We discuss radial velocities for a sample of carbon-enhanced, s-process-rich, very metal-poor (CEMP-s) stars, analyzed with high-resolution spectroscopy obtained over multiple epochs. We find that ...similar to 68% of the stars in the sample show evidence of radial velocity variations. The expected detection fraction for these stars, adopting the measured binary fraction in the field ( similar to 60%) and assuming that they share the same period and eccentricity distribution, is similar to 22%. Even if one assumes that the true binary fraction of these stars is 100%, the expected detection percentage is similar to 36%. These values indicate that the binary fraction among CEMP-s stars is higher than the field binary fraction, suggesting that all of these objects are in double (or multiple) systems. The fact that the observed frequency of velocity variation exceeds the expected detection fraction in the case of an assumed binary fraction of 100% is likely due to a more restricted distribution of orbital periods for these objects, as compared to normal field binaries. Our results indicate that CEMP-s stars are the metal-poor analogs of classical CH stars.
We report the first determination of a distance bracket for the high-velocity cloud (HVC) complex C. Combined with previous measurements showing that this cloud has a metallicity of 0.15 times solar, ...these results provide ample evidence that complex C traces the continuing accretion of intergalactic gas falling onto the Milky Way. Accounting for both neutral and ionized hydrogen as well as He, the distance bracket implies a mass of (3-14) x unk M unk, and the complex represents a mass inflow of 0.1-0.25 M unk yr-1. We base our distance bracket on the detection of Ca II absorption in the spectrum of the blue horizontal branch (BHB) star SDSS J120404.78+623345.6, in combination with a significant nondetection toward the BHB star BS 16034-0114. These results set a strong distance bracket of 3.7-11.2 kpc on the distance to complex C. A more weakly supported lower limit of 6.7 kpc may be derived from the spectrum of the BHB star BS 16079-0017.
We report the discovery of SDSS J131326.89−001941.4, an ultra iron-poor red giant star (Fe/H ≃ −4.3) with a very high carbon abundance (C/Fe ≃ +2.5). This object is the fifth star in this rare class, ...and the combination of a fairly low effective temperature (Teff ≃ 5300 K), which enhances line absorption, with its brightness (g = 16.9), makes it possible to measure the abundances of calcium, carbon and iron using a low-resolution spectrum from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. We examine the carbon and iron abundance ratios in this star and other similar objects in the light of predicted yields from metal-free massive stars, and conclude that they are consistent. By way of comparison, stars with similarly low iron abundances but lower carbon-to-iron ratios deviate from the theoretical predictions.
We present a new, high-resolution chronographic (age) map of the Milky Way's halo, based on the inferred ages of ~130,000 field blue horizontal-branch (BHB) stars with photometry from the Sloan ...Digital Sky Survey. Our map exhibits a strong central concentration of BHB stars with ages greater than 12 Gyr, extending up to ~15 kpc from the Galactic Centre (reaching close to the solar vicinity), and a decrease in the mean ages of field stars with distance by 1-1.5 Gyr out to ~45-50 kpc, along with an apparent increase of the dispersion of stellar ages, and numerous known (and previously unknown) resolved over-densities and debris streams, including the Sagittarius Stream. These results agree with expectations from modern lambda cold dark matter cosmological simulations, and support the existence of a dual (inner/outer) halo system, punctuated by the presence of over-densities and debris streams that have not yet completely phase-space mixed.
We analyze a sample of 3944 low-resolution optical spectra from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS), focusing on stars with effective temperatures 5800 < or = Tsubeff < or = 6300 K, and distances ...from the Milky Way plane in excess of 5 kpc, and determine their abundances of Fe, Ca, and Mg. Distances were calculated from absolute magnitudes obtained by a statistical comparison of our stellar parameters with stellar-evolution models. The observations reveal a decrease in the abundances of iron, calcium, and magnesium at large distances from the Galactic center. Our conclusion that the outer regions of the halo are more metal-poor than the inner regions, based on in situ observations of distant stars, agrees with recent results based on inferences from the kinematics of more local stars, and with predictions of recent galaxy formation simulations for galaxies similar to the Milky Way.
Frigid temperatures of the Southern Ocean are known to be an evolutionary driver in Antarctic fish. For example, many fish have reduced red blood cell (RBC) concentration to minimize vascular ...resistance.
the oxygen-carrying protein hemoglobin, RBCs contain the vast majority of the body's iron, which is known to be a limiting nutrient in marine ecosystems. Since lower RBC levels also lead to reduced iron requirements, we hypothesize that low iron availability was an additional evolutionary driver of Antarctic fish speciation. Antarctic Icefish of the family
are known to have an extreme alteration of iron metabolism due to loss of RBCs and two iron-binding proteins, hemoglobin and myoglobin. Loss of hemoglobin is considered a maladaptive trait allowed by relaxation of predator selection since extreme adaptations are required to compensate for the loss of oxygen-carrying capacity. However, iron dependency minimization may have driven hemoglobin loss instead of a random evolutionary event. Given the variety of functions that hemoglobin serves in the endothelium, we suspected the protein corresponding to the 3' truncated Hbα fragment (Hbα-3'f) that was not genetically excluded by icefish may still be expressed as a protein. Using whole mount confocal microscopy, we show that Hbα-3'f is expressed in the vascular endothelium of icefish retina, suggesting this Hbα fragment may still serve an important role in the endothelium. These observations support a novel hypothesis that iron minimization could have influenced icefish speciation with the loss of the iron-binding portion of Hbα in Hbα-3'f, as well as hemoglobin β and myoglobin.
