Observational restrictions on sodium and aluminium abundance variations in evolution of the galaxy

In this paper we construct and analyze the uniform non-LTE distributions of the aluminium ([Al/Fe]-[Fe/H]) and sodium ([Na/Fe]-[Fe/H]) abundances in the sample of 160 stars of the disk and halo of our Galaxy with metallicities within ?4.07 ≤ [Fe/H] ≤ 0.28. The values of metallicity [Fe/H] and microturbulence velocity ξ _turb indices are determined from the equivalent widths of the Fe II and Fe I lines. We estimated the sodium and aluminium abundances using a 21-level model of the Na I atom and a 39-level model of the Al I atom. The resulting LTE distributions of [Na/Fe]-[Fe/H] and [Al/Fe]-[Fe/H] do not correspond to the theoretical predictions of their evolution, suggesting that a non-LTE approach has to be applied to determine the abundances of these elements. The account of non-LTE corrections reduces by 0.05–0.15 dex the abundances of sodium, determined from the subordinate lines in the stars of the disk with [Fe/H] ≥ ?2.0, and by 0.05–0.70 dex (with a strong dependence on metallicity) the abundances of [Na/Fe], determined by the resonance lines in the stars of the halo with [Fe/H] ≤ ?2.0. The non-LTE corrections of the aluminium abundances are strictly positive and increase from 0.0–0.1 dex for the stars of the thin disk (?0.7 ≤ [Fe/H] ≤ 0.28) to 0.03–0.3 dex for the stars of the thick disk (?1.5 ≤ [Fe/H] ≤ ?0.7) and 0.06–1.2 dex for the stars of the halo ([Fe/H] ≤ ?2.0). The resulting non-LTE abundances of [Na/Fe] reveal a scatter of individual values up to Δ[Na/Fe] = 0.4 dex for the stars of close metallicities. The observed non-LTE distribution of [Na/Fe]-[Fe/H] within 0.15 dex coincides with the theoretical distributions of Samland and Kobayashi et al. The non-LTE aluminium abundances are characterized by a weak scatter of values (up to Δ[Al/Fe] = 0.2 dex) for the stars of all metallicities. The constructed non-LTE distribution of [Al/Fe]-[Fe/H] is in a satisfactory agreement to 0.2 dex with the theoretical data of Kobayashi et al., but strongly differs (up to 0.4 dex) from the predictions of Samland.     

Influence of Inelastic Collisions with Hydrogen Atoms on Non-LTE Oxygen Abundance Determinations

We present the results of our modeling of the O I line formation under non-LTE conditions in the atmospheres of FG stars. The statistical equilibrium of O I has been calculated using Barklem’s quantum-mechanical rates of inelastic collisions with hydrogen atoms. We have determined the non-LTE oxygen abundance from atomic O I lines for the Sun and 46 FG stars in a wide metallicity range, ?2.6 < [Fe/H] < 0.2. The application of accurate atomic data has led to an increase in the departures from LTE and a decrease in the oxygen abundance compared to the use of Drawin’s theoretical approximation. The change in the non-LTE abundance from the infrared O I 7771-5 Å triplet lines is 0.11 dex for solar atmospheric parameters and diminishes in absolute value with decreasing metallicity. We have revised the [O/Fe]–[Fe/H] relationship derived by us previously. The change in [O/Fe] is small in the [Fe/H] range from ?1.5 to 0.2. For stars with [Fe/H] < ?1 the [O/Fe] ratio has increased so that [O/Fe] = 0.60 at [Fe/H] = ?0.8 and rises to [O/Fe] = 0.75 at [Fe/H] = ?2.6.     

