| 1. |
- D’Orazi, Valentina, et al.
(author)
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The GALAH survey : tracing the Milky Way’s formation and evolution through RR Lyrae stars
- 2024
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In: Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. - 0035-8711. ; 531:1, s. 137-162
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Stellar mergers and accretion events have been crucial in shaping the evolution of the Milky Way (MW). These events have been dynamically identified and chemically characterized using red giants and main-sequence stars. RR Lyrae (RRL) variables can play a crucial role in tracing the early formation of the MW since they are ubiquitous, old (t ≥ 10 Gyr) low-mass stars and accurate distance indicators. We exploited Data Release 3 of the GALAH survey to identify 78 field RRLs suitable for chemical analysis. Using synthetic spectra calculations, we determined atmospheric parameters and abundances of Fe, Mg, Ca, Y, and Ba. Most of our stars exhibit halo-like chemical compositions, with an iron peak around [Fe/H] ≈ −1.40, and enhanced Ca and Mg content. Notably, we discovered a metal-rich tail, with [Fe/H] values ranging from −1 to approximately solar metallicity. This sub-group includes almost 1/4 of the sample, it is characterized by thin disc kinematics and displays sub-solar α-element abundances, marginally consistent with the majority of the MW stars. Surprisingly, they differ distinctly from typical MW disc stars in terms of the s-process elements Y and Ba. We took advantage of similar data available in the literature and built a total sample of 535 field RRLs for which we estimated kinematical and dynamical properties. We found that metal-rich RRLs (1/3 of the sample) likely represent an old component of the MW thin disc. We also detected RRLs with retrograde orbits and provided preliminary associations with the Gaia–Sausage–Enceladus, Helmi, Sequoia, Sagittarius, and Thamnos stellar streams.
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| 2. |
- Diehl, Roland, et al.
(author)
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Cosmic nucleosynthesis : A multi-messenger challenge
- 2022
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In: Progress in Particle and Nuclear Physics. - : Elsevier. - 0146-6410 .- 1873-2224. ; 127
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Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The origins of the elements and isotopes of cosmic material is a critical aspect of understanding the evolution of the universe. Nucleosynthesis typically requires physical conditions of high temperatures and densities. These are found in the Big Bang, in the interiors of stars, and in explosions with their compressional shocks and high neutrino and neutron fluxes. Many different tools are available to disentangle the composition of cosmic matter, in material of extraterrestrial origins such as cosmic rays, meteorites, stardust grains, lunar and terrestrial sediments, and through astronomical observations across the electromagnetic spectrum. Understanding cosmic abundances and their evolution requires combining such measurements with approaches of astrophysical, nuclear theories and laboratory experiments, and exploiting additional cosmic messengers, such as neutrinos and gravitational waves. Recent years have seen significant progress in almost all these fields; they are presented in this review. The Sun and the solar system are our reference system for abundances of elements and isotopes. Many direct and indirect methods are employed to establish a refined abundance record from the time when the Sun and the Earth were formed. Indications for nucleosynthesis in the local environment when the Sun was formed are derived from meteoritic material and inclusion of radioactive atoms in deep-sea sediments. Spectroscopy at many wavelengths and the neutrino flux from the hydrogen fusion processes in the Sun have established a refined model of how the nuclear energy production shapes stars. Models are required to explore nuclear fusion of heavier elements. These stellar evolution calculations have been confirmed by observations of nucleosynthesis products in the ejecta of stars and supernovae, as captured by stardust grains and by characteristic lines in spectra seen from these objects. One of the successes has been to directly observe gamma rays from radioactive material synthesised in stellar explosions, which fully support the astrophysical models. Another has been the observation of radioactive afterglow and characteristic heavy-element spectrum from a neutron-star merger, confirming the neutron rich environments encountered in such rare explosions. The ejecta material captured by Earth over millions of years in sediments and identified through characteristic radio-isotopes suggests that nearby nucleosynthesis occurred in in recent history, with further indications for sites of specific nucleosynthesis. Together with stardust and diffuse γ rays from radioactive ejecta, these help to piece together how cosmic materials are transported in interstellar space and re-cycled into and between generations of stars. Our description of cosmic compositional evolution needs such observational support, as it rests on several assumptions that appear challenged by recent recognition of violent events being common during evolution of a galaxy. This overview presents the flow of cosmic matter and the various sites of nucleosynthesis, as understood from combining many techniques and observations, towards the current knowledge of how the universe is enriched with elements.
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| 3. |
- Doherty, Carolyn L., et al.
(author)
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Monash chemical yields project (Monχey) element production in low- and intermediate-mass stars
- 2015
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In: Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union. - 1743-9213. ; 11:A29B, s. 164-165
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The Monχey project will provide a large and homogeneous set of stellar yields for the low- and intermediate- mass stars and has applications particularly to galactic chemical evolution modelling. We describe our detailed grid of stellar evolutionary models and corresponding nucleosynthetic yields for stars of initial mass 0.8 M⊙ up to the limit for core collapse supernova (CC-SN) ≈ 10 M⊙. Our study covers a broad range of metallicities, ranging from the first, primordial stars (Z = 0) to those of super-solar metallicity (Z = 0.04). The models are evolved from the zero-age main-sequence until the end of the asymptotic giant branch (AGB) and the nucleosynthesis calculations include all elements from H to Bi. A major innovation of our work is the first complete grid of heavy element nucleosynthetic predictions for primordial AGB stars as well as the inclusion of extra-mixing processes (in this case thermohaline) during the red giant branch. We provide a broad overview of our results with implications for galactic chemical evolution as well as highlight interesting results such as heavy element production in dredge-out events of super-AGB stars. We briefly introduce our forthcoming web-based database which provides the evolutionary tracks, structural properties, internal/surface nucleosynthetic compositions and stellar yields. Our web interface includes user- driven plotting capabilities with output available in a range of formats. Our nucleosynthetic results will be available for further use in post processing calculations for dust production yields.
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| 4. |
- Lugaro, Maria, et al.
(author)
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What can presolar grains tell us about AGB stars
- 2007
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In: Highlights of Astronomy, Vol.14, XXVIth General Assembly of the IAU. ; , s. 345-348
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Conference paper (other academic/artistic)abstract
- The vast majority of presolar grains recovered to date show the signature of an origin in asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars. In AGB stars, the compositions of elements lighter than silicon and heavier than iron are largely affected by proton- and neutron-capture processes, respectively, while the compositions of the elements in between also carry the signature of the initial composition of the star. Dust is produced and observed around AGB stars and the strong mass loss experienced by these stars is believed to be driven by radiation pressure on dust grains. We briefly review the main developments that have occurred in the past few years in the study of AGB stars in relation to dust and presolar grains. From the nucleosynthesis point of view these include: more stringent constraints on the main neutron source nucleus, 13C, for the slow neutron capture process (the s-process); the possibility of presolar grains coming from massive AGB stars; and the unique opportunity to infer the "isotopic'' evolution of the Galaxy by combining presolar grain data and AGB model predictions. Concerning the formation of grains in AGB stars, considerable progress has been achieved in modelling. In particular, self-consistent models for atmospheres and winds of C-stars have reached a level of sophistication which allows direct quantitative comparison with observations. In the case of stars with C/O < 1, however, recent work points to serious problems with the dust-driven wind scenario. A current trend in atmosphere and wind modelling is to investigate the possible effects of inhomogenieties (e.g., due to giant convection cells) with 2D/3D models.
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