| 1. |
- Beers, Timothy C., et al.
(author)
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Broadband UBVRCIC photometry of horizontal-branch and metal-poor candidates from the HK and Hamburg/ESO surveys. I.
- 2007
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In: Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series. - : American Astronomical Society. - 0067-0049 .- 1538-4365. ; 168:1, s. 128-139
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We report broadband UBV and/or BVRCIC CCD photometry for a total of 1857 stars in the thick-disk and halo populations of the Galaxy. The majority of our targets were selected as candidate field horizontal-branch or other A-type stars (FHB/ A, N = 576), or candidate low-metallicity stars (N = 1221), from the HK and Hamburg/ESO objective-prism surveys. Similar data for a small number of additional stars from other samples are also reported. These data are being used for several purposes. In the case of the FHB/ A candidates they are used to accurately separate the lower gravity FHB stars from various higher gravity A-type stars, a subsample that includes the so-called blue metal poor stars, halo and thick-disk blue stragglers, main-sequence A-type dwarfs, and Am and Ap stars. These data are also being used to derive photometric distance estimates to high-velocity hydrogen clouds in the Galaxy and for improved measurements of the mass of the Galaxy. Photometric data for the metal-poor candidates are being used to refine estimates of stellar metallicity for objects with available medium-resolution spectroscopy, to obtain distance estimates for kinematic analyses, and to establish initial estimates of effective temperature for analysis of high-resolution spectroscopy of the stars for which this information now exists.
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| 2. |
- Bessell, Michael S., et al.
(author)
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Nucleosynthesis in a Primordial Supernova : Carbon and Oxygen Abundances in SMSS J031300.36-670839.3
- 2015
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In: Astrophysical Journal Letters. - 2041-8205 .- 2041-8213. ; 806:1
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- SMSS J031300.36-670839.3 (hereafter SM0313-6708) is a sub-giant halo star, with no detectable Fe lines and large overabundances of C and Mg relative to Ca. We obtained Very Large Telescope-Ultraviolet and Visual Echelle Spectrograph (UVES) spectra extending to 3060 angstrom showing strong OH A-X band lines enabling an oxygen abundance to be derived. The OH A-X band lines in SM0313-6708 are much stronger than the CH C-X band lines. Spectrum synthesis fits indicate an [O/C] ratio of 0.02 +/- 0.175. Our high signal-to-noise ratio UVES data also enabled us to lower the Fe abundance limit to [Fe/H](< 3D >,NLTE) < -7.52 (3 sigma). These data support our previous suggestion that the star formed from the iron-poor ejecta of a single massive star Population III supernova.
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| 3. |
- Howes, L.~M., et al.
(author)
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The EMBLA survey - metal-poor stars in the Galactic bulge
- 2016
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In: Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0035-8711 .- 1365-2966. ; 460:1, s. 884-901
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Cosmological models predict the oldest stars in the Galaxy should be found closest to the centre of the potential well, in the bulge. The Extremely Metal-poor BuLge stars with AAOmega survey (EMBLA) successfully searched for these old, metal-poor stars by making use of the distinctive SkyMapper photometric filters to discover candidate metal-poor stars in the bulge. Their metal-poor nature was then confirmed using the AAOmega spectrograph on the Anglo-Australian Telescope. Here we present an abundance analysis of 10 bulge stars with -2.8 < [Fe/H] < -1.7 from MIKE/Magellan observations, in total determining the abundances of 22 elements. Combining these results with our previous high-resolution data taken as part of the Gaia-ESO Survey, we have started to put together a picture of the chemical and kinematic nature of the most metal-poor stars in the bulge. The currently available kinematic data are consistent with the stars belonging to the bulge, although more accurate measurements are needed to constrain the stars' orbits. The chemistry of these bulge stars deviates from that found in halo stars of the same metallicity. Two notable differences are the absence of carbon-enhanced metal-poor bulge stars, and the alpha element abundances exhibit a large intrinsic scatter and include stars which are underabundant in these typically enhanced elements.
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| 4. |
- Jacobson, Heather R., et al.
(author)
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High-Resolution Spectroscopic Study of Extremely Metal-Poor Star Candidates from the Skymapper Survey
- 2015
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In: Astrophysical Journal. - 0004-637X .- 1538-4357. ; 807:2
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The SkyMapper Southern Sky Survey is carrying out a search for the most metal-poor stars in the Galaxy. It identifies candidates by way of its unique filter set which allows for estimation of stellar atmospheric parameters. The set includes a narrow filter centered on the Ca II K 3933 angstrom line, enabling a robust estimate of stellar metallicity. Promising candidates are then confirmed with spectroscopy. We present the analysis of Magellan Inamori Kyocera Echelle high-resolution spectroscopy of 122 metal-poor stars found by SkyMapper in the first two years of commissioning observations. Forty-one stars have [Fe/H] <= -3.0. Nine have [Fe/H] <= -3.5, with three at [Fe/H] similar to -4. A 1D LTE abundance analysis of the elements Li, C, Na, Mg, Al, Si, Ca, Sc, Ti, Cr, Mn, Co, Ni, Zn, Sr, Ba, and Eu shows these stars have [X/Fe] ratios typical of other halo stars. One star with low [X/Fe] values appears to be "Fe-enhanced," while another star has an extremely large [Sr/Ba] ratio: >2. Only one other star is known to have a comparable value. Seven stars are "CEMP-no" stars ([C/Fe] > 0.7, [Ba/Fe] < 0). 21 stars exhibit mild r-process element enhancements (0.3 <= [Eu/Fe] < 1.0), while four stars have [Eu/Fe] >= 1.0. These results demonstrate the ability to identify extremely metal-poor stars from SkyMapper photometry, pointing to increased sample sizes and a better characterization of the metal-poor tail of the halo metallicity distribution function in the future.
