arXiv subjects

David Yong

Publications and source records attributed to David Yong.

87 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

arXiv2007

Rubidium and lead abundances in giant stars of the globular clusters M4 and M5

We present measurements of the neutron-capture elements Rb and Pb for bright giants in the globular clusters M4 and M5. The clusters are of similar metallicity ([Fe/H] = -1.2) but M4 is decidedly s-process enriched relative to M5: [Ba/Fe] = +0.6 for M4 but 0.0 for M5. The Rb and Pb abundances were derived by comparing synthetic spectra with high-resolution, high signal-to-noise ratio spectra obtained with MIKE on the Magellan telescope. Abundances of Y, Zr, La, and Eu were also obtained. In M4, the mean abundances from 12 giants are [Rb/Fe] = 0.39 +/- 0.02 (sigma = 0.07), [Rb/Zr] = 0.17 +/- 0.03 (sigma = 0.08), and [Pb/Fe] = 0.30 +/- 0.02 (sigma = 0.07). In M5, the mean abundances from two giants are [Rb/Fe] = 0.00 +/- 0.05 (sigma = 0.06), [Rb/Zr] = 0.08 +/- 0.08 (sigma = 0.11), and [Pb/Fe] = -0.35 +/- 0.02 (sigma = 0.04). Within the measurement uncertainties, the abundance ratios [Rb/Fe], [Pb/Fe] and [Rb/X] for X = Y, Zr, La are constant from star-to-star in each cluster and none of these ratios are correlated with O or Na abundances. While M4 has a higher Rb abundance than M5, the ratios [Rb/X] are similar in both clusters indicating that the nature of the s-products are very similar for each cluster but the gas from which M4's stars formed had a higher concentration of these products.

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arXiv2005

Elemental Abundance Ratios in Stars of the Outer Galactic Disk. III. Cepheids

We present metallicities, [Fe/H], and elemental abundance ratios, [X/Fe], for a sample of 24 Cepheids in the outer Galactic disk. The sample have Galactocentric distances covering 12 < R_GC (kpc) < 17.2 making them the most distant Galactic Cepheids upon which detailed abundance analyses have been performed. We find sub-solar ratios of [Fe/H] and overabundances of [alpha/Fe], [La/Fe], and [Eu/Fe]. All abundance ratios exhibit a dispersion that exceeds the measurement uncertainties. As seen in our previous studies of old open clusters and field giants, enhanced ratios of [alpha/Fe] and [Eu/Fe] reveal that recent star formation has taken place in the outer disk. The outer disk Cepheids appear to exhibit a bimodal distribution for [Fe/H] and [alpha/Fe]. Most of the Cepheids continue the trends with Galactocentric distance exhibited by Andrievsky's larger Cepheid sample and we refer to these stars as the "Galactic Cepheids". A minority of the Cepheids show considerably lower [Fe/H] and higher [alpha/Fe] and we refer to these stars as the "Merger Cepheids". One signature of a merger event would be composition differences between the "Galactic" and "Merger" Cepheids. The Cepheids satisfy this requirement and we speculate that the distinct compositions suggest that the "Merger Cepheids" may have formed under the influence of significant merger or accretion events. The short lifetimes of the Cepheids reveal that the merger event may be on-going with the Monoceros ring and Canis Major galaxy being possible merger candidates. [Abridged]

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arXiv2005

Rubidium and lead abundances in giant stars of the globular clusters M 13 and NGC 6752

