arXiv subjects

Eugenio Carretta

Publications and source records attributed to Eugenio Carretta.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2016

Spectroscopic evidence of Multiple Stellar Populations in Globular Clusters

Galactic globular clusters are not simple stellar populations. And nothing is simple in their study, basically because we try to reconstruct chains of events that occurred at redshift z > 2-3 by observing these objects at z=0, after a Hubble time. Fortunately, spectroscopy offers a magnifying lens: differences of tens or hundreds of Myrs between stellar generations are translated into differences in abundances up to a full dex. I will review the complex pattern emerging by the combined efforts of different groups, focusing on the chemical signatures of multiple populations in globular clusters.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2015

Globular clusters and their contribution to the formation of the Galactic halo

This is a "biased" review because I will show recent evidence on the contribution of globular clusters (GCs) to the halo of our Galaxy seen through the lens of the new paradigm of multiple populations in GCs. I will show a few examples where the chemistry of multiple populations helps to answer hot questions including whether and how much GCs did contribute to the halo population, if we have evidence of the GCs-halo link, what are the strengths and weak points concerning this contribution.

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arXiv2015

Five groups of red giants with distinct chemical composition in the globular cluster NGC 2808

The chemical composition of multiple populations in the massive globular cluster (GC) NGC~2808 is addressed with the homogeneous abundance re-analysis of 140 red giant branch (RGB) stars. UVES spectra for 31 stars and GIRAFFE spectra for the other giants were analysed with the same procedures used for about 2500 giants in 23 GCs in our FLAMES survey, deriving abundances of Fe, O, Na, Mg, Si, Ca, Ti, Sc, Cr, Mn, and Ni. Iron, elements from alpha-capture, and in the Fe-group do not show intrinsic scatter. On our UVES scale the metallicity of NGC~2808 is [Fe/H]=-1.129+/-0.005+/-0.034$ (+/-statistical +/-systematic error) with sigma=0.030 (31 stars). Main features related to proton-capture elements are retrieved, but the improved statistics and the smaller associated internal errors allow to uncover five distinct groups of stars along the Na-O anticorrelation. We observe large depletions in Mg, anticorrelated with enhancements of Na and also Si, suggestive of unusually high temperatures for proton-captures. About 14% of our sample is formed by giants with solar or subsolar [Mg/Fe] ratios. Using the [Na/Mg] ratios we confirm the presence of five populations with different chemical composition, that we called P1, P2, I1, I2, and E in order of decreasing Mg and increasing Na abundances. Statistical tests show that the mean ratios in any pair of groups cannot be extracted from the same parent distribution. The overlap with the five populations recently detected from UV photometry is good but not perfect, confirming that more distinct components probably exist in this complex GC.

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arXiv2015

On the serendipitous discovery of a Li-rich giant in the globular cluster NGC 362

We have serendipitously identified the first lithium-rich giant star located close to the red giant branch bump in a globular cluster. Through intermediate-resolution FLAMES spectra we derived a lithium abundance of A(Li)=2.55 (assuming local thermodynamical equilibrium), which is extremely high considering the star's evolutionary stage. Kinematic and photometric analysis confirm the object as a member of the globular cluster NGC 362. This is the fourth Li-rich giant discovered in a globular cluster but the only one known to exist at a luminosity close to the bump magnitude. The three previous detections are clearly more evolved, located close to, or beyond the tip of their red giant branch. Our observations are able to discard the accretion of planets/brown dwarfs, as well as an enhanced mass-loss mechanism as a formation channel for this rare object. Whilst the star sits just above the cluster bump luminosity, its temperature places it towards the blue side of the giant branch in the colour-magnitude diagram. We require further dedicated observations to unambiguously identify the star as a red giant: we are currently unable to confirm whether Li production has occurred at the bump of the luminosity function or if the star is on the pre zero-age horizontal branch. The latter scenario provides the opportunity for the star to have synthesised Li rapidly during the core helium flash or gradually during its red giant branch ascent via some extra mixing process.

