The effects of deviations from LTE in sulphur lines for late-type stars

We analyze the formation of lines of neutral sulfur in the spectra of F-K stars taking into account the effects of deviations from local thermodynamical equilibrium (LTE). Our calculations were carried out for Kurucz model atmospheres with T _eff = 5000–6500 K, log g = 2?4 and Fe/H] = ?4?0, using a 65-level model of the SI atom. Deviations from LTE affect lines of different multiplets of the sulfur atom differently. Non-LTE corrections, which are relatively small (to ?0.10 dex) for the 6543–6557 Å lines, increase to ?0.26 dex for the 8694 Å line, and reach ?1.1 dex for the 9212–9237 Å IR triplet. The model of the atom was verified by modeling the sulfur lines of the studied multiplets in the spectra of the Sun, two main sequence stars, and two supergiants. Good consistency with the observed line profiles was obtained. Failure to take into account strong non-LTE-effects may explain the large sulfur excesses detected in stars with very low metal abundances.