Formation of galactic subsystems in light of the magnesium abundance in field stars: The thin disk

Data from our compiled catalog of spectroscopically determined magnesium abundances in stars with accurate parallaxes are used to select thin-disk dwarfs and subgiants according to kinematic criteria. We analyze the relations between the relative magnesium abundances in stars, [Mg/Fe], and their metallicities, Galactic orbital elements, and ages. The [Mg/Fe] ratios in the thin disk at any metallicity in the range ?1.0 dex <[Fe/H] < ?0.4 dex are shown to be smaller than those in the thick disk, implying that the thin-disk stars are, on average, younger than the thick-disk stars. The relative magnesium abundances in such metal-poor thin-disk stars have been found to systematically decrease with increasing stellar orbital radii in such a way that magnesium overabundances ([Mg/Fe] > 0.2 dex) are essentially observed only in the stars whose orbits lie almost entirely within the solar circle. At the same time, the range of metallicities in magnesium-poor stars is displaced from ?0.5 dex < [Fe/H] < +0.3 dex to ?0.7 dex < [Fe/H] < +0.2 dex as their orbital radii increase. This behavior suggests that, first, the star formation rate decreases with increasing Galactocentric distance and, second, there was no star formation for some time outside the solar circle, while this process was continuous within the solar circle. The decrease in the star formation rate with increasing Galactocentric distance is responsible for the existence of a negative radial metallicity gradient (grad _R[Fe/H] = ?0.05 ± 0.01 kpc^?1) in the disk, which shows a tendency to increase with decreasing age. At the same time, the relative magnesium abundance exhibits no radial gradient. We have confirmed the existence of a steep negative vertical metallicity gradient (grad _Z[Fe/H] = ?0.29 ± 0.06 kpc^?1) and detected a significant positive vertical gradient in relative magnesium abundance (grad _Z[Mg/Fe] = 0.13 ± 0.02 kpc^?1); both gradients increase appreciably in absolute value with decreasing age. We have found that there is not only an age-metallicity relation, but also an age-magnesium abundance relation, in the thin disk. We surmise that the thin disk has a multicomponent structure, but the existence of a negative trend in the star formation rate along the Galactocentric radius does not allow the stars of its various components to be identified in the immediate solar neighborhood.     

New Views on the Early Evolution of Oxygen in the Galaxy

We discuss results on the oxygen abundance in a sample of 23 metal-poor (?3.0≤ [Fe/H] ≤ ?0.3) unevolved stars and one giant. High resolutionspectroscopy of OH lines in the near UV allowed us to trace the early evolution of oxygenversus metallicity. Contrary to previous expectations, we find that oxygen abundances derived from these low excitation lines agree well withthose derived from the high excitation lines of the OI IR triplet and from the [OI] λ 6300 Å line. Our new oxygen abundances show a smooth extension of previouslyknown trends of [O/Fe] versus [Fe/H] in disk stars to much lower metallicities, with a slope of ?0.31± 0.11. The [O/Fe] ratio increasesfrom 0.6 to 1 between [Fe/H] =?1.5 and ?3.0. Comparison with oxygen abundances in giant stars of the same metallicity imply that the lattermay have suffered a process of oxygen depletion. We briefly discussthe impact of these results on the yields of Type II SNe in the early Galaxy and on the age of globular clusters.     

Radial mixing and the transition between the thick and thin Galactic discs

The analysis of the kinematics of solar neighbourhood stars shows that the low- and high-metallicity tails of the thin disc are populated by objects which orbital properties suggest an origin in the outer and inner Galactic disc, respectively. Signatures of radial migration are identified in various recent samples, and are shown to be responsible for the high-metallicity dispersion in the age–metallicity distribution. Most importantly, it is shown that the population of low-metallicity wanderers of the thin disc (−0.7 < [Fe/H] < −0.3 dex) is also responsible for the apparent hiatus in metallicity with the thick disc (which terminal metallicity is about −0.2 dex). It implies that the thin disc at the solar circle has started to form stars at about this same metallicity. This is also consistent with the fact that 'transition' objects, which have α-element abundance intermediate between that of the thick and thin discs, are found in the range [−0.4, −0.2] dex. Once the metal-poor thin disc stars are recognized for what they are – wanderers from the outer thin disc – the parenthood between the two discs can be identified on stars genuinely formed at the solar circle through an evolutionary sequence in [α/Fe] and [Fe/H]. Another consequence is that stars that can be considered as truly resulting of the chemical evolution at the solar circle have a metallicity restricted to about [−0.2, +0.2] dex, confirming an old idea that most chemical evolution in the Milky Way have preceded the thin disc formation.     