We present measurements of the neutron-capture elements Rb and Pb in five giant stars of the globular cluster NGC 6752 and Pb measurements in four giants of the globular cluster M 13. The abundances were derived by comparing synthetic spectra with high resolution, high signal-to-noise ratio spectra obtained using HDS on the Subaru telescope and MIKE on the Magellan telescope. The program stars span the range of the O-Al abundance variation. In NGC 6752, the mean abundances are [Rb/Fe] = -0.17 +/- 0.06 (sigma = 0.14), [Rb/Zr] = -0.12 +/- 0.06 (sigma = 0.13), and [Pb/Fe] = -0.17 +/- 0.04 (sigma = 0.08). In M 13 the mean abundance is [Pb/Fe] = -0.28 +/- 0.03 (sigma = 0.06). Within the measurement uncertainties, we find no evidence for a star-to-star variation for either Rb or Pb within these clusters. None of the abundance ratios [Rb/Fe], [Rb/Zr], or [Pb/Fe] are correlated with the Al abundance. NGC 6752 may have slightly lower abundances of [Rb/Fe] and [Rb/Zr] compared to the small sample of field stars at the same metallicity. For M 13 and NGC 6752 the Pb abundances are in accord with predictions from a Galactic chemical evolution model. If metal-poor intermediate-mass asymptotic giant branch stars did produce the globular cluster abundance anomalies, then such stars do not synthesize significant quantities of Rb or Pb. Alternatively, if such stars do synthesize large amounts of Rb or Pb, then they are not responsible for the abundance anomalies seen in globular clusters.

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arXiv2005

Mg isotope ratios in giant stars of the globular clusters M 13 and M 71

We present Mg isotope ratios in 4 red giants of the globular cluster M 13 and 1 red giant of the globular cluster M 71 based on spectra obtained with HDS on the Subaru Telescope. We confirm earlier results by Shetrone that for M 13, the ratio varies from (25+26)Mg/24Mg = 1 in stars with the highest Al abundance to (25+26)Mg/24Mg = 0.2 in stars with the lowest Al abundance. However, we separate the contributions of all three isotopes and find a spread in the ratio 24Mg:25Mg:26Mg with values ranging from 48:13:39 to 78:11:11. As in NGC 6752, we find a positive correlation between 26Mg and Al, an anticorrelation between 24Mg and Al, and no correlation between 25Mg and Al. In M 71, our one star has a ratio 70:13:17. For both clusters, the lowest ratios of 25Mg/24Mg and 26Mg/24Mg exceed those observed in field stars at the same metallicity, a result also found in NGC 6752. The contribution of 25Mg to the total Mg abundance is constant within a given cluster and between clusters with 25Mg/(24+25+26)Mg = 0.13. For M 13 and NGC 6752, the ranges of the Mg isotope ratios are similar and both clusters show the same correlations between Al and Mg isotopes suggesting that the same process is responsible for the abundance variations in these clusters. While existing models fail to reproduce all the observed abundances, we continue to favor the scenario in which two generations of AGB stars produce the observed abundances. A first generation of metal-poor AGB stars pollutes the entire cluster and is responsible for the large ratios of 25Mg/24Mg and 26Mg/24Mg observed in cluster stars with compositions identical to field stars at the same metallicity. Differing degrees of pollution by a second generation of AGB stars of the same metallicity as the cluster provides the star-to-star scatter in Mg isotope ratios.

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arXiv2005

Elemental Abundance Ratios in Stars of the Outer Galactic Disk. II. Field Red Giants

We summarize a selection process to identify red giants in the direction of the southern warp of the Galactic disk, employing VI_C photometry and multi-object spectroscopy. We also present results from follow-up high-resolution, high-S/N echelle spectroscopy of three field red giants, finding [Fe/H] values of about -0.5. The field stars, with Galactocentric distances estimated at 10 to 15 kpc, support the conclusion of Yong, Carney, & de Almeida (2005) that the Galactic metallicity gradient disappears beyond R_GC values of 10 to 12 kpc for the older stars and clusters of the outer disk. The field and cluster stars at such large distances show very similar abundance patterns, and, in particular, all show enhancements of the "alpha" elements O, Mg, Si, Ca, and Ti and the r-process element Eu. These results suggest that Type II supernovae have been significant contributors to star formation in the outer disk relative to Type Ia supernovae within the past few Gyrs. We also compare our results with those available for much younger objects. The limited results for the H II regions and B stars in the outer disk also suggest that the radial metallicity gradient in the outer disk is shallow or absent. The much more extensive results for Cepheids confirm these trends, and that the change in slope of the metallicity gradient may occur at a larger Galactocentric distance than for the older stars and clusters. However, the younger stars also show rising alpha element enhancements with increasing R_GC, at least beyond 12 kpc. These trends are consistent with the idea of a progressive growth in the size of the Galactic disk with time, and episodic enrichment by Type II supernovae as part of the disk's growth. [Abridged]