Context. The detailed chemical abundances of extremely metal-poor (EMP) stars are key guides to understanding the early chemical evolution of the Galaxy. Most existing data, however, treat giant ...stars that may have experienced internal mixing later. Aims. We aim to compare the results for giants with new, accurate abundances for all observable elements in 18 EMP turnoff stars. Methods. VLT/UVES spectra at R ~ 45 000 and S/N ~ 130 per pixel ($\lambda\lambda$ 330-1000 nm) are analysed with OSMARCS model atmospheres and the TURBOSPECTRUM code to derive abundances for C, Mg, Si, Ca, Sc, Ti, Cr, Mn, Co, Ni, Zn, Sr, and Ba. Results. For Ca, Ni, Sr, and Ba, we find excellent consistency with our earlier sample of EMP giants, at all metallicities. However, our abundances of C, Sc, Ti, Cr, Mn and Co are ~0.2 dex larger than in giants of similar metallicity. Mg and Si abundances are ~0.2 dex lower (the giant Mg/Fe values are slightly revised), while Zn is again ~0.4 dex higher than in giants of similar Fe/H (6 stars only). Conclusions. For C, the dwarf/giant discrepancy could possibly have an astrophysical cause, but for the other elements it must arise from shortcomings in the analysis. Approximate computations of granulation (3D) effects yield smaller corrections for giants than for dwarfs, but suggest that this is an unlikely explanation, except perhaps for C, Cr, and Mn. NLTE computations for Na and Al provide consistent abundances between dwarfs and giants, unlike the LTE results, and would be highly desirable for the other discrepant elements as well. Meanwhile, we recommend using the giant abundances as reference data for Galactic chemical evolution models.
ABSTRACT
We identified a sample of 58 candidate stars with metallicity Fe/H ≲ −0.8 that likely belong to the old bulge spheroid stellar population, and analyse their Na and Al abundances from Apache ...Point Observatory Galactic Evolution Experiment (APOGEE) spectra. In a previous work, we inspected APOGEE-Stellar Parameter and Chemical Abundance Pipeline abundances of C, N, O, Mg, Al, Ca, Si, and Ce in this sample. Regarding Na lines, one of them appears very strong in about 20 per cent of the sample stars, but it is not confirmed by other Na lines, and can be explained by sky lines, which affect the reduced spectra of stars in a certain radial velocity range. The Na abundances for 15 more reliable cases were taken into account. Al lines in the H band instead appear to be very reliable. Na and Al exhibit a spread in abundances, whereas no spread in N abundances is found, and we found no correlation between them, indicating that these stars could not be identified as second-generation stars that originated in globular clusters. We carry out the study of the behaviour of Na and Al in our sample of bulge stars and literature data by comparing them with chemodynamical evolution model suitable for the Galactic bulge. The Na abundances show a large spread, and the chemodynamical models follow the main data, whereas for aluminum instead, the models reproduce very satisfactorily the nearly secondary-element behaviour of aluminum in the metallicity range below Fe/H ≲ −1.0. For the lower-metallicity end (Fe/H < −2.5), hypernovae are assumed to be the main contributor to yields.
The ages of the oldest stars in the Galaxy indicate when star formation began, and provide a minimum age for the Universe. Radioactive dating of meteoritic material and stars relies on comparing the ...present abundance ratios of radioactive and stable nuclear species to the theoretically predicted ratios of their production. The radioisotope 232Th (half-life 14 Gyr) has been used to date Galactic stars, but it decays by only a factor of two over the lifetime of the Universe. 238U (half-life 4.5 Gyr) is in principle a more precise age indicator, but even its strongest spectral line, from singly ionized uranium at a wavelength of 385.957 nm, has previously not been detected in stars. Here we report a measurement of this line in the very metal-poor star CS31082-0018, a star which is strongly overabundant in its heavy elements. The derived uranium abundance, log(U/H) = -13.7 ± 0.14 ± 0.12 yields an age of 12.5 ± 3 Gyr, though this is still model dependent. The observation of this cosmochronometer gives the most direct age determination of the Galaxy. Also, with improved theoretical and laboratory data, it will provide a highly precise lower limit to the age of the Universe.
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