Influence of departures from LTE on calcium,titanium, and iron abundance determinations in cool giants of different metallicities

We have performed statistical equilibrium calculations for Ca I–Ca II, Ti I–Ti II, and Fe I–Fe II by taking into account the nonequilibrium line formation conditions (the non-LTE approach) in model atmospheres of giant stars with effective temperatures 4000 K ≤ T _eff ≤ 5000 K and metal abundances ?4 ≤ [Fe/H] ≤ 0. The dependence of departures from LTE on atmospheric parameters has been analyzed. We present the non-LTE abundance corrections for 28 Ca I lines, 42 Ti I lines, 54 Ti II lines, and 262 Fe I lines and a three-dimensional interpolation code to obtain the non-LTE correction online for an individual line and specified atmospheric parameters.     

Spectroscopy of high proper motion stars in the ground-based UV

Based on high quality spectral data (spectral resolution R≈60000) within the wavelength range of 3550–5000 Å we determined main parameters (effective temperature, surface gravity, microturbulent velocity, and content of chemical elements including heavy metals from Sr to Dy) for 14 metal-deficient G–K stars with large proper motions. The stars studied have a high range of metallicity: [Fe/H]=?0.3÷?2.9. Abundances of Mg, Al, Sr and Ba were calculated with non-LTE line-formation effects accounted for. The abundance both of radioactive element Th and the r-process element Eu were determined through synthetic spectrum calculations. We selected stars that belong to different galactic populations according to the kinematical criterion and parameters determined by us. We found that the studied stars with large proper motions refer to different components of the Galaxy: thin, thick disks and halo. The chemical composition of the star BD+80°?245 far from the galactic plane agrees with its belonging to the accreted halo. For the giant HD?115444 we obtained [Fe/H]=?2.91, an underabundance of Mn, an overabundance of heavy metals from Ba to Dy, and especially a high excess of the r-process element europium: [Eu/Fe]=+1.26. Contrary to its chemical composition typical for halo stars, HD?115444 belongs to the disc population according to its kinematic parameters.     

银河系铝元素丰度研究

恒星的Al元素丰度可以为探索星团和星系的化学演化提供重要线索.通过系统分析银河系薄盘、厚盘、核球、银晕以及M4、M5等球状星团中恒星的[Al/Fe]随恒星金属丰度[Fe/H]的变化趋势,得出银河系薄盘、厚盘和核球恒星的[Al/Fe]随着[Fe/H]的增加而缓慢下降,而球状星团M4和M5恒星的[Al/Fe]随[Fe/H]增加没有下降趋势,这暗示Ia超新星对M4和M5恒星元素丰度的贡献比较小.详细研究了银河系恒星[Al/Fe]与[Mg/Fe]、[Na/Fe]的相关性,结果表明银河系场星的[Al/Fe]与[Mg/Fe]正相关,但在球状星团M4和M5恒星中未见此相关性;银河系盘星及M4和M5等球状星团恒星的[Al/Fe]与[Na/Fe]都存在正相关.     

