- ID:
- ivo://CDS.VizieR/J/ApJ/762/25
- Title:
- The most metal-poor stars in HES and SDSS. I.
- Short Name:
- J/ApJ/762/25
- Date:
- 21 Oct 2021
- Publisher:
- CDS
- Description:
- We report the discovery of 34 stars in the Hamburg/ESO Survey (HES) for metal-poor stars and the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) that have [Fe/H]<~-3.0. Their median and minimum abundances are [Fe/H]=-3.1 and -4.1, respectively, while 10 stars have [Fe/H]<-3.5. High-resolution, high signal-to-noise spectroscopic data --equivalent widths and radial velocities-- are presented for these stars, together with an additional four objects previously reported or currently being investigated elsewhere. We have determined the atmospheric parameters, effective temperature (T_eff_), and surface gravity (logg), which are critical in the determination of the chemical abundances and the evolutionary status of these stars. Three techniques were used to derive these parameters. Spectrophotometric fits to model atmosphere fluxes were used to derive T_eff_, logg, and an estimate of E(B-V); H{alpha}, H{beta}, and H{gamma} profile fitting to model atmosphere results provided the second determination of T_eff_and logg; and finally, we used an empirical T_eff_-calibrated H{delta} index, for the third, independent T_eff_determination. The three values of T_eff_ are in good agreement, although the profile fitting may yield systematically cooler T_eff_values, by ~100K. This collective data set will be analyzed in future papers in the present series to utilize the most metal-poor stars as probes of conditions in the early universe.
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- ID:
- ivo://CDS.VizieR/J/ApJS/230/28
- Title:
- The populations of Carina. II. Abundances
- Short Name:
- J/ApJS/230/28
- Date:
- 21 Oct 2021
- Publisher:
- CDS
- Description:
- Chemical abundances are presented for 19 elements in a sample of 63 red giants in the Carina dwarf spheroidal galaxy (dSph), based on homogeneous 1D/LTE model atmosphere analyses of our own observations (32 stars) and data available in the literature (a further 31 independent stars). The (Fe) metallicity and [{alpha}/Fe] distribution functions have mean values and dispersions of -1.59 and 0.33dex ([Fe/H] range: -2.68 to -0.64) and 0.07 and 0.13dex ([{alpha}/Fe] range: -0.27 to 0.25), respectively. We confirm the finding of Venn+ (2012, J/ApJ/751/102) that a small percentage (some 10% in the present investigation) of the sample shows clear evidence for significant enrichment by Type Ia supernova (SN Ia) ejecta. Calcium, with the most accurately determined abundance of the {alpha}-elements, shows an asymmetric distribution toward smaller values of [Ca/Fe] at all [Fe/H], most significantly over -2.0<[Fe/H]<-1.0, suggestive of incomplete mixing of the ejecta of SNe Ia with the ambient medium of each of Carina's generations. Approximate color-magnitude diagram age estimates are presented for the sample, and together with our chemical abundances, compared with the results of our previous synthetic color-magnitude diagram analysis, which reported the details of Carina's four well-defined populations. We searched for the Na-O anticorrelation universally reported in the Galaxy's globular clusters and confirm that this phenomenon does not exist in Carina. We also found that one of the 32 stars in our sample has an extremely enhanced lithium abundance-A(Li)_NLTE_=+3.36, consistent with membership of the ~1% group of Li-rich stars in dSph described by Kirby+ (2012ApJ...752L..16K).
- ID:
- ivo://CDS.VizieR/J/ApJ/784/170
- Title:
- The SEGUE K giant survey. II. Distances of 6036 stars
- Short Name:
- J/ApJ/784/170
- Date:
- 21 Oct 2021
- Publisher:
- CDS
- Description:
- We present an online catalog of distance determinations for 6036 K giants, most of which are members of the Milky Way's stellar halo. Their medium-resolution spectra from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey/Sloan Extension for Galactic Understanding and Exploration are used to derive metallicities and rough gravity estimates, along with radial velocities. Distance moduli are derived from a comparison of each star's apparent magnitude with the absolute magnitude of empirically calibrated color-luminosity fiducials, at the observed (g-r)_0_ color and spectroscopic [Fe/H]. We employ a probabilistic approach that makes it straightforward to properly propagate the errors in metallicities, magnitudes, and colors into distance uncertainties. We also fold in prior information about the giant-branch luminosity function and the different metallicity distributions of the SEGUE K-giant targeting sub-categories. We show that the metallicity prior plays a small role in the distance estimates, but that neglecting the luminosity prior could lead to a systematic distance modulus bias of up to 0.25mag, compared to the case of using the luminosity prior. We find a median distance precision of 16%, with distance estimates most precise for the least metal-poor stars near the tip of the red giant branch. The precision and accuracy of our distance estimates are validated with observations of globular and open clusters. The stars in our catalog are up to 125kpc from the Galactic center, with 283 stars beyond 50kpc, forming the largest available spectroscopic sample of distant tracers in the Galactic halo.
