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arXiv · 0910.0707

The Hamburg/ESO R-process Enhanced Star survey (HERES) IV. Detailed abundance analysis and age dating of the strongly r-process enhanced stars CS 29491-069 and HE 1219-0312

W. Hayek·U. Wiesendahl·N. Christlieb·K. Eriksson·A. J. Korn·P. S. Barklem·V. Hill·T. C. Beers·K. Farouqi·B. Pfeiffer·K. -L. Kratz
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Abstract

We report on a detailed abundance analysis of two strongly r-process enhanced, very metal-poor stars newly discovered in the HERES project, CS 29491-069 ([Fe/H]=-2.51, [r/Fe]=+1.1) and HE 1219-0312 ([Fe/H]=-2.96, [r/Fe]=+1.5). The analysis is based on high-quality VLT/UVES spectra and MARCS model atmospheres. We detect lines of 15 heavy elements in the spectrum of CS 29491-069, and 18 in HE 1219-0312; in both cases including the Th II 4019 Å line. The heavy-element abundance patterns of these two stars are mostly well-matched to scaled solar residual abundances not formed by the s-process. We also compare the observed pattern with recent high-entropy wind (HEW) calculations, which assume core-collapse supernovae of massive stars as the astrophysical environment for the r-process, and find good agreement for most lanthanides. The abundance ratios of the lighter elements strontium, yttrium, and zirconium, which are presumably not formed by the main r-process, are reproduced well by the model. Radioactive dating for CS 29491-069 with the observed thorium and rare-earth element abundance pairs results in an average age of 9.5 Gyr, when based on solar r-process residuals, and 17.6 Gyr, when using HEW model predictions. Chronometry seems to fail in the case of HE 1219-0312, resulting in a negative age due to its high thorium abundance. HE 1219-0312 could therefore exhibit an overabundance of the heaviest elements, which is sometimes called an "actinide boost".

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W. Hayek, U. Wiesendahl, N. Christlieb, K. Eriksson, A. J. Korn, P. S. Barklem, V. Hill, T. C. Beers, K. Farouqi, B. Pfeiffer, K. -L. Kratz. 2009-10-05. The Hamburg/ESO R-process Enhanced Star survey (HERES) IV. Detailed abundance analysis and age dating of the strongly r-process enhanced stars CS 29491-069 and HE 1219-0312. https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361%2F200811121

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