- ID:
- ivo://CDS.VizieR/J/MNRAS/464/194
- Title:
- Metallicity distribution in the GC
- Short Name:
- J/MNRAS/464/194
- Date:
- 21 Oct 2021
- Publisher:
- CDS
- Description:
- Knowing the metallicity distribution of stars in the Galactic Centre has important implications for the formation history of the Milky Way nuclear star cluster. However, this distribution is not well known, and is currently based on a small sample of fewer than 100 stars. We obtained near-infrared K-band spectra of more than 700 late-type stars in the central 4pc^2^ of the Milky Way nuclear star cluster with the integral-field spectrograph KMOS (VLT). We analyse the medium-resolution spectra using a full-spectral fitting method employing the Gottingen spectral library of synthetic PHOENIX spectra. The derived stellar metallicities range from metal-rich [M/H]>+0.3dex to metal-poor [M/H]<-1.0dex, with a fraction of 5.2^+6.0^_-3.1_ per cent metal-poor ([M/H]<=-0.5dex) stars. The metal-poor stars are distributed over the entire observed field. The origin of metal-poor stars remains unclear. They could originate from infalling globular clusters. For the metal-rich stellar population ([M/H]>0dex), a globular cluster origin can be ruled out. As there is only a very low fraction of metal-poor stars in the central 4pc^2^ of the Galactic Centre, we believe that our data can discard a scenario in which the Milky Way nuclear star cluster is purely formed from infalling globular clusters.
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- ID:
- ivo://CDS.VizieR/J/A+A/534/A80
- Title:
- Metallicity of bulge clump giants in Baade's window
- Short Name:
- J/A+A/534/A80
- Date:
- 21 Oct 2021
- Publisher:
- CDS
- Description:
- We seek to constrain the formation of the Galactic bulge by means of analysing the detailed chemical composition of a large sample of red clump stars in Baade's window. These stars were selected to minimise the contamination by other Galactic components, so they are good tracers of the bulge metallicity distribution in Baade's window, at least for stars more metal-rich than ~-1.5. We used an automatic procedure to measure [Fe/H] in a sample of 219 bulge red clump stars from R=20000 resolution spectra obtained with FLAMES/GIRAFFE at the VLT. The analysis was performed differentially with respect to the metal-rich local reference star MuLeo. For a subsample of 162 stars, we also derived [Mg/H] from spectral synthesis around the MgI triplet at 6319{AA}. The Fe and Mg metallicity distributions are both asymmetric with median values of +0.16 and +0.21, respectively. They show only a small proportion of stars at low metallicities, extending down to [Fe/H]=-1.1 or [Mg/H]=-0.7 The iron distribution is clearly bimodal, as revealed both by a deconvolution (from observational errors) and a Gaussian decomposition. The decomposition of the observed Fe and Mg metallicity distributions into Gaussian components yields two populations of equal sizes (50% each): a metal-poor component centred on [Fe/H]=-0.30 and [Mg/H]=-0.06 with a large dispersion and a narrow metal-rich component centred on [Fe/H]=+0.32 and [Mg/H]=+0.35. The metal-poor component shows high [Mg/Fe] ratios (around 0.3), while stars in the metal-rich component are found to have near solar ratios. Kinematical differences between the two components have also been found: the metal-poor component shows kinematics compatible with an old spheroid, while the metal-rich component is consistent with a population supporting a bar. In view of their chemical and kinematical properties, we suggest different formation scenarii for the two populations: a rapid formation time scale as an old spheroid for the metal-poor component (old bulge) and for the metal-rich component, a formation on a longer time scale driven by the evolution of the bar (pseudo-bulge).
- ID:
- ivo://CDS.VizieR/J/ApJ/775/125
- Title:
- Metallicity of galaxies from colors
- Short Name:
- J/ApJ/775/125
- Date:
- 21 Oct 2021
- Publisher:
- CDS
- Description:
- There is a well known correlation between the mass and metallicity of star-forming galaxies. Because mass is correlated with luminosity, this relation is often exploited, when spectroscopy is not available, to estimate galaxy metallicities based on single band photometry. However, we show that galaxy color is typically more effective than luminosity as a predictor of metallicity. This is a consequence of the correlation between color and the galaxy mass-to-light ratio and the recently discovered correlation between star formation rate (SFR) and residuals from the mass-metallicity relation. Using Sloan Digital Sky Survey spectroscopy of ~180000 nearby galaxies, we derive "LZC relations," empirical relations between metallicity (in seven common strong line diagnostics), luminosity, and color (in 10 filter pairs and four methods of photometry). We show that these relations allow photometric metallicity estimates, based on luminosity and a single optical color, that are ~50% more precise than those made based on luminosity alone; galaxy metallicity can be estimated to within ~0.05-0.1 dex of the spectroscopically derived value depending on the diagnostic used. Including color information in photometric metallicity estimates also reduces systematic biases for populations skewed toward high or low SFR environments, as we illustrate using the host galaxy of the supernova SN 2010ay. This new tool will lend more statistical power to studies of galaxy populations, such as supernova and gamma-ray burst host environments, in ongoing and future wide-field imaging surveys.