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| 5. |
- Frebel, Anna, et al.
(author)
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Chemical abundance analysis of the extremely metal-poor star HE 1300+0157
- 2007
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In: Astrophysical Journal. - 0004-637X .- 1538-4357. ; 658:1, s. 534-552
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We present a detailed chemical abundance analysis of HE 1300+0157, a subgiant with Fe/H = -3.9. Froma high-resolution, high-S/N Subaru HDS spectrum we find the star to be enriched in C ([C/Fe](1D) similar to +1.4) and O ([O/Fe](1D) similar to +1.8). With the exception of these species, HE 1300+0157 exhibits an elemental abundance pattern similar to that found in many other very and extremely metal-poor stars. The Li abundance is lower than the Spite plateau value, in agreement with expectation for its evolutionary status. Of particular interest, no neutron-capture elements are detected in HE 1300+0157. This type of abundance pattern has been found by recent studies in several other metal-poor giants. We suggest that HE 1300+0157 is an unevolved example of this group of stars, which exhibit high C abundances together with low (or absent) abundances of neutron-capture elements (CEMP-no). Several potential enrichment scenarios are presented. The nondetection of neutron-capture elements including Sr, Ba, and Pb suggests that the carbon excess observed in HE 1300+0157 is not due to mass transfer across a binary system. Such a scenario is applied to carbon-rich objects with excesses of s-process elements. The normal observed Li abundance supports this interpretation. Most likely, the high levels of C and O were produced prior to the birth of this star. It remains unclear whether a single faint SN is responsible for its overall chemical pattern, or whether one requires a superposition of yields from a massive Population III object and a hypernova. These scenarios provide important information on the C production in the early universe and on the formation of C-rich stars in the early Galaxy.
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| 6. |
- Frebel, Anna, et al.
(author)
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Discovery of HE 1523-0901, a strongly r-process-enhanced metal-poor star with detected uranium
- 2007
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In: Astrophysical Journal. - 0004-637X .- 1538-4357. ; 660:2, s. L117-L120
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We present age estimates for the newly discovered, very r-process-enhanced metal-poor star HE 1523 - 0901 ([Fe/H] = -2.95) based on the radioactive decay of Th and U. The bright (V = 11.1) giant was found among a sample of bright metal-poor stars selected from the Hamburg/ESO Survey. From an abundance analysis of a high-resolution (R = 75,000) VLT/UVES spectrum, we find HE 1523 - 0901 to be strongly overabundant in r- process elements ([r/Fe] = 1.8). The abundances of heavy neutron-capture elements (Z > 56) measured in HE 1523 - 0901 match the scaled solar r- process pattern extremely well. We detect the strongest optical U line at 3859.57 angstrom. For the first time, we are able to employ several different chronometers, such as the U/Th, U/Ir, Th/ Eu, and Th/Os ratios to measure the age of a star. The weighted average age of HE 1523 - 0901 is 13.2 Gyr. Several sources of uncertainties are assessed in detail.
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| 7. |
- Frebel, Anna, et al.
(author)
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HE 1327-2326, an unevolved star with [Fe/H] < , -5.0. II. New 3D-1D corrected abundances from a very large telescope UVES spectrum
- 2008
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In: Astrophysical Journal. - 0004-637X .- 1538-4357. ; 684:1, s. 588-602
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We present a new abundance analysis of HE 1327-2326, which is currently the most iron-poor star, based on observational data obtained with the VLT Ultraviolet and Visual Echelle Spectrograph (UVES). We correct the one-dimensional (1D) LTE abundances for three-dimensional (3D) effects to provide an abundance pattern that supersedes previous works and should be used to observationally test current models of the chemical yields of the first-generation supernovae (SNe). Apart from confirming the 1D LTE abundances found in previous studies before accounting for 3D effects, we make use of a novel technique to apply the 3D 1D corrections for CNO which are a function of excitation potential and line strength for the molecular lines that comprise the observable CH, NH, and OH features. We find that the fit to the NH band at 33608 is greatly improved due to the application of the 3D-1D corrections. This may indicate that 3D effects are actually observable in this star. We also report the first detection of several weak Ni lines. The cosmologically important element Li is still not detected, the new Li upper limit is extremely low, A(Li) < , 0: 62, and in stark contrast with results not only from the Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP) but also from other metal-poor stars. We also discuss how the new corrected abundance pattern of HE 1327-2326 is being reproduced by individual and integrated yields of SNe.
