Method for simultaneous determination of the metallicity and interstellar reddening of globular clusters using the <Emphasis Type="Italic">V</Emphasis> vs. (<Emphasis Type="Italic">B-R</Emphasis>) color-magnitude diagram

We describe a method for simultaneous determination of the metallicity and interstellar reddening of globular clusters that uses parameters of the giant branch on the V vs. (B-R) color-magnitude diagram: the slope of the giant branch, its color at the level of the horizontal branch, and the apparent magnitude V of the horizontal branch. Applying this method to the globular cluster NGC 7006 gives the metallicity [Fe/H] = −1.78 ± 0.11 and interstellar reddening E _B-R = 0.25 ± 0.02.     

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.     

The Stellar Populations of the Bars of Barred Spirals Through Evolutionary Synthesis: First Results

As part of an ongoing project aimed at studying the age and metallicity gradients of the stellar populations along the bars of a sample of barred spirals of different morphological types, we present our first results on NGC 4314 (SBa). We have obtained optical and NIR colours and spectral indices along the bar and we interpret some of these results here and discuss their uncertainties on the basis of single stellar population models. In a preliminary analysis, we constrain the limits for the age and metallicity of the nucleus and two selected regions in the star formation ring of NGC 4314, characterizing both as metal rich (Z<Z _solar) stellar populations, and finding a difference in the mean luminosity-weighted age of at least ∼ 3–4 Gyr. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

The resolved red giant branches of E/S0 galaxies

Formation paradigms for massive galaxies have long centered around two antipodal hypotheses – the monolithic-collapse and the accretion/merger scenarios. Empirical data on the stellar contents of galaxy halos is crucial in order to develop galaxy formation and assembly scenarios which have their root in observations, rather than in numerical simulations. The Hubble Space Telescope (HST) has enabled us to study directly individual stars in the nearby E/S0 galaxies Cen A, NGC 3115, NGC 5102, and NGC 404. We here present and discuss HST single-star photometry in V and I bands. Using color-magnitude diagrams and stellar luminosity functions, we gauge the galaxies' stellar contents. This can be done at more than one position in the halo, but data with deeper limiting magnitudes are desired to quantify the variation of metallicity with galactocentric radius. We here compare the color distributions of red giant stars with stellar isochrones, and we intercompare the galaxies' halo populations, noting that their total absolute V magnitudes cover the range from about –21.5 to –17.5. In the future, we plan to model the stellar metallicity distributions with the aim to constrain chemical enrichment scenarios, a step towards unravelling the evolutionary history of elliptical and lenticular galaxies. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Stellar content of the interacting galaxies of the M51 system

Based on archival Hubble Space Telescope ACS/WFC images, we have performed stellar photometry for more than 0.6 million stars in the interacting galaxies NGC 5194 and NGC 5195 of the M51 system. Stars of various ages have been identified on the constructed Hertzsprung-Russell diagram: blue and red supergiants, AGB stars, and red giants. The distance to M51 has been measured from the position of the tip of the red giant branch, D = 9.9 ± 0.7 Mpc. We have determined the change in the metallicity of red supergiants along the galactic radius in NGC 5194. Despite the gravitational interaction, the distribution of stars in NGC 5194 does not differ from that in isolated galaxies. The asymmetric stellar structures of NGC5195 (the so-called “feathers”) formed through the interaction of two galaxies have been found to consist mostly of AGB stars.     

Ages and metallicities of globular clusters in NGC 4472

We have derived ages and metallicities from co-added spectra of 131 globular clusters associated with the giant elliptical galaxy NGC 4472. Based upon a calibration with Galactic globular clusters, we find that our sample of globular clusters in NGC 4472 span a metallicity range of approximately −1.6≤[Fe/H]≤0 dex. There is evidence of a radial metallicity gradient in the globular cluster system which is steeper than that seen in the underlying starlight. Determination of the absolute ages of the globular clusters is uncertain, but formally, the metal-poor population of globular clusters has an age of 14.5±4 Gyr and the metal-rich population is 13.8±6 Gyr old. Monte Carlo simulations indicate that the globular cluster populations present in these data are older than 6 Gyr at the 95 per cent confidence level. We find that within the uncertainties, the globular clusters are old and coeval, implying that the bimodality seen in the broadband colours primarily reflects metallicity and not age differences.     