- ID:
- ivo://CDS.VizieR/J/A+A/609/A53
- Title:
- Tracing stars of MW dwarf galaxies: Sextans
- Short Name:
- J/A+A/609/A53
- Date:
- 21 Oct 2021
- Publisher:
- CDS
- Description:
- We present a deep and very spatially extended CTIO/DECam g and r photometric catalogue of point-sources (reaching out to ~2 magnitudes below the oldest main-sequence turn-off and covering ~20deg^2^) around the Sextans dwarf spheroidal galaxy, together with another catalogue of literature spectroscopic measurements (Walker et al., 2009, Cat. J/AJ/137/3100 and Battaglia et al., 2011, Cat. J/MNRAS/411/1013) with updated membership probabilities.
- ID:
- ivo://CDS.VizieR/J/A+A/635/A152
- Title:
- Tucana dSph galaxy spectroscopic dataset
- Short Name:
- J/A+A/635/A152
- Date:
- 21 Oct 2021
- Publisher:
- CDS
- Description:
- Isolated local group (LG) dwarf galaxies have evolved most or all of their life unaffected by interactions with the large LG spirals and therefore offer the opportunity to learn about the intrinsic characteristics of this class of objects. Our aim is to explore the internal kinematic and metallicity properties of one of the three isolated LG early-type dwarf galaxies, the Tucana dwarf spheroidal. This is an intriguing system, as it has been found in the literature to have an internal rotation of up to 16km/s, a much higher velocity dispersion than dwarf spheroidals of similar luminosity, and a possible exception to the too-big-too-fail problem. We present the results of a new spectroscopic dataset that we procured from the Very Large Telescope (VLT) taken with the FORS2 instrument in the region of the Ca II triplet for 50 candidate red giant branch stars in the direction of the Tucana dwarf spheroidal. These yielded line-of-sight (l.o.s.) velocity and metallicity ([Fe/H]) measurements of 39 effective members that double the number of Tucana's stars with such measurements. In addition, we re-reduce and include in our analysis the other two spectroscopic datasets presented in the literature, the VLT/FORS2 sample by Fraternali et al. (2009A&A...499..121F), and the VLT/FLAMES one from Gregory et al. (2019MNRAS.485.2010G). Across the various datasets analyzed, we consistently measure a l.o.s. systemic velocity of 180+/-1.3km/s and find that a dispersion-only model is moderately favored over models that also account for internal rotation. Our best estimate of the internal l.o.s. velocity dispersion is 6.2_-1.3_^+1.6^km/s, much smaller than the values reported in the literature and in line with similarly luminous dwarf spheroidals; this is consistent with NFW halos of circular velocities <30km/s. Therefore, Tucana does not appear to be an exception to the too-big-to-fail problem, nor does it appear to reside in a dark matter halo much more massive than those of its siblings. As for the metallicity properties, we do not find anything unusual; there are hints of the presence of a metallicity gradient, but more data are needed to pinpoint its presence.
- ID:
- ivo://CDS.VizieR/J/A+A/572/A108
- Title:
- 47 Tuc red giants chemical composition
- Short Name:
- J/A+A/572/A108
- Date:
- 21 Oct 2021
- Publisher:
- CDS
- Description:
- The study of chemical abundance patterns in globular clusters is of key importance to constrain the different candidates for intra-cluster pollution of light elements. We aim at deriving accurate abundances for a large range of elements in the globular cluster 47 Tucanae (NGC 104) to add new constraints to the pollution scenarios for this particular cluster, expanding the range of previously derived element abundances. Using tailored 1D LTE atmospheric models together with a combination of equivalent width measurements, LTE, and NLTE synthesis we derive stellar parameters and element abundances from high-resolution, high signal-to-noise spectra of 13 red giant stars near the tip of the RGB. We derive abundances of a total 27 elements (O, Na, Mg, Al, Si, Ca, Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Y, Zr, Mo, Ru, Ba, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Eu, Dy). Departures from LTE were taken into account for Na, Al and Ba. We find a mean [Fe/H]=-0.78+/-0.07 and [alpha/Fe]=0.34+/-0.03 in good agreement with previous studies. The remaining elements show good agreement with the literature, but the inclusion of NLTE for Al has a significant impact on the behaviour of this key element. We confirm the presence of an Na-O anti-correlation in 47 Tucanae found by several other works. Our NLTE analysis of Al shifts the [Al/Fe] to lower values, indicating that this may be overestimated in earlier works. No evidence for an intrinsic variation is found in any of the remaining elements.
