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.     

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。     

Composition Differences Between Globular Cluster and Halo Field Giants

Low metallicity (−3 <=[Fe/H] < = −1) halo field giants exhibit the expected correlation of Na and Mg abundances, based on the assumption that Na is produced in the same nucleosynthetic sites as are the alpha elements, confirming a result noted by Sneden (1998). On the other hand, giants in at least some globular clusters (especially M13, but also M15 and NGC 6752) do not exhibit the Mg vs Na correlation found among halo field giants (Hanson et al., 1998). The very large [Na/Fe]-ratios and widely scattered [Mg/Fe]-ratios found among M13 giants depend, on the average, on evolutionary state and are probably induced by deep mixing of stellar envelopes through the CNO hydrogen-burning shell. Why M13 (and M15 and NGC 6752) giants should experience deep mixing whereas field halo giants in the same evolutionary state mix not at all is an anomaly unexplained by current theories of stellar evolution. By contrast, giants in the outer halo cluster NGC 7006 show little evidence of deep mixing (Kraft et al., 1998). These differences in the degree of deep mixing among stars in related, but different, stellar populations may be connected to the so-called `second parameter effect'. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

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

Data from our compiled catalog of spectroscopically determined magnesium abundances in dwarfs and subgiants with accurate parallaxes are used to select Galactic halo stars according to kinematic criteria and to identify presumably accreted stars among them. Accreted stars are shown to constitute the majority in the Galactic halo. They came into the Galaxy from disrupted dwarf satellite galaxies. We analyze the relations between the relative magnesium abundances, metallicities, and Galactic orbital elements for protodisk and accreted halo stars. We show that the relative magnesium abundances in protodisk halo stars are virtually independent of metallicity and lie within a fairly narrow range, while presumably accreted stars demonstrate a large spread in relative magnesium abundances up to negative [Mg/Fe]. This behavior of protodisk halo stars suggests that the interstellar matter in the early Galaxy mixed well at the halo formation phase. The mean metallicity of magnesium-poor ([Mg/Fe] < 0.2 dex) accreted stars has been found to be displaced toward the negative values when passing from stars with low azimuthal velocities (|Θ| < 50 km s^?1) to those with high ones at Δ[Fe/H] ≈ ?0.5 dex. The mean apogalactic radii and inclinations of the orbits also increase with increasing absolute value of |Θ|, while their eccentricities decrease. As a result, negative radial and vertical gradients in relative magnesium abundances are observed in the accreted halo in the absence of correlations between the [Mg/Fe] ratios and other orbital elements, while these correlations are found at a high significance level for genetically related Galactic stars. Based on the above properties of accreted stars and our additional arguments, we surmise that as the masses of dwarf galaxies decrease, the maximum SN II masses and, hence, the yield of α-elements in them also decrease. In this case, the relation between the [Mg/Fe] ratios and the inclinations and sizes of the orbits of accreted stars is in complete agreement with numerical simulations of dynamical processes during the interaction of galaxies. Thus, the behavior of the magnesium abundance in accreted stars suggests that the satellite galaxies are disrupted and lose their stars en masse only after dynamical friction reduces significantly the sizes of their orbits and drags them into the Galactic plane. Less massive satellite galaxies are disrupted even before their orbits change appreciably under tidal forces.     

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 <Emphasis Type="Italic">r</Emphasis>- and <Emphasis Type="Italic">s</Emphasis>-process contributions to heavy-element abundances in the halo star HD 29907

The abundances of 22 heavy elements from Sr to Pb have been determined for the halo star HD 29907 (T _eff = 5500 K, log g = 4.64) with [Fe/H] = −1.55 using high-quality VLT/UVES spectra (ESO, Chile). The star has a moderate enhancement of r-process elements (Eu-Tm) with [r/Fe] = 0.63. In the range from Ba to Yb, the derived abundance pattern agrees well with those for strongly r-process enhanced stars (r-II stars with [Eu/Fe] > 1 and [Ba/Eu] < 0), such as CS 22892-052 and CS 31082-001, as well as with the scaled solar r-process curve and the r-process model HEW. Thus, Ba-Yb in HD 29907 originate in the r-process. Just as other moderately r-process enhanced stars studied in the literature, HD 29907 exhibits higher Sr, Y, and Zr abundances than those for r-II stars. These results confirm the assumption by other authors about the existence of an additional Sr-Zr synthesis mechanism in the early Galaxy before the onset of nucleosynthesis in asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars. The same mechanism can be responsible for the enhancement of Mo-Ag in the star being investigated compared to r-II stars. There are no grounds to suggest the presence of s-nuclei of lead in the material of the star being investigated, because its measured abundance ratio log ɛ(Pb/Eu) = 1.20 lies within the range for the comparison stars: from log ɛ(Pb/Eu) = 0.17 (CS 31082-001) to < 1.55 (HE 1219-0312). Thus, even if there was a contribution of AGB stars to the heavy-element enrichment of the interstellar medium at the epoch with [Fe/H] = −1.55, it was small, at the level of the abundance error.     