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arXiv2005

Abundances in giant stars of the globular cluster NGC 6752

Recent theoretical yields and chemical evolution models demonstrate that intermediate-mass AGB stars cannot reproduce the observed abundance distributions of O, Na, Mg, and Al. As a further observational test of this finding, we present elemental abundance ratios [X/Fe] for 20 elements in 38 bright giants of the globular cluster NGC 6752. Our mean abundance ratios [X/Fe] are in good agreement with previous studies of this cluster and are also consistent with other globular clusters and field stars at the same metallicity. The mean abundance ratios [Ba/Eu] and [La/Eu] exhibit values, in agreement with field stars at the same metallicity, that lie approximately midway between the pure r-process and the solar (s-process + r-process) mix, indicating that AGB stars have played a role in the chemical evolution of the proto-cluster gas. For the first time, we find possible evidence for an abundance variation for elements heavier than Al in this cluster. We find a correlation between [Si/Fe] and [Al/Fe] which is consistent with the abundance anomalies being synthesized via proton captures at high temperatures. Leakage from the Mg-Al chain into 28Si may explain the Si excess in stars with the highest [Al/Fe]. We identify correlations between [Y/Fe] and [Al/Fe], [Zr/Fe] and [Al/Fe], and [Ba/Fe] and [Al/Fe] suggesting that Y, Zr, and Ba abundances may increase by about 0.1 dex as Al increases by about 1.3 dex. While the correlations are statistically significant, the amplitudes of the variations are small. If the small variations in Y, Zr, and Ba are indeed real, then the synthesis of the Al anomalies must have taken place within an unknown class of stars that also ran the s-process. [Abridged]

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arXiv2005

Elemental Abundance Ratios in Stars of the Outer Galactic Disk. I. Open Clusters

We summarize radial velocity studies of selected stars in the old, distant clusters Berkeley 20, Berkeley 21, NGC 2141, Berkeley 29, and Berkeley 31. Three members of M67 were observed similarly, and those velocities compare extremely well with prior measures. We measured the chemical compositions of all six clusters for [Fe/H] as well as abundances of alpha elements, iron-peak elements, and those synthesized in either the s-process or the r-process. For the outer disk, the abundance gradient for [Fe/H] deviates from the trend defined near the solar neighborhood. Rather than declining with increasing Galactocentric distance, [Fe/H] appears to reach a "basement" at [Fe/H]=-0.5 beyond R_GC = 10 to 12kpc. We find enhanced [O/Fe], [alpha/Fe], and [Eu/Fe] in the outer disk revealing a rapid star formation history. An intriguing, but tentative, conclusion is that the outer disk open cluster abundance ratios are consistent with the outer disk being formed via a merger event. The basement in [Fe/H] and enhanced [alpha/Fe] suggest that the outer disk formed from a reservoir of gas with a star formation history distinct from the solar neighborhood. The open clusters may have formed as a result of star formation triggered by a merger event in the outer disk. The ages of the outer disk open clusters would then be a measure of when the merger occurred. [Abridged]

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arXiv2005

Abundance Analyses of Field RV Tauri Stars, VI: An Extended Sample

An abundance analysis is presented and discussed for a sample of 14 RV Tauri stars. The present abundance data and those from our previous papers and by other workers are combined in an attempt to further understanding of the dust-gas separation process which afflicts many RV Tauri variables. We propose that a star's intrinsic (i.e., initial) metallicity is given by the photospheric zinc abundance. Variables warmer that about 5000 K and with an initial metallicity [Fe/H] $\geq$ $-$1 are affected by dust-gas separation. Variables of all metallicities and cooler than about $T_{\rm eff} \simeq 5000$ K are unaffected by dust-gas separation. The RV Tauri variables show a spread in their C abundances with the lower boundary of the points in the C versus Zn plane falling close to the predicted trend for giants after the first dredge-up. The upper boundary is inhabited by a few stars that are carbon-rich. The O abundances in the mean follow the predicted trend from unevolved stars in line with the expectation that photospheric O abundance is unaffected by the first dredge-up. An evolutionary scenario involving mass loss by a first ascent or early-AGB red giant, the primary star of a binary, is sketched.