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| 8. |
- Roederer, Ian U., et al.
(author)
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Element abundance patterns in stars indicate fission of nuclei heavier than uranium
- 2023
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In: Science. - 0036-8075 .- 1095-9203. ; 382:6675
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The heaviest chemical elements are naturally produced by the rapid neutron-capture process (r-process) during neutron star mergers or supernovae. The r-process production of elements heavier than uranium (transuranic nuclei) is poorly understood and inaccessible to experiments so must be extrapolated by using nucleosynthesis models. We examined element abundances in a sample of stars that are enhanced in r-process elements. The abundances of elements ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, and silver (atomic numbers Z = 44 to 47; mass numbers A = 99 to 110) correlate with those of heavier elements (63 <= Z <= 78, A > 150). There is no correlation for neighboring elements (34 <= Z <= 42 and 48 <= Z <= 62). We interpret this as evidence that fission fragments of transuranic nuclei contribute to the abundances. Our results indicate that neutron-rich nuclei with mass numbers >260 are produced in r-process events.
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| 9. |
- Roederer, Ian U., et al.
(author)
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The R-process Alliance : A Nearly Complete R-process Abundance Template Derived from Ultraviolet Spectroscopy of the R-process-enhanced Metal-poor Star HD 222925*
- 2022
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In: Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series. - : American Astronomical Society. - 0067-0049 .- 1538-4365. ; 260:2, s. 1-29
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We present a nearly complete rapid neutron-capture process (r-process) chemical inventory of the metal-poor ([Fe/H] = −1.46 ± 0.10) r-process-enhanced ([Eu/Fe] = +1.32 ± 0.08) halo star HD 222925. This abundance set is the most complete for any object beyond the solar system, with a total of 63 metals detected and seven with upper limits. It comprises 42 elements from 31 ≤ Z ≤ 90, including elements rarely detected in r-process-enhanced stars, such as Ga, Ge, As, Se, Cd, In, Sn, Sb, Te, W, Re, Os, Ir, Pt, and Au. We derive these abundances from an analysis of 404 absorption lines in ultraviolet spectra collected using the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph on the Hubble Space Telescope and previously analyzed optical spectra. A series of appendices discusses the atomic data and quality of fits for these lines. The r-process elements from Ba to Pb, including all elements at the third r-process peak, exhibit remarkable agreement with the solar r-process residuals, with a standard deviation of the differences of only 0.08 dex (17%). In contrast, deviations among the lighter elements from Ga to Te span nearly 1.4 dex, and they show distinct trends from Ga to Se, Nb through Cd, and In through Te. The r-process contribution to Ga, Ge, and As is small, and Se is the lightest element whose production is dominated by the r-process. The lanthanide fraction, log XLa = −1.39 ± 0.09, is typical for r-process-enhanced stars and higher than that of the kilonova from the GW170817 neutron-star merger event. We advocate adopting this pattern as an alternative to the solar r-process-element residuals when confronting future theoretical models of heavy-element nucleosynthesis with observations.
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| 10. |
- Roederer, Ian U., et al.
(author)
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The R-Process Alliance : Abundance Universality among Some Elements at and between the First and Second R-Process Peaks
- 2022
-
In: Astrophysical Journal. - : American Astronomical Society. - 0004-637X .- 1538-4357. ; 936:1
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We present new observational benchmarks of rapid neutron-capture process (r-process) nucleosynthesis for elements at and between the first (A ∼ 80) and second (A ∼ 130) peaks. Our analysis is based on archival ultraviolet and optical spectroscopy of eight metal-poor stars with Se (Z = 34) or Te (Z = 52) detections, whose r-process enhancement varies by more than a factor of 30 (−0.22 ≤ [Eu/Fe] ≤ +1.32). We calculate ratios among the abundances of Se, Sr through Mo (38 ≤ Z ≤ 42), and Te. These benchmarks may offer a new empirical alternative to the predicted solar system r-process residual pattern. The Te abundances in these stars correlate more closely with the lighter r-process elements than the heavier ones, contradicting and superseding previous findings. The small star-to-star dispersion among the abundances of Se, Sr, Y, Zr, Nb, Mo, and Te (≤0.13 dex, or 26%) matches that observed among the abundances of the lanthanides and third r-process-peak elements. The concept of r-process universality that is recognized among the lanthanide and third-peak elements in r-process-enhanced stars may also apply to Se, Sr, Y, Zr, Nb, Mo, and Te, provided the overall abundances of the lighter r-process elements are scaled independently of the heavier ones. The abundance behavior of the elements Ru through Sn (44 ≤ Z ≤ 50) requires further study. Our results suggest that at least one relatively common source in the early Universe produced a consistent abundance pattern among some elements spanning the first and second r-process peaks.
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