The evolution of barium and europium in local dwarf spheroidal galaxies

By means of a detailed chemical evolution model, we follow the evolution of barium (Ba) and europium (Eu) in four Local Group Dwarf Spheroidal (dSph) galaxies, in order to set constraints on the nucleosynthesis of these elements and on the evolution of this type of galaxies compared with the Milky Way. The model, which is able to reproduce several observed abundance ratios and the present-day total mass and gas mass content of these galaxies, adopts up-to-date nucleosynthesis and takes into account the role played by supernovae (SNe) of different types (II, Ia) allowing us to follow in detail the evolution of several chemical elements (H, D, He, C, N, O, Mg, Si, S, Ca, Fe, Ba and Eu). By assuming that Ba is a neutron-capture element produced in low-mass asymptotic giant branch stars by s-process but also in massive stars (in the mass range 10–30 M_⊙) by r-process, during the explosive event of SNe of Type II, and that Eu is a pure r-process element synthesized in massive stars also in the range of masses 10–30 M_⊙, we are able to reproduce the observed [Ba/Fe] and [Eu/Fe] as functions of [Fe/H] in all four galaxies studied. We confirm also the important role played by the very low star formation (SF) efficiencies (ν= 0.005–0.5 Gyr⁻¹) and by the intense galactic winds (6–13 times the star formation rate) in the evolution of these galaxies. These low SF efficiencies (compared to the one for the Milky Way disc) adopted for the dSph galaxies are the main reason for the differences between the trends of [Ba/Fe] and [Eu/Fe] predicted and observed in these galaxies and in the metal-poor stars of our Galaxy. Finally, we provide predictions for Sagittarius galaxy for which data of only two stars are available.     

The chemical composition of the Small Magellanic Cloud

The Small Magellanic Cloud is a close, irregular galaxy that has experienced a complex star formation history due to the strong interactions occurred both with the Large Magellanic Cloud and the Galaxy. Despite its importance, the chemical composition of its stellar populations older than ∼ 1–2 Gyr is still poorly investigated. I present the first results of a spectroscopic survey of ∼ 200 Small Magellanic Cloud giant stars performed with FLAMES@VLT. The derived metallicity distribution peaks at [Fe/H] ∼ –0.9/–1.0 dex, with a secondary peak at [Fe/H] ∼ –0.6 dex. All these stars show [α /Fe] abundance ratios that are solar or mildly enhanced (∼+0.1 dex). Also, three metal‐poor stars (with [Fe/H] ∼ –2.5 dex and enhanced [α /Fe] ratios compatible with those of the Galactic Halo) have been detected in the outskirts of the SMC: These giants are the most metal‐poor stars discovered so far in the Magellanic Clouds. (© 2014 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Formation of galactic subsystems in light of the magnesium abundance in field stars: The thick disk

The space velocities and Galactic orbital elements of stars calculated from the currently available high-accuracy observations in our compiled catalog of spectroscopic magnesium abundances in dwarfs and subgiants in the solar neighborhood are used to identify thick-disk objects. We analyze the relations between chemical, spatial, and kinematic parameters of F–G stars in the identified subsystem. The relative magnesium abundances in thick-disk stars are shown to lie within the range 0.0 < [Mg/Fe] < 0.5 and to decrease with increasingmetallicity starting from [Fe/H] ≈ ?1.0. This is interpreted as evidence for a longer duration of the star formation process in the thick disk. We have found vertical gradients in metallicity (grad_Z[Fe/H] = ?0.13 ± 0.04 kpc^?1) and relative magnesium abundance (grad_Z[Mg/Fe] = 0.06 ± 0.02 kpc^?1), which can be present in the subsystem only in the case of its formation in a slowly collapsing protogalaxy. However, the gradients in the thick disk disappear if the stars whose orbits lie in the Galactic plane, but have high eccentricities and low azimuthal space velocities atypical of the thin-disk stars are excluded from the sample. The large spread in relative magnesium abundance (?0.3 < [Mg/Fe] < 0.5) in the stars of the metal-poor “tail” of the thick disk, which constitute ≈8% of the subsystem, can be explained in terms of their formation inside isolated interstellar clouds that interacted weakly with the matter of a single protogalactic cloud. We have found a statistically significant negative radial gradient in relative magnesium abundance in the thick disk (grad_R[Mg/Fe] = ?0.03 ± 0.01 kpc^{? 1}) instead of the expected positive gradient. The smaller perigalactic orbital radii and the higher eccentricities for magnesium-richer stars, which, among other stars, are currently located in a small volume of the Galactic space near the Sun, are assumed to be responsible for the gradient inversion. A similar, but statistically less significant inversion is also observed in the subsystem for the radial metallicity gradient.     