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arXiv2004

The R Coronae Borealis stars - carbon abundances from forbidden carbon lines

Spectra of several R Coronae Borealis (RCB) stars at maximum light were examined for the [C I] 9850 A and 8727 A absorption lines. The 9850 A line is variously blended with a Fe II and CN lines but positive identifications of the [C I] line are made for R CrB and SU Tau. The 8727 A line is detected in the spectrum of the five stars observed in this wavelength region. Carbon abundances are derived from the [C I] lines using the model atmospheres and atmospheric parameters used by Asplund et al. (2000). Although the observed strength of a C I line is constant from cool to hot RCB stars, the strength is weaker than predicted by an amount equivalent to a factor of four reduction of a line's gf-value. Asplund et al. dubbed this 'the carbon problem' and discussed possible solutions. The [C I] 9850 A line seen clearly in R CrB and SU Tau confirms the magnitude of the carbon problem revealed by the C I lines. The [C I] 8727 A line measured in five stars shows an enhanced carbon problem. The gf-value required to fit the observed [C I] 8727 A line is a factor of 15 less than the well-determined theoretical gf-value. We suggest that the carbon problem for all lines may be alleviated to some extent by a chromospheric-like temperature rise in these stars. The rise far exceeds that predicted by our non-LTE calculations, and requires a substantial deposition of mechanical energy.

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arXiv2003

Magnesium isotope ratios in Hyades stars

Using classical model atmospheres and an LTE analysis, Mg isotope ratios 24Mg:25Mg:26Mg are measured in 32 Hyades dwarfs covering 4000K < Teff < 5000K. We find no significant trend in any isotope ratio versus Teff and the mean isotope ratio is in excellent agreement with the solar value. We determine stellar parameters and Fe abundances for 56 Hyades dwarfs covering 4000K < Teff < 6200K. For stars warmer than 4700K, we derive a cluster mean value of [Fe/H] = 0.16 +/- 0.02 (sigma=0.1), in good agreement with previous studies. For stars cooler than 4700K, we find that the abundance of Fe from ionized lines exceeds the abundance of Fe from neutral lines. At 4700K [Fe/H]_II - [Fe/H]_I = 0.3 dex while at 4000K [Fe/H]_II - [Fe/H]_I = 1.2 dex. This discrepancy between the Fe abundance from neutral and ionized lines likely reflects inadequacies in the model atmospheres and the presence of Non-LTE or other effects. Despite the inability of the models to reproduce ionization equilibrium for Fe, the Mg isotope ratios appear immune to these problems and remain a powerful tool for studying Galactic chemical evolution.

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arXiv2003

Magnesium isotopic abundance ratios in cool stars

From high resolution spectra of 61 cool dwarfs and giants, Mg isotopic abundance ratios 24Mg:25Mg:26Mg are derived from spectral synthesis of the MgH A-X lines near 5140A. Our sample spans the range -2.5 < [Fe/H] < 0.1, including the first measurements of Mg isotope ratios in stars with metallicities below [Fe/H]=-2.0. We confirm the decrease in 25,26Mg/24Mg with decreasing [Fe/H] as predicted by recent models of Galactic chemical evolution where the Mg isotopes are produced in massive stars. A subset of kinematically identified thin disk stars have Mg isotope ratios in excellent agreement with the predictions. Within the measurement uncertainties, these thin disk stars show no scatter about the predictions. Several of our stars are likely members of the thick disk and their high Mg isotopic ratios may reflect the nucleosynthetic history of the thick disk which is distinct from the predictions for, and observations of, the thin disk. For thick disk and halo stars we find a scatter in 25,26Mg/24Mg exceeding our measurement uncertainties and increasing with increasing metallicity. Our data suggest that an additional source of 25Mg and 26Mg is required. Intermediate mass asymptotic giant branch stars are likely candidates.