Intermediate-metallicity, high-velocity stars and Galactic chemical evolution

High signal-to-noise ratio spectra were obtained of 10 high-proper-motion stars having  −1 ≲[Fe/H] < 0  , and a comparable number of disc stars. All but two of the high-proper-motion stars were confirmed to have  [Fe/H] > −1.0  , some approaching solar metallicity, but, even so, earlier measurements overestimated the metallicities and velocities of some of these stars. Models of stellar populations were used to assign membership probabilities to the Galactic components to which the high-velocity stars might belong. Many were found to be more probably thick-disc than halo objects, despite their large space motions, and two might be associated with the inner Galaxy. It may be necessary to reassess contamination of previous halo samples, such as those used to define the metallicity distribution, to account for contamination by high-velocity thick-disc stars, and to consider possible subcomponents of the halo.
The change in [α/Fe] ratios at  [Fe/H]≃−1.0  is often used to constrain the degree and timing of Type Ia supernova nucleosynthesis in Galactic chemical-evolution models. [Ti/Fe] values were measured for eight of the high-velocity stars. Both high- and low-[Ti/Fe] halo stars exist; likewise high- and low-[Ti/Fe] thick-disc stars exist. We conclude that the [Ti/Fe]'break' is not well defined for a given population; nor is there a simple, continuous evolutionary sequence through the break. Implications for the interpretation of the [α/Fe] break in terms of SN Ia time-scales and progenitors are discussed. The range of [Ti/Fe] found for high -velocity (low rotation) thick-disc stars contrasts with that for the low -velocity (high rotation) thick-disc sample studied by Prochaska et al.     

Li production in the big bang

Li abundance is determined for 23 halo subdwarfs. About half of the stars show [Fe/H] < −1.4 and a space velocityV > 160 km s⁻¹ Li appears to be present in all our halo stars, with an abundance within about ± 0.2 dex of the value logn (Li) = 2.0 found by Spite & Spite (1982). Thus our results provide confirmation of the main conclusion of Spite & Spite.     

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.     

On the Nature of Damped LYα Systems: Clues from Determinations of Elemental Abundance Ratios

We present a study of the [α/Fe-peak] and [N/α] abundance ratios in Damped Lyα (DLA) systems. By using ratios of undepleted elements ([S/Zn] and [N/S]) or when abundances of refractory elements are corrected by dust depletion ([Si/Fe]_corr), the resulting ratios do not resemble those observed in the Galactic metal-poor stars, showing instead similarities with those ratios observed in dwarf galaxies. These results challenge the idea that these absorbers are the progenitors of the present-day spiral galaxies, and suggest an origin in low-mass galaxies for the systems up to now investigated. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Abundance Ratios in Metal-Rich Halo and Thick-Disk Stars

Recent determinations of precise abundance ratios for nearby halo and thick disk stars in the metallicity range −1.3 < [Fe/H] < −0.5 have revealed a significant cosmic spread in the abundances of oxygen, magnesium, sodium, nickel, s-process and r-process elements relative to iron. Possible explanations of these variations are reviewed. In particular, it is discussed if the differences in abundance ratios are correlated with the kinematics of the stars, and hence can be used to identify stellar populations in the Galaxy. 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.     

Two-dimensional line-strength maps in three well-studied early-type galaxies

Integral field spectroscopy has been obtained for the nuclear regions of three large, well-studied, early-type galaxies. From these spectra we have obtained line-strength maps for about 20 absorption lines, mostly belonging to the Lick system. An extensive comparison with multilenslet spectroscopy shows that accurate kinematic maps can be obtained, and also reproducible line-strength maps. Comparison with long-slit spectroscopy also produces good agreement.
We show that Mg is enhanced with respect to Fe in the inner disc of one of the three galaxies studied, the Sombrero. [Mg/Fe] there is larger than in the rest of the bulge. The large values of Mg/Fe in the central disc are consistent with the centres of other early-type galaxies, and not with large discs, like the disc of our Galaxy, where [Mg/Fe] ∼0. We confirm with this observation a recent result of Worthey: that Mg/Fe is determined only by the central kinetic energy, or escape velocity, of the stars, and not by the formation time-scale of the stars.
A stellar population analysis using the models of Vazdekis et al. shows that our observed H γ agrees well with what is predicted based on the other lines. Given the fact that H β is often contaminated by emission lines, we confirm the statement of Worthey & Ottaviani, Kuntschner & Davies and others that if one tries to measure ages of galaxies, H γ is a much better index to use than H β . Using the line strength of the Ca  ii IR triplet as an indicator of the abundance of Ca, we find that Ca follows Fe, and not Mg, in these galaxies. This is peculiar, given the fact that Ca is an α element. Finally, by combining the results of this paper with those of Vazdekis et al., we find that the line-strength gradients in the three galaxies are primarily caused by variations in metallicity.     