Ages, Metallicities and Abundances in Elliptical Galaxies

In this paper we present a recent attempt to infer the age, metallicity and abundance ratios for a selected sample of elliptical galaxies, adopting the line-strength indices H_β, Mg₂ and 〈Fe 〉, which respond in different ways to different parameters such as age (H_β), metallicity and abundance ratios (〈Fe〉 and Mg₂). This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Vilnius Photometry of Red Giant Stars in the Open Cluster NGC 7789

Photoelectric Vilnius seven-color photometry is presented and analyzed for a sample of 24 red giant branch and clump stars in the open cluster NGC 7789. For each star we have determined photometric spectral type, absolute magnitude, interstellar reddening, effective temperature, metallicity, and surface gravity. From averages over the stars in the sample we find the mean reddening to the cluster E _Y−V = 0.21± 0.02 (s.d.), or E _B−V = 0.25, and the apparent distance modulus (m−M) _V = 12.21± 0.10 (s.d.), which yield a distance of 1840 pc. The mean overall metallicity is found to be [Fe/H] = −0.18± 0.09 (s.d.). The clump stars, on average, appear to be slightly more metal-rich than the other red giants, which is most probably caused by evolutionary changes of carbon and nitrogen molecular bands falling in the photometric passbands. A difference in mass between the two groups of stars has also been detected, which suggests that the clump stars might have undergone extra mass loss before reaching their core He-burning phase of evolution.     

基于SDSS-DR8及2MASS数据的疏散星团NGC 6791的基本性质研究

利用斯隆数字巡天（SDSS）第8次释放数据（DR8）的恒星光谱数据及2MASS（Two Micro All Sky Survey）近红外点源测光数据研究著名的疏散星团NGC 6791,得到该星团的视向速度与金属丰度分别为V_r=-46.4±0.2 km·s^-1和[Fe/H]=0.32±0.11dex.利用星团中红团簇巨星作为理想"标准烛光",结合2MASS近红外点源测光数据计算了该星团的绝对距离模数为（m-M）₀=13.02±0.08 mag或4.02±0.15 kpc.与其他研究者给出的结果进行了比较,金属丰度、视向速度及绝对距离模数都符合得比较好.主要结论有3点:（1）NGC 6791是个极度富金属的星团;（2）在SDSS的光谱分辨能力以内,分离出的87颗团星之间不存在明显的金属丰度差异;（3）得到的距离模数对年龄、金属丰度及尘埃消光不敏感,是一种可靠的间接测量.     

Evolutionary history of the elliptical galaxy NGC 1052

We have obtained Keck spectra for 16 globular clusters (GCs) associated with the merger remnant elliptical NGC 1052, as well as a long-slit spectrum of the galaxy. We derive ages, metallicities and abundance ratios from simple stellar population models using the recently published methods of Proctor & Sansom , applied to extragalactic GCs for the first time. A number of GCs indicate the presence of strong blue horizontal branches that are not fully accounted for in the current stellar population models. We find all of the GCs to be ∼13 Gyr old according to simple stellar populations, with a large range of metallicities. From the galaxy spectrum we find NGC 1052 to have a luminosity-weighted central age of ∼2 Gyr and metallicity of  [Fe/H]∼+0.6  . No strong gradients in either age or metallicity were found to the maximum radius measured  (0.3  r _e≃ 1 kpc)  . However, we do find a strong radial gradient in α-element abundance, which reaches a very high central value. The young central starburst age is consistent with the age inferred from the H  i tidal tails and infalling gas of ∼1 Gyr. Thus, although NGC 1052 shows substantial evidence for a recent merger and an associated starburst, it appears that the merger did not induce the formation of new GCs, perhaps suggesting that little recent star formation occurred. This interpretation is consistent with 'frosting' models for early-type galaxy formation.     

Stellar content and distances to the isolated spiral galaxies NGC 6503 and NGC 6946

Based on archival Hubble Space Telescope images, we have performed stellar photometry of several fields in the isolated spiral galaxies NGC 6503 and NGC 6946 with high peculiar velocities. Based on the TRGB method, we have determined the distances to the galaxies: D = 6.30 ± 0.10 Mpc for NGC 6503 and D = 6.72 ± 0.15 Mpc for NGC 6946. The current stellar content of the galaxies does not differ from that of other similar galaxies. The metallicity for young stars in NGC 6503 is Z = 0.02 (corresponding to the solar metallicity), while the metallicity for stars in NGC 6946 reaches Z = 0.05. Very few old globular clusters have been found in NGC 6946, while they have not been found at all in NGC 6503. The number density distribution of stars with different ages in NGC 6503 does not differ from the analogous distributions in other galaxies. The large sizes of the thick disk in NGC 6503, which is clearly seen up to 6 kpc from the galactic disk plane and whose possible extension is noticeable up to 8.6 kpc from the plane, are a difference. The sizes of the region occupied by red giants of the disk in NGC 6503 are 51 × 17 kpc, which are not much larger than the sizes of this galaxy from H I radio observations.     