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arXiv2014

Three discrete groups with homogeneous chemistry along the red giant branch in the globular cluster NGC 2808

We present the homogeneous reanalysis of Mg and Al abundances from high resolution UVES/FLAMES spectra for 31 red giants in the globular cluster NGC 2808. We found a well defined Mg-Al anticorrelation reaching a regime of subsolar Mg abundance ratios, with a spread of about 1.4 dex in [Al/Fe]. The main result from the improved statistics of our sample is that the distribution of stars is not continuous along the anticorrelation as they are neatly clustered into three distinct clumps each with different chemical composition. One group (P) shows the primordial composition of field stars of similar metallicity, and the other two (I and E) have increasing abundances of Al and decreasing abundances of Mg. The fraction of stars we found in the three components (P: 68%, I: 19%, E: 13%) is in excellent agreement with the number ratios computed for the three distinct main sequences in NGC 2808: for the first time there is a clear correspondence between discrete photometric sequences of dwarfs and distinct groups of giants with homogeneous chemistry. The composition of the I group cannot be reproduced by mixing of matter with extreme processing in hot H-burning and gas with pristine, unprocessed composition, as also found in the recent analysis of three discrete groups in NGC 6752. This finding suggests that different classes of polluters were probably at work also in NGC 2808.

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arXiv2014

Lithium abundances in globular cluster giants: NGC 6218 (M12) and NGC 5904 (M5)

Convergent lines of evidence suggest that globular clusters host multiple stellar populations. It appears that they experience at least two episodes of star formation whereby a fraction of first-generation stars contribute astrated ejecta to form the second generation(s). To identify the polluting progenitors we require distinguishing chemical signatures such as that provided by lithium. Theoretical models predict that lithium can be synthesised in AGB stars, whereas no net Li production is expected from other candidates. It has been shown that in order to reproduce the abundance pattern found in M4, Li production must occur within the polluters, favouring the AGB scenario. Here we present Li and Al abundances for a large sample of RGB stars in M12 and M5. These clusters have a very similar metallicity, whilst demonstrating differences in several cluster properties. Our results indicate that the first-generation and second-generation stars share the same Li content in M12; we recover an abundance pattern similar to that observed in M4. In M5 we find a higher degree of complexity and a simple dilution model fails in reproducing the majority of the stellar population. In both clusters we require Li production across the different stellar generations, but production seems to have occurred to different extents. We suggest that such a difference might be related to the cluster mass with the Li production being more efficient in less-massive clusters. This is the first time a statistically significant correlation between the Li spread within a GC and its luminosity has been demonstrated. Finally, although Li-producing polluters are required to account for the observed pattern, other mechanisms, such as MS depletion, might have played a role in contributing to the Li internal variation, though at relatively low level.

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arXiv2014

A sequence of nitrogen-rich very red giants in the globular cluster NGC 1851

We present the abundances of N in a sample of 62 stars on the red giant branch (RGB) in the peculiar globular cluster NGC 1851. The values of [N/Fe] ratio were obtained by comparing the flux measured in the observed spectra with that from synthetic spectra for up to about 15 features of CN. This is the first time that N abundances are obtained for such a large sample of RGB stars from medium-resolution spectroscopy in this cluster. With these abundances we provide a chemical tagging of the split red giant branch found from several studies in NGC 1851. The secondary, reddest sequence on the RGB is populated almost exclusively by N-rich stars, confirming our previous suggestion based on Stromgren magnitudes and colours. These giants are also, on average, enriched in s-process elements such as Ba, and are likely the results of pollution from low mass stars that experienced episodes of third dredge-up in the asymptotic giant branch phase.