Spectroscopic analysis of nearby lower-main-sequence stars

Abundances of O, Na, Mg, Al, Si, K, Ca, Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Fe, Ni and Ba are determined for 30 nearby lower-main-sequence stars in the Northern sky using high-resolution, high signal-to-noise ratio spectra. Our results show an equilibrium of  [Fe/H]_I  and  [Fe/H]_II  and a much smaller star-to-star scatter of the abundance ratios as a function of metallicity compared with the results of Kotoneva et al. The non-local thermodynamic equilibrium (non-LTE) corrections for oxygen are considered and found to be small  (∼−0.04 dex)  . A flat trend of [O/Fe] exists over the whole metallicity range. The non-LTE effects for some important elements are discussed, and it is found that the abundance pattern for our programme stars is very similar to that of F and G dwarfs.     

The R Coronae Borealis stars — A few mere facts

This review presents a selection of recent highlights of observations of R Coronae Borealis variables. Emphasis is placed on an abundance analysis of a complete sample (18 stars) of the warm galactic RCBs. It is shown that 14 of the 18 have very similar compositions: the iron mass fraction ranges about a factor of 3 around the solar value (assuming C/He = 3%) but abundance ratios X/Fe for elements from Na to Ba show little variation. By contrast, the other 4 stars are deficient in iron but not in Na, Si, S and some other elements. With for example, [Si/Fe] ≃ 2, the quartet is indeed ‘peculiar’. One of the quartet, V854 Cen shows depletions of elements (other than CNO) similar to the depletions seen in interstellar medium corresponding to average logn(H _tot) = − 1.5. Scenarios for creating RCB from normal single and double stars are summarised. Invited review talk presented at the Asia-Pacific regional IAU meeting held at Pune from 16–20 August 1993.     

Europium abundances in cool dwarf stars of the galactic thick and thin disks

Abundances of europium for 112 FGK dwarf stars of thick and thin disks have been determined in the metallicity range of ?1.0 < [Fe/H] < +0.3. Spectra of the studied stars have been obtained using the 1.93-m telescope of Haute-Provence Observatory (France) with spectral resolution R = 42000 and signal-to-noise ratio S/N = 100?300. Eu content has been calculated with assumption of LTE using the synthetic spectrum approach with detailed consideration of superfine structure. Analysis of europium abundances as a function of metallicity in kinematically selected stars of the Galactic thick and thin disks revealed different values in the disks. Comparison of europium abundances with magnesium abundances makes it possible to assume that at [Fe/H] < ?0.2 dex the origins of these elements are similar and at [Fe/H] > ?0.2 dex they are, probably, different.     

Evolution of the titanium and oxygen abundances from observations of FGK dwarfs in a wide metallicity range

For a sample of dwarf stars close to the Sun with well-known atmospheric parameters and an iron abundance in the range ?2.6 < [Fe/H] < 0.2, we have determined the titanium and oxygen abundances by taking into account the departures from LTE. The dependence of the [O/Fe] and [Ti/Fe] abundance ratios on [Fe/H] has been refined in comparison with the published data. We have established that [O/Fe] increases from ?0.2 to 0.6 as the metallicity [Fe/H] decreases from 0.2 to ?0.8 and remains constant at a lower metallicity. A similar behavior has been found for [Ti/Fe], but the plateau is formed by stars with [Fe/H] > ?0.7, and the titanium overabundance relative to iron is 0.3. The results confirm that not only oxygen but also titanium are synthesized in the α-process. Our data can be used to test the Galactic chemical evolution models.     