UBRI photometry of globular clusters in the Leo group galaxy NGC 3379

We present wide-area UBRI photometry for globular clusters around the Leo group galaxy NGC 3379. Globular cluster candidates are selected from their B -band magnitudes and their  ( U − B ) _o   versus  ( B − I ) _o   colours. A colour–colour selection region was defined from photometry of the Milky Way and M31 globular cluster systems. We detect 133 globular cluster candidates, which supports previous claims of a low specific frequency for NGC 3379.
The Milky Way and M31 reveal blue and red subpopulations, with  ( U − B ) _o   and  ( B − I ) _o   colours indicating mean metallicities similar to those expected based on previous spectroscopic work. The stellar population models of Maraston and Brocato et al. are consistent with both subpopulations being old, and with metallicities of  [Fe/H]∼−1.5  and −0.6 for the blue and red subpopulations, respectively. The models of Worthey do not reproduce the  ( U − B ) _o   colours of the red (metal-rich) subpopulation for any modelled age.
For NGC 3379 we detect a blue subpopulation with similar colours, and presumably age/metallicity, to that of the Milky Way and M31 globular cluster systems. The red subpopulation is less well defined, perhaps due to increased photometric errors, but indicates a mean metallicity of [Fe/H]∼−0.6.     

Abundance Ratios in Extreme Metal-Poor Stars

In extremely metal-poor stars ([Fe/H]≤ − 2.5) the neutron capture elementsare characterized by a 300-fold dispersion in M/Fe ratios which decreases with increasing metallicity, the median M/Fe ratio increases with increasing [Fe/H], but the averageM/Fe number ratio is approximately constant. These observations are consistent witha highly dispersed intrinsic yield of neutron-capture elements in supernova (SN) events,and a progression to increasing metallicity by stochastic chemical evolution.The abundance trends indicate that the synthesis of elements heavier thanbarium was dominated by the r-process. The Sr/Ba ratio shows a dispersionwhich suggests a stochastic source of Sr in excess of the r-process value;possibly due to the alpha-rich freeze out.The iron-peak elements Cr, Mn, and Co show non-solar abundance ratios forextreme metal-poor stars, and no measurableintrinsic dispersion relative to iron. We discuss chemical evolution models which explain these observations. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Rotation and lithium in the late-type stars of NGC 2516

We present CCD photometry and high-resolution spectroscopy of low-mass stars in the open cluster NGC 2516, which has an age of about 150 Myr and may have a much lower metallicity than the Pleiades. 24 probable F to early K type, single cluster members have been identified from their photometry and radial velocities, along with three possible spectroscopic binaries. The projected equatorial velocities are measured and compared with younger and older clusters. Several fast rotating late G /early K stars are seen, but all hotter stars have v _e sin  i  < 20 km s⁻¹. The data are consistent with angular momentum loss models with spin-down time-scales that increase from tens of Myr for G stars to hundreds of Myr for K stars. The observed X-ray activity is consistent with the currently accepted rotation–activity paradigm. Lithium abundances are derived from the Li  i 6708-Å line. The pattern of Li depletion is indistinguishable from that in the Pleiades, including a spread in the K0 stars, where the most rapid rotators suffer the least Li depletion. The observations argue in favour of either a metallicity in the range −0.1 < [Fe/H]< 0.0 for NGC 2516, or a lower metallicity and extra Li depletion through non-standard mixing modes which occurs on time-scales of only ∼ 50 Myr. Neither our low signal-to-noise ratio spectroscopy nor our photometry can constrain [Fe/H] sufficiently to decide between these possibilities. A detailed spectroscopic chemical abundance analysis is urgently required.     