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arXiv2013

Terzan 8: a Sagittarius-flavoured globular cluster

Massive globular clusters (GCs) contain at least two generations of stars with slightly different ages and clearly distinct light elements abundances. The Na-O anticorrelation is the best studied chemical signature of multiple stellar generations. Low-mass clusters appear instead to be usually chemically homogeneous. We are investigating low-mass GCs to understand what is the lower mass limit where multiple populations can form, mainly using the Na and O abundance distribution. We used VLT/FLAMES spectra of giants in the low-mass, metal-poor GC Terzan 8, belonging to the Sagittarius dwarf galaxy, to determine abundances of Fe, O, Na, alpha-, Fe-peak, and neutron-capture elements in six stars observed with UVES and 14 observed with GIRAFFE. The average metallicity is [Fe/H]=-2.27+/-0.03 (rms=0.08), based on the six high-resolution UVES spectra. Only one star, observed with GIRAFFE, shows an enhanced abundance of Na and we tentatively assign it to the second generation. In this cluster, at variance with what happens in more massive GCs, the second generation seems to represent at most a small minority fraction. We discuss the implications of our findings, comparing Terzan 8 with the other Sgr dSph GCs, to GCs and field stars in the Large Magellanic Cloud, Fornax, and in other dwarfs galaxies.

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arXiv2013

Rubidium abundances in the globular clusters NGC 6752, NGC 1904 and NGC 104 (47 Tuc)

Large star-to-star variations of the abundances of proton-capture elements, such as Na and O, in globular clusters (GCs) are interpreted as the effect of internal pollution resulting from the presence of multiple stellar populations. To better constrain this scenario we investigate the abundance distribution of the heavy element rubidium (Rb) in NGC 6752, NGC 1904, and NGC 104 (47 Tuc). Combining the results from our sample with those in the literature, we found that Rb exhibits no star-to-star variations, regardless the cluster metallicity, with the possible intriguing, though very uncertain, exception of the metal-rich bulge cluster NGC 6388. If no star-to-star variations will be confirmed for all GCs, it implies that the stellar source of the proton-capture element variations must not have produced significant amounts of Rb. This element is observed to be enhanced at extremely high levels in intermediate-mass AGB (IM-AGB) stars in the Magellanic Clouds (i.e., at a metallicity similar to 47 Tuc and NGC 6388). This may present a challenge to this popular candidate polluter, unless the mass range of the observed IM-AGB stars does not participate in the formation of the second-generation stars in GCs. A number of possible solutions are available to resolve this conundrum, also given that the Magellanic Clouds observations are very uncertain and may need to be revised. The fast rotating massive stars scenario would not face this potential problem as the slow mechanical winds of these stars during their main-sequence phase do not carry any Rb enhancements; however, these candidates face even bigger issues such as the production of Li and the close over-imposition with core-collapse supernova timescales. Observations of Sr, Rb, and Zr in metal-rich clusters such as NGC 6388 and NGC 6441 are sorely needed to clarify the situation.

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arXiv2013

The fraction of first and second generation stars in globular clusters. I The case of NGC 6752

We present a new method to estimate the fraction of stars with chemical composition of first and second(s) generation(s) currently hosted in Galactic globular clusters (GCs). We compare cluster and field stars of similar metallicity in the [Fe/H]-[Na/H] plane. Since the phenomenon of multiple populations is only restricted to the cluster environment, the number of GC stars whose location coincides with that of field stars provides the fraction of first generation stars in that cluster. By exclusion, the fraction of second generation stars is derived. We assembled a dataset of 1891 field stars of the thin disk, thick disk, and halo of the Milky Way in the metallicity range -3.15 <= [Fe/H] <= +0.48 dex and with Na abundance from high resolution spectra. They are mostly dwarfs, but include also giants. Considering only the range in metallicity spanned by most GCs extensively studied for the Na-O anticorrelation (-2.36 <= [Fe/H] <= -0.33 dex), we have 804 stars. The total sample is homogeneized by offsets in [Fe/H] and [Na/H] with respect to a reference sample using the same line list and NLTE correction for Na adopted in a recent extensive survey