diluted; these stars belong to the lower RGB and we conclude that their C and N abundances are very close to those of the gas from which they formed in the early Galaxy, they are called "unmixed stars". The [O/Fe] and [(C+N)/Fe] ratios are the same in the two groups, confirming that the differences between them are caused by dredge-up of CN-processed material in the first group, with negligible contributions from the O-N cycle. The "unmixed" stars reflect the abundances in the early Galaxy: the [C/Fe] ratio is constant (about + 0.2 dex) and the [C/Mg] ratio is close to solar at low metallicity, favouring a high C production by massive zero-metal supernovae. The [N/Fe] and [N/Mg] ratios scatter widely. Their mean values in each metallicity bin decrease with increasing metallicity, but this trend could be a statistical effect. The larger values of these ratios define a flat upper plateau ([N/Mg] = 0.0, [N/Fe] = + 0.1), which could reflect higher values within a wide range of yields of zero-metal SNe II. Alternatively, by analogy with the DLAs, the lower abundances ([N/Mg] = -1.1, [N/Fe] = -0.7) could reflect generally low yields from the first SNe II, the other stars being N enhanced by winds of massive Asymptotic Giant Branch (AGB) stars. Since all the stars show clear [alpha/Fe] enhancements, they were formed before any significant enrichment of the Galactic gas by SNe Ia, and their composition should reflect the yields of the first SNe II. However, if massive AGB stars or AGB supernovae evolved more rapidly than SNe Ia and contaminated the ISM, our stars would also reflect the yields of these AGB stars. At present it cannot be decided whether primary N is produced primarily in SNe II or in massive AGB stars, or in both. The stellar N abundances and [N/O] ratios are compatible with those found in Damped Lyman-alpha (DLA) systems. They extend the well-known DLA "plateau" at [N/O] approximate to -0.8 to lower metallicities, albeit with more scatter; no star is found below the putative "low [N/alpha] plateau" at [N/O] approximate to -1.55 in DLAs.
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