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Register a new userFluorine and Sodium in C-rich low-metallicity stars
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Sara Lucatello
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We present the N, O, F and Na abundance and 12C/13C isotopic ratio measurements or upper limits for a sample of 10 C-rich, metal-poor giant stars, eight enhanced in s-process (CEMP-s) elements and two poor in n-capture elements (CEMP-no). The abundances are derived from IR, K-band, high-resolution CRIRES@VLT spectra obtained. The metallicity of our sample ranges from [Fe/H]=-3.4 to -1.3. F abundance could be measured only in two CEMP-s stars. With [F/Fe]=0.64, one is mildly F-overabundant, while the other is F-rich, at [F/Fe]=1.44. For the remaining eight objects, including both CEMP-no in our sample, only upper limits on F abundance could be placed. Our measurements and upper limits show that there is a spread in [F/C+N] ratio in CEMP-s stars as predicted by theory. Predictions from nucleosynthetic models for low-mass, low-metallicity Asymptotic Giant Branch stars, account for the derived F abundances, while the upper limits on F content derived for most of the stars are lower than the predicted values. The measured Na content is accounted for by AGB models in the 1.25 to 1.7 Msun range, confirming that the stars responsible for the peculiar abundance pattern observed in CEMP-s stars are low-mass, low-metallicity AGB stars, in agreement with the most accepted astrophysical scenario. We conclude that the mechanism of F production in current state-of-the-art low-metallicity low-mass AGB models needs further scrutiny and that F measurements in a larger number of metal-poor stars are needed to better constraint the models.
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Deriving the metallicity, [Fe/H], in low-resolution spectra of carbon-enhanced metal-poor (CEMP) stars is a tedious task that, owing to the large number of line blends, often leads to uncertainties on [Fe/H] exceeding 0.25dex. The CEMP stars increase in number with decreasing [Fe/H] and some of these are known to be bona fide second generation halo stars. Hence, knowing their [Fe/H] is important for tracing the formation and chemical evolution of the Galaxy. Here, we aim to improve the [Fe/H] measurements in low-resolution spectra by avoiding issues related to blends. We improve our chemical tagging in such spectra at low metallicities. We developed an empirical way of deriving [Fe/H] in CEMP (and C-normal) stars that relates the equivalent width (EW) of strong lines, which remain detectable in lower-resolution, metal-poor spectra. The best [Fe/H] tracers are found to be Cr I and Ni I, which both show strong transitions in spectral regions that are free of molecular bands (between ~5200-6800A, a region accessible to most surveys). We derive different relations for dwarfs and giants. The relations are valid in the ranges ~-3<[Fe/H]<-0.5 and 10<EW<800mA (Cr) or [Fe/H]>-3.2 and EW>5mA (Ni), depending on the element and line as well as the stellar evolutionary stage. The empirical relations are valid for both CEMP and C-normal stars and have been proven to be accurate tracers in a sample of ~400 stars (mainly giants). The metallicities are accurate to within ~0.2 depending on the sample and resolution, and the empirical relations are robust to within 0.05-0.1dex. Our relations will improve the metallicity determination in future surveys, which will encounter a large number of CEMP stars, and will greatly speed up the process of determining [Fe/H] as the EWs only need to be measured in two or three lines in relatively clean regions compared to dealing with numerous blended Fe lines. Abrigded.
Determining the metal content of low-mass members of young associations provides a tool that addresses different issues, such as triggered star formation or the link between the metal-rich nature of planet-host stars and the early phases of planet formation. The Orion complex is a well known example of possible triggered star formation and is known to host a rich variety of proto-planetary disks around its low-mass stars. Available metallicity measurements yield discrepant results. We analyzed FLAMES/UVES and Giraffe spectra of low-mass members of three groups/clusters belonging to the Orion association. Our goal is the homogeneous determination of the metallicity of the sample stars, which allows us to look for [Fe/H] differences between the three regions and for the possible presence of metal-rich stars. Nine members of the ONC and one star each in the $lambda$ Ori cluster and OB1b subgroup were analyzed. After the veiling determination, we retrieved the metallicity by means of equivalent widths and/or spectral synthesis using MOOG. We obtain an average metallicity for the ONC [Fe/H]=-0.01pm 0.04. No metal-rich stars were detected and the dispersion within our sample is consistent with measurement uncertainties. The metallicity of the $lambda$ Ori member is also solar, while the OB1b star has an [Fe/H] significantly below the ONC average. If confirmed by additional [Fe/H] determinations in the OB1b subgroup, this result would support the triggered star formation and the self-enrichment scenario for the Orion complex.
