The frequency of carbon-enhanced metal-poor stars in the galaxy from the HERES sample

• We estimate the frequency of carbon-enhanced metal-poor (CEMP) stars among very metal-poor stars, based on an analysis of 349 stars with available high-resolution spectra observed as part of the Hamburg/ESO R-process Enhanced Star (HERES) survey. We obtain that a lower limit of 21% +/- 2% of stars with [Fe/H] <= -2.0 exhibit [C/Fe] >= +1.0. These fractions are higher than those that have been reported by recent examinations of this question, based on substantially smaller samples of stars. We discuss the source of this difference and suggest that in order to take into account effects that result in a decrease of surface carbon abundance with advancing evolution, a definition of CEMP stars based on a [C/Fe] cutoff that varies as a function of luminosity is more appropriate. We discuss the likely occurrence of dilution and mixing for many CEMP stars, which, if properly accounted for, would increase this fraction still further.

Subject headings

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Fysik (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Physical Sciences (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Galaxy : halo; stars : abundances; stars : carbon; stars : Population II

Physics

Fysik

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)