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.     

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.     

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.     

High resolution study of the abundance pattern of the heavy elements in very metal‐poor field stars

The abundances of heavy elements in EMP stars are not well explained by the simple view of an initial basic “rapid” process. In a careful and homogeneous analysis of the “First Stars” sample (eighty per cent of the stars have a metallicity [Fe/H] ≃ –3.1 ± 0.4), it has been shown that at this metallicity [Eu/Ba] is constant, and therefore the europium‐rich stars (generally called “r‐rich”) are also Ba‐rich. The very large variation of [Ba/Fe] (existence of “r‐poor” and “r‐rich” stars) induces that the early matter was not perfectly mixed. On the other hand, the distribution of the values of [Sr/Ba] vs. [Ba/Fe] appears with well defined upper and lower envelopes. No star was found with [Sr/Ba] < –0.5 and the scatter of [Sr/Ba] increases regularly when [Ba/Fe] decreases. To explain this behavior, we suggest that an early “additional” process forming mainly first peak elements would affect the initial composition of the matter. For a same quantity of accreted matter, this additional Sr production would barely affect the r‐rich matter (which already contains an important quantity of Sr) but would change significantly the composition of the r‐poor matter. The abundances found in the CEMP‐r+s stars reflect the transfer of heavy elements from a defunct AGB companion. But the abundances of the heavy elements in CEMP‐no stars present the same characteristics as the the abundances in the EMP stars. Direct stellar ages may be found from radioactive elements, the precision is limited by the precision in the measurements of abundances from faint lines in faint stars, and the uncertainty in the initial abundances of the radioactive elements. (© 2014 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Observing Boron in Metal-Poor Stars

A new sample of 7 stars ranging in metallicity from [Fe/H] = −2.0 to [Fe/H] = −0.75 has been analyzed in the boron spectral region. The targets were selected according to the availability (in the literature) of their lithium and beryllium abundances, because the simultaneous knowledge of LiBeB in the same targets is a powerful diagnostic for testing depletion and internal mixing predicted by different stellar structure models. Two stars (HD 94028 and HD 194598), characterized by similar Li contents, are found to have also similar B abundances, despite a 0.3 dex difference in their Be abundances claimed by Thorburn and Hobbs (1996). Four stars out of 7 are characterized by strongly depleted Li and Be abundances: 2 of them (HD 2665 and HD 3795) are also significantly B-depleted, while two others (HD 106516 and HD 221377) have near normal B abundances despite being depleted by a factor ≥ 10 in both Li and Be abundances. These stars place strong constraints on the nature and depth of the mixing processes responsible for their light element abundances. The 7th star (HD 160617) shows the remarkable aspect of deficient B, probably deficient Be, and completely normal Li. No stellar destruction mechanism can explain this. Rather, chemical inhomogeneities in the halo could be the cause. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

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.     

Chemical abundances in the young galaxy at z=2.309 towards PHL 957

We present high-resolution Utrecht Echelle Spectrograph spectra of the quasar PHL 957, obtained in order to study the foreground damped Lyα (DLA) galaxy at z =2.309. Measurements of absorption lines lead to accurate abundance determinations of Fe, S and N which complement measurements of Zn, Cr and Ni already available for this system. We find [Fe/H]=−2.0±0.1, [S/H]=−1.54±0.06 and [N/H]=−2.76±0.07. The ratio [Fe/Zn]=−0.44 provides evidence that ≈74 per cent of iron and ≈28 per cent of zinc are locked into dust grains with a dust-to-gas ratio of ≈3 per cent of the Galactic one. The total iron content in both gas and dust in the DLA system is [Fe/H]=−1.4. This confirms a rather low metallicity in the galaxy, which is in the early stages of its chemical evolution. The detection of S ii allows us to measure the S ii /Zn ii ratio, which is a unique diagnostic tool for tracing back its chemical history, since it is not affected by the presence of dust. Surprisingly, the resulting relative abundance is [S/Zn]=0.0±0.1, at variance with the overabundance found in the Galactic halo stars with similar metallicity. We emphasize that the [S/Zn] ratio is solar in all the three DLA absorbers with extant data. Upper limits are also found for Mn, Mg, O and P and, once the dust depletion is accounted for, we obtain [Mg/Fe]_c<+0.2, [O/Fe]_c<+0.4, [Mn/Fe]_c<+0.0 and [P/Fe]_c<−0.7. The [α/Fe] values do not support Galactic halo-like abundances, implying that the chemical evolution of this young galaxy is not reproducing the evolution of our own Galaxy.