- ID:
- ivo://CDS.VizieR/J/ApJ/798/77
- Title:
- Metallicity of RGB stars in 6 M31 dwarf galaxies
- Short Name:
- J/ApJ/798/77
- Date:
- 21 Oct 2021
- Publisher:
- CDS
- Description:
- We present global metallicity properties, metallicity distribution functions (MDFs), and radial metallicity profiles for the six most luminous M31 dwarf galaxy satellites: M32, NGC 205, NGC 185, NGC 147, Andromeda VII, and Andromeda II. The results presented are the first spectroscopic MDFs for dwarf systems surrounding a host galaxy other than the Milky Way (MW). Our sample consists of individual metallicity measurements for 1243 red giant branch member stars spread across these six systems. We determine metallicities based on the strength of the Ca II triplet lines using the empirical calibration of Carrera et al. (2013, J/MNRAS/434/1681), which is calibrated over the metallicity range -4<[Fe/H]<+0.5. We find that these M31 satellites lie on the same luminosity-metallicity relationship as the MW dwarf satellites. We do not find a trend between the internal metallicity spread and galaxy luminosity, contrary to previous studies. The MDF widths of And II and And VII are similar to the MW dwarf spheroidal (dSph) satellites of comparable luminosity; however, our four brightest M31 dwarf satellites are more luminous than any of the MW dSphs and have broader MDFs. The MDFs of our six M31 dwarf satellites are consistent with the leaky box model of chemical evolution, although our metallicity errors allow a wide range of evolution models. We find a significant radial gradient in metallicity in only two of our six systems, NGC 185 and Andromeda II, and flat radial metallicity gradients in the rest of our sample with no observed correlation between rotational support and radial metallicity gradients. Although the average properties and radial trends of the M31 dwarf galaxies agree with their MW counterparts at similar luminosity, the detailed MDFs are different, particularly at the metal-rich end.
- ID:
- ivo://CDS.VizieR/J/AJ/108/538
- Title:
- Metal-poor MS stars UBV photometry
- Short Name:
- J/AJ/108/538
- Date:
- 21 Oct 2021
- Publisher:
- CDS
- Description:
- From analysis of a photometrically selected sample of 175 metal-poor field stars with main sequence gravities (hereafter BMPs) and UBV colors blueward of the most metal-poor globular cluster main-sequence turnoffs, 0.15<(B-V)_0_<0.35, and properties of the candidate lists of the HK objective prism survey, we calculate the space density and a suitably defined specific frequency of BMPs within ~2kpc of the Sun. We consider two cases. If we adopt the luminosities and color distribution of globular cluster blue stragglers (hereafter BS) for BMPs, the BMP space density, is ~350kpc^-3^, from which we obtain a specific frequency S(BMP)~8, a value 9 times larger than that of BSs in globular clusters. From this result, we conclude that cluster-type BSs are but a minor component of the field BMPs and that the remainder must be of a different nature. If we adopt luminosities of metal-poor models halfway between the Zero Age Main Sequence and the phase of core hydrogen exhaustion, we obtain a space density of 450(+300,-150)kpc^-3^ and a specific frequency S(BMP)=10(+5,-3). From a subsample of 107 BMPs with available radial velocities we derive a galactic rotation of 128km/s and an isotropic velocity dispersion of {sigma}~90km/s, values intermediate between those of halo and thick-disk populations. From analysis of a larger sample of stars on 0.15<(B-V)0<0.35 binned by a crude line-blanketing parameter, we find that our results are insensitive to adopted BMP selection criteria: none of these subsamples of A- and early F-type stars above the galactic plane possess disk kinematics. The region of the UBV two-color diagram occupied by BMPs could be populated by metal-deficient, main-sequence gravity stars with ages substantially younger than those of the metal-poor halo. Because we cannot imagine how or where the observed local population of BMPs could have been produced within our galaxy during the past 3 to 10Gyr, we suggest that BMPs are the bluest members of metal-poor intermediate-age main sequences accreted, probably, from dwarf spheroidal satellites of the Milky Way during the past 10Gyr. We discuss observational consequences of this suggestion.
- ID:
- ivo://CDS.VizieR/J/A+A/526/A99
- Title:
- Metal-poor solar-type stars spectroscopy and masses
- Short Name:
- J/A+A/526/A99
- Date:
- 21 Oct 2021
- Publisher:
- CDS
- Description:
- Stellar metallicity strongly correlates with the presence of planets and their properties. To check for new correlations between stars and the existence of an orbiting planet, we determine precise stellar parameters for a sample of metal-poor solar-type stars. This sample was observed with the HARPS spectrograph and is part of a program to search for new extrasolar planets.