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arXiv2003

Finding cool subdwarfs using a V-J reduced proper-motion diagram: Stellar parameters for 91 candidates

We present the results of a search for cool subdwarfs for which our candidates were drawn from a V-J reduced proper-motion diagram constructed by Salim & Gould (2002). Kinematic (U, V, and W) and self-consistent stellar parameters (Teff, log g, [Fe/H], and V_t) are derived for 91 candidate subdwarfs based on high resolution spectra. The observed stars span 3900K < Teff < 6200K and -2.63 < [Fe/H] < 0.25 including only 3 giants (log g < 4.0). Of the sample, 77 stars have MgH lines present in their spectra. With more than 56% of our candidate subdwarfs having [Fe/H] < -1.5, we show that the V-J reduced proper-motion diagram readily identifies metal-poor stars.

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arXiv2003

Mg isotopic ratios in giant stars of the globular cluster NGC 6752

Mg isotopic abundance ratios are measured in 20 bright red giants in globular cluster NGC 6752 based on very high-resolution, high signal-to-noise spectra obtained with UVES on the VLT. There is a considerable spread in the ratio 24Mg:25Mg:26Mg with values ranging from 53:9:39 to 83:10:7. We measured the abundances of O, Na, Mg, Al, and Fe combining our sample with 21 RGB bump stars (Grundahl et al. 2002). The abundances of the samples are consistent and exhibit the usual anticorrelations between O-Na and Mg-Al. A positive correlation is found between 26Mg and Al, a mild anticorrelation is found between 24Mg and Al, while no correlation is found between 25Mg and Al. None of the elemental or isotopic abundances show a dependence on evolutionary status and, as shown by Gratton et al. (2001), the abundance variations exist even in main sequence stars. This strongly suggests that the star-to-star abundance variations are a result of varying degrees of pollution with intermediate mass AGB stars being likely polluters. Even for the least polluted stars, the abundances of 25Mg and 26Mg relative to 24Mg are considerably higher than predicted for ejecta from Z=0 supernovae. Zero metallicity AGB stars may be responsible for these higher abundances. Our measured Mg isotopic ratios reveal another layer to the globular cluster star-to-star abundance variations that demands extensions of our present theoretical knowledge of stellar nucleosynthesis by giant stars.

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arXiv2002

A search for cool subdwarfs: Stellar parameters for 134 candidates

The results of a search for cool subdwarfs are presented. Kinematic (U, V, and W) and stellar parameters (Teff, log g, [Fe/H], and V_t) are derived for 134 candidate subdwarfs based on high resolution spectra. The observed stars span 4200K < Teff < 6400K and -2.70 < [Fe/H] < 0.25 including only 8 giants (log g < 4.0). Of the sample, 100 stars have MgH bands present in their spectra. The targets were selected by their large reduced proper-motion, the offset from the solar metallicity main sequence, or culled from the literature. We confirm the claims made by Ryan (1989) regarding the NLTT catalog being a rich source of subdwarfs and verify the success of the reduced proper-motion constraint in identifying metal-poor stars.

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arXiv2001

Spectroscopic Analysis of Two Carbon Rich Post-AGB Stars

The chemical compositions of the C-rich pAGB stars IRAS 05113+1347 and IRAS 22272+5424 are determined from high-resolution optical spectra using standard LTE model atmosphere-based techniques. The stars are C, N, and $s$-process enriched suggesting efficient operation of the third-dredge up in the AGB star following a first dredge-up that increased the N abundance. Lithium is present with an abundance requiring Li manufacture. With this pair, abundance analyses are now available for 11 C-rich pAGBs. A common history is indicated and, in particular, the $s$-abundances, especially the relative abundances of light to heavy $s$-process elements, follow recent predictions for the third dredge-up in AGB stars.

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