During the transition from the Asymptotic Giant Branch (AGB) to Planetary Nebulae (PN), the circumstellar geometry and morphology change dramatically. Another characteristic of this transition is the high mass loss rate, that can be partially explained by radiation pressure and a combination of various factors like the stellar pulsation, the dust grain condensation and opacity in the upper atmosphere. The magnetic field can also be one of the main ingredients that shapes the stellar upper atmosphere and envelope. Our main goal is to investigate for the first time the spatial distribution of the magnetic field in the envelope of IRC+10216. More generally we intend to determine the magnetic field strength in the circumstellar envelope (CSE) of C-rich evolved stars, compare this field with previous studies for O-rich stars, and constrain the variation of the magnetic field with r the distance to the stars center. We use spectropolarimetric observations of the Stokes V parameter, collected with Xpol on the IRAM-30m radiotelescope, observing the Zeeman effect in seven hyperfine components of the CN J = 1-0 line. We use Crutchers method to estimate the magnetic field. For C-rich evolved stars, we derive a magnetic field strength (B) between 1.6 and 14.2 mG while B is estimated to be 6 mG for the proto-PN (PPN) AFGL618, and an upper value of 8 mG is found for the PN NGC7027. These results are consistent with a decrease of B as 1/r in the environment of AGB objects, i.e., with the presence of a toroidal field. But this is not the case for PPN and PN stars. Our map of IRC+10216 suggests that the magnetic field is not homogeneously strong throughout or aligned with the envelope and that the morphology of the CN emission might have changed with time.
An analysis of the fluorine abundance in Galactic AGB carbon stars (24 N-type, 5 SC-type and 5 J-type) is presented. This study uses the state- of-the-art carbon rich atmosphere models and improved atomic and molecular line lists in the 2.3 {mu}m region. F abundances significantly lower are obtained in comparison to previous study in the literature. The main reason of this difference is due to molecular blends. In the case of carbon stars of SC-type, differences in the model atmospheres are also relevant. The new F enhancements are now in agreement with the most recent theoretical nucleosynthesis models in low- mass AGB stars, solving the long standing problem of F in Galactic AGB stars. Nevertheless, some SC-type carbon stars still show larger F abundances than predicted by stellar models. The possibility that these stars are of larger mass is briefly discussed.
Internal mixing on the giant branch is an important process which affects the evolution of stars and the chemical evolution of the galaxy. While several mechanisms have been proposed to explain this mixing, better empirical constraints are necessary. Here, we use [C/N] abundances in 26097 evolved stars from the SDSS-IV/APOGEE-2 Data Release 14 to trace mixing and extra mixing in old field giants with -1.7< [Fe/H] < 0.1. We show that the APOGEE [C/N] ratios before any dredge-up occurs are metallicity dependent, but that the change in [C/N] at the first dredge-up is metallicity independent for stars above [Fe/H] ~ -1. We identify the position of the red giant branch (RGB) bump as a function of metallicity, note that a metallicity-dependent extra mixing episode takes place for low-metallicity stars ([Fe/H] <-0.4) 0.14 dex in log g above the bump, and confirm that this extra mixing is stronger at low metallicity, reaching $Delta$ [C/N] = 0.58 dex at [Fe/H] = -1.4. We show evidence for further extra mixing on the upper giant branch, well above the bump, among the stars with [Fe/H] < -1.0. This upper giant branch mixing is stronger in the more metal-poor stars, reaching 0.38 dex in [C/N] for each 1.0 dex in log g. The APOGEE [C/N] ratios for red clump (RC) stars are significantly higher than for stars at the tip of the RGB, suggesting additional mixing processes occur during the helium flash or that unknown abundance zero points for C and N may exist among the red clump RC sample. Finally, because of extra mixing, we note that current empirical calibrations between [C/N] ratios and ages cannot be naively extrapolated for use in low-metallicity stars specifically for those above the bump in the luminosity function.
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