- ID:
- ivo://CDS.VizieR/J/ApJ/794/58
- Title:
- Metal-poor stars in the thick disk of the Galaxy
- Short Name:
- J/ApJ/794/58
- Date:
- 21 Oct 2021
- Publisher:
- CDS
- Description:
- A new set of very high signal-to-noise (S/N>100/1), medium-resolution (R~3000) optical spectra have been obtained for 302 of the candidate "weak-metal" stars selected by Bidelman & MacConnell (1973AJ.....78..687B, Cat. III/46). We use these data to calibrate the recently developed generalization of the Sloan Extension for Galactic Exploration and Understanding and Exploration (SEGUE) Stellar Parameter Pipeline, and obtain estimates of the atmospheric parameters (T_eff_, log g, and [Fe/H]) for these non-Sloan Digital Sky Survey/SEGUE data; we also obtain estimates of [C/Fe]. The new abundance measurements are shown to be consistent with available high-resolution spectroscopic determinations, and represent a substantial improvement over the accuracies obtained from the previous photometric estimates reported in Paper I of this series (Norris et al. 1985ApJS...58..463N). The apparent offset in the photometric abundances of the giants in this sample noted by several authors is confirmed by our new spectroscopy; no such effect is found for the dwarfs. The presence of a metal-weak thick-disk (MWTD) population is clearly supported by these new abundance data. Some 25% of the stars with metallicities -1.8<[Fe/H]<=-0.8 exhibit orbital eccentricities e<0.4, yet are clearly separated from members of the inner-halo population with similar metallicities by their location in a Lindblad energy versus angular momentum diagram. A comparison is made with recent results for a similar-size sample of Radial Velocity Experiment stars from Ruchti et al. (2010ApJ...721L..92R ; 2011ApJ...737....9R). We conclude, based on both of these samples, that the MWTD is real, and must be accounted for in discussions of the formation and evolution of the disk system of the Milky Way.
- ID:
- ivo://CDS.VizieR/J/A+A/445/939
- Title:
- Metal-poor stars uvby-beta photometry. XI.
- Short Name:
- J/A+A/445/939
- Date:
- 21 Oct 2021
- Publisher:
- CDS
- Description:
- New uvby-beta data are provided for 442 high-velocity and metal-poor stars; 90 of these stars have been observed previously by us, and 352 are new. When combined with our previous two photometric catalogues, the data base is now made up of 1533 high-velocity and metal-poor stars, all with photometry and complete kinematic data. Hipparcos, plus a new photometric calibration for M_v_ also based on the Hipparcos parallaxes, provide distances for nearly all of these stars; our previous photometric calibrations give values for E(b-y) and [Fe/H]. The [Fe/H],V(rot) diagram allows us to separate these stars into different Galactic stellar population groups, such as old-thin-disk, thick-disk, and halo. The X histogram, where X is our stellar-population discriminator combining V(rot) and [Fe/H], and contour plots for the [Fe/H],V(rot) diagram both indicate two probable components to the thick disk.
- ID:
- ivo://CDS.VizieR/J/A+A/422/527
- Title:
- Metal-poor star uvby-beta photometry. X.
- Short Name:
- J/A+A/422/527
- Date:
- 21 Oct 2021
- Publisher:
- CDS
- Description:
- (uvby) and H-beta photometry has been obtained for an additional 411 very metal-poor stars selected from the HK survey, and used to derive basic parameters such as interstellar reddenings, metallicities, photometric classifications, distances, and relative ages.
- ID:
- ivo://CDS.VizieR/J/AJ/155/45
- Title:
- Metal-rich RRc stars in the Carnegie RR Lyrae Survey
- Short Name:
- J/AJ/155/45
- Date:
- 21 Oct 2021
- Publisher:
- CDS
- Description:
- We describe and employ a stacking procedure to investigate abundances derived from the low signal-to-noise ratio spectra obtained in the Carnegie RR Lyrae Survey (CARRS). We find iron metallicities that extend from [Fe/H]~-2.5 to values at least as large as [Fe/H]~-0.5 in the 274-spectrum CARRS RRc data set. We consider RRc sample contamination by high amplitude solar metallicity {delta} Scuti stars (HADS) at periods less than 0.3 days, where photometric discrimination between RRc and {delta} Scuti stars has proven to be problematic. We offer a spectroscopic discriminant, the well-marked overabundance of heavy elements, principally [Ba/H], that is a common, if not universal, characteristic of HADS of all periods and axial rotations. No bona fide RRc stars known to us have verified heavy-element overabundances. Three out of 34 stars in our sample with [Fe/H]>-0.7 exhibit anomalously strong features of Sr, Y, Zr, Ba, and many rare earths. However, carbon is not enhanced in these three stars, and we conclude that their elevated n-capture abundances have not been generated in interior neutron-capture nucleosynthesis. Contamination by HADS appears to be unimportant, and metal-rich RRc stars occur in approximately the same proportion in the Galactic field as do metal-rich RRab stars. An apparent dearth of metal-rich RRc is probably a statistical fluke. Finally, we show that RRc stars have a similar inverse period-metallicity relationship as has been found for RRab stars.