Tracing Cosmic-Rays and SNe with Be Abundances

We present the results of a new analysis of Be abundances in a large sample of stars, spanning the metallicity range -2.5 ≤ [Fe/H] ≤ - 0.7. The observations were taken with the Ultraviolet and Visible Echelle Spectrograph (UVES) at the ESO Very Large Telescope (VLT). With this new set of high quality data we aim at further investigating the trend of Be with metallicity, the possible presence of dispersion, and their implications for cosmic-ray and supernovae physics. This revised version was published online in September 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Age,Helium Content and Chemical Composition of Globular Clusters in the M31 Neighborhood and in our Galaxy

We present the results of determinations of age, helium abundance (Y), metallicity ([Fe/H]), and estimations of abundances of the elements: C, N, O, Mg, Ca, Ti, Cr, Ni, Sr, and Ba of four globular clusters in the neighborhood of the Andromeda galaxy ([SD2009]GC7,Mayall II, Mackey-GC1 (MGC1), and Bol 298 (MGC6)) and of six Galactic clusters. Medium-resolution long-slit integrated-light spectra from the clusters under study were used to determine the parameters.Observations of extra-galactic objects were carried out with the 6-m SAO RAS telescope using the SCORPIO-1 multimode focal reducer. Galactic globular clusters NGC6341 (M92), NGC6838 (M71), and NGC7078 were observed with the CARELEC spectrograph at the 1.93-m telescope of the Haute-Provence Observatory. The integratedlight spectra of Galactic globular clusters NGC104, NGC6121 (M4), and NGC7078 (M15) were taken from the spectral library by Schiavon.We selected the best isochrone for each cluster by comparison of the shapes and intensities of the observed and theoretical Balmer line profiles.     

X-rays from the open cluster NGC 6633

NGC 6633 is a young, open cluster with a similar age to the Hyades and Praesepe, but probably a lower metallicity. We present the results of ROSAT High Resolution Imager observations of an optically selected catalogue of likely members of NGC 6633. 8 out of 51 NGC 6633 members have been detected, with main-sequence spectral types A to G, above a threshold X-ray luminosity of ≈6–12×10²⁸ erg s⁻¹. We find that NGC 6633 does not contain cool stars that are as X-ray luminous as the most active objects in the Hyades and that the median X-ray luminosity of F-G stars in NGC 6633 is less than that in the Hyades, but probably greater than in Praesepe. However, when X-ray activity is expressed as the X-ray to bolometric flux ratio we find that NGC 6633 and the Hyades are very similar and display similar peak levels of coronal activity. We attribute this discrepancy to a number of possible wide binary systems with higher X-ray (and bolometric) luminosities in the Hyades sample and either a low metallicity in NGC 6633, which makes its cool stars both X-ray and bolometrically less luminous at the same colour, or a distance to NGC 6633 that has been underestimated, which would decrease stellar X-ray luminosities without changing X-ray to bolometric flux ratios.     

Age and chemical composition of the globular cluster NGC 6652

We present the results of determination of the age, helium mass fraction(Y), metallicity([Fe/H]),and abundances of the elements C, N, O, Na, Mg, Ca, Ti, C and Mn for the Galactic globular cluster NGC 6652. We use its medium-resolution integrated-light spectrum from the library of Schiavon and our population synthesis method to fulfill this task. We select the evolutionary isochrone and stellar mass function for our analysis, which provide the best approximation to the shapes and intensities of the observed Balmer line profiles. The determined elemental abundances, age and metallicity are characteristic of stellar populations in the Galactic Bulge.     

CCD photometry inVRI bands of the galactic cluster NGC 2818

bdAbstract The open cluster NGC 2818 containing a planetary nebula has been observed inVRI bands using the CCD system at prime focus of the 2.3-metre Vainu Bappu Telescope. The study extending to starsV ∼ 21 magnitude establishes the distance modulus as(m-M) ₀ = 12.9 ±0.1 for the cluster. Based on the fitting of theoretical isochrones computed for solar metallicity, an age of 5(±1) × 10₈ years has been assigned to the cluster. Association of the planetary nebula with the cluster indicates that the progenitor mass of the planetary nebula on the main sequence is ≥2.5M_⊙ Based on observations obtained with the Vainu Bappu Telescope.     

On the metallicity dependence of classical Cepheid light amplitudes

Classical Cepheids remain a cornerstone of the cosmic distance scale, and thus characterizing the dependence of their light amplitude on metallicity is important. Period-amplitude diagrams constructed for longer-period classical Cepheids in IC 1613, NGC 3109, SMC, NGC 6822, LMC, and the Milky Way imply that very metal-poor Cepheids typically exhibit smaller V-band amplitudes than their metal-rich counterparts. The results provide an alternate interpretation relative to arguments for a null and converse metallicity dependence. The empirical results can be employed to check predictions from theoretical models, to approximate mean abundances for target populations hosting numerous long-period Cepheids, and to facilitate the identification of potentially blended or peculiar objects.