Winds and mass-loss from evolved,low-gravity cool stars

We summarize results from several programs utilizing the Goddard High Resolution Spectrograph (GHRS) on the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) to study winds and mass-loss from evolved, low-gravity cool stars. We have found that: (i) the photons for thermally and fluorescently excited UV emission lines are created below the region of wind acceleration, (ii) the self-reversals in optically thick emission lines indicate an outflowing wind with mean velocities of 9–25 km/s, (iii) the profiles of optically thin emission lines indicate a mean chromospheric macroturbulence of 24–35 km/s, anisotropically distributed along the radial-tangential directions, (iv) significant emission from hot material (≈10⁵ K) is seen in both non-coronal and hybrid stars to the right of the Linsky-Haisch dividing line, (v) the weakness of Fe II emission lines in the carbon stars, combined with the presence of the Fe I 2807 Å feature only in carbon stars, suggests that the ionization fraction of iron is significantly lower in the outer atmospheres of carbon stars than in O-rich stars, and (vi) Fe II line profile variations indicate changes in mass-loss rate and wind opacity on a timescale of several years in two typical late-type, low-gravity stars.     

中等贫金属星高分辨率光谱分析Ⅱ.化学元素丰度

在第1篇论文的基础上，确定了样本星的恒星大气参数，得到这些星中9种元素的丰度。讨论了各种元素丰度随[Fe/H]的变化。平均的[Na/Fe]～－0．01dex，接近于太阳丰度。α元素Si和Ca具有几乎相同的丰度模式，而[Ti/Fe]弥散较大，但三者均有随[Fe/H]的减小而增加的趋势。铁峰元素V、Cr、Ni在不同丰度处有较大的弥散，[Cr/Fe]在所有样本星中均表现超丰；而[Mn/Fe]却明显过贫，且随金属丰度的增加而增加。     

Oxygen Abundances in Solar-Type Stars

The absolute solar oxygen abundance,ε ⊙ = 8.80± 0.06, has been determined from various oxygen abundance indicators in different solar atlases, and a new method is proposed to test collision rate coefficientsfor the NLTE model of OI.Using effective temperatures derived from Balmer lines, oxygen abundances from O triplets in 83 solar-type stars within the solar neighborhood spanning a metallicity range of [Fe/H] = −2.3 ... +0.4 have been determined.NLTE effects are not negligible, especially in warm stars(T_eff ≥ 5800) with [Fe/H] ≥ −0.5. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

α-process Elements in the Galaxy: A Possible GAIA Contribution

The sensitivity of stellar spectra to α/Fe abundance changes is investigated with the aim to be detected photometrically and employed for the scientific goals of the GAIA mission. A grid of plane parallel, line blanketed, flux constant, LTE model atmospheres with different [α/Fe] ratios was calculated. As a first step, the modeled stellar energy fluxes for solar-type stars and giants were computed and intercompared. The spectral sensitivity to α/Fe abundance changes is noticeable and has to be taken into account when selecting photometric filters for GAIA. The Ca II H and K lines and Mg I b triplet are the most sensitive direct indicators ofα/Fe abundance changes. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Abundance analysis of Barium stars

We obtain the chemical abundances of six barium stars and two CH subgiant stars based on the high signal-to-noise ratio and high resolution Echelle spectra. The neu- tron capture process elements Y, Zr, Ba, La and Eu show obvious overabundances relative to the Sun, for example, their [Ba/Fe] values are from 0.45 to 1.27. Other elements, in- cluding Na, Mg, A1, Si, Ca, Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn and Ni, show comparable abundances to the Solar ones, and their [Fe/H] covers a range from -0.40 to 0.21, which means they belong to the Galactic disk. The predictions of the theoretical model of wind accretion for bi- nary systems can explain the observed abundance patterns of the neutron capture process elements in these stars, which means that their overabundant heavy-elements could be caused by accreting the ejecta of AGB stars, the progenitors of present-day white dwarf companions in binary systems.