- ID:
- ivo://CDS.VizieR/J/AJ/156/300
- Title:
- Velocity and light curve analysis of three PPNe
- Short Name:
- J/AJ/156/300
- Date:
- 21 Oct 2021
- Publisher:
- CDS
- Description:
- We have obtained contemporaneous light, color, and radial velocity data for three proto-planetary nebulae (PPNe) over the years 2007 to 2015. The light and velocity curves of each show similar periods of pulsation, with photometric periods of 42 and 50 days for IRAS 17436+5003, 102 days for IRAS 18095+2704, and 35 days for IRAS 19475+3119. The light and velocity curves are complex with multiple periods and small, variable amplitudes. Nevertheless, at least over limited time intervals, we were able to identify dominant periods in the light, color, and velocity curves and compare the phasing of each. The color curves appear to peak with or slightly after the light curves while the radial velocity curves peak about a quarter of a cycle before the light curves. Similar results were found previously for two other PPNe, although for them the light and color appeared to be in phase. Thus, it appears that PPNe are brightest when smallest and hottest. These phase results differ from those found for classical Cepheid variables, where the light and velocity differ by half a cycle, and are hottest at about average size and expanding. However, they do appear to have similar phasing to the larger-amplitude pulsations seen in RV Tauri variables. Presently, few pulsation models exist for PPNe, and these do not fit the observations well, especially the longer periods observed. Model fits to these new light and velocity curves would allow masses to be determined for these post-AGB objects, and thereby provide important constraints to post-AGB stellar evolution models of low- and intermediate-mass stars.
- ID:
- ivo://CDS.VizieR/J/A+A/398/141
- Title:
- Vertical distribution of galactic disk stars
- Short Name:
- J/A+A/398/141
- Date:
- 21 Oct 2021
- Publisher:
- CDS
- Description:
- Nearly 400 Tycho-2 (Cat. <I/259>) stars have been observed in a 720 square degree field in the direction of the North Galactic Pole with the high resolution echelle spectrograph ELODIE. Absolute magnitudes, effective temperatures, gravities and metallicities have been estimated, as well as distances and 3D velocities. Most of these stars are clump giants and span typical distances from 200pc to 800pc to the galactic mid-plane. This new sample, free of any kinematical and metallicity bias, is used to investigate the vertical distribution of disk stars.
- ID:
- ivo://CDS.VizieR/J/ApJ/788/180
- Title:
- Very metal-poor stars in the Milky Way's halo
- Short Name:
- J/ApJ/788/180
- Date:
- 21 Oct 2021
- Publisher:
- CDS
- Description:
- We explore the kinematics and orbital properties of a sample of 323 very metal-poor stars in the halo system of the Milky Way, selected from the high-resolution spectroscopic follow-up studies of Aoki et al. (2013, J/AJ/145/13) and Yong et al (2013, J/ApJ/762/26). The combined sample contains a significant fraction of carbon-enhanced metal-poor (CEMP) stars (22% or 29%, depending on whether a strict or relaxed criterion is applied for this definition). Barium abundances (or upper limits) are available for the great majority of the CEMP stars, allowing for their separation into the CEMP-s and CEMP-no subclasses. A new method to assign membership to the inner- and outer-halo populations of the Milky Way is developed, making use of the integrals of motion, and applied to determine the relative fractions of CEMP stars in these two subclasses for each halo component. Although limited by small-number statistics, the data suggest that the inner halo of the Milky Way exhibits a somewhat higher relative number of CEMP-s stars than CEMP-no stars (57% versus 43%), while the outer halo possesses a clearly higher fraction of CEMP-no stars than CEMP-s stars (70% versus 30%). Although larger samples of CEMP stars with known Ba abundances are required, this result suggests that the dominant progenitors of CEMP stars in the two halo components were different; massive stars for the outer halo, and intermediate-mass stars in the case of the inner halo.
- ID:
- ivo://CDS.VizieR/J/AJ/149/121
- Title:
- WOCS. LXV. Abundances in NGC 6819
- Short Name:
- J/AJ/149/121
- Date:
- 21 Oct 2021
- Publisher:
- CDS
- Description:
- High-dispersion spectra of 333 stars in the open cluster NGC 6819, obtained using the HYDRA spectrograph on the WIYN 3.5m telescope, have been analyzed to determine the abundances of iron and other metals from lines in the 400{AA} region surrounding the Li6708{AA} line. Our spectra, with signal-to-noise per pixel ranging from 60 to 300, span the luminosity range from the tip of the red giant branch to a point two magnitudes below the top of the cluster turnoff. We derive radial and rotational velocities for all stars, as well as [Fe/H] based on 17 iron lines, [Ca/H], [Si/H], and [Ni/H] in the 247 most probable, single members of the cluster. Input T_eff_ estimates for model atmosphere analysis are provided by (B-V) colors merged from several sources, with individual reddening corrections applied to each star relative to a cluster mean of E(B-V)=0.16. Extensive use is made of ROBOSPECT, an automatic equivalent width measurement program; its effectiveness on large spectroscopic samples is discussed. From the sample of likely single members, [Fe/H]=-0.03+/-0.06, where the error describes the median absolute deviation about the sample median value, leading to internal precision for the cluster below 0.01dex. The final uncertainty in the cluster abundance is therefore dominated by external systematics due to the temperature scale, surface gravity, and microturbulent velocity, leading to [Fe/H]=-0.02+/-0.02 for a sub-sample restricted to main sequence and turnoff stars. This result is consistent with our recent intermediate-band photometric determination of a slightly subsolar abundance for this cluster. [Ca/Fe], [Si/Fe], and [Ni/Fe] are determined to be solar within the uncertainties. NGC 6819 has an abundance distribution typical of solar metallicity thin disk stars in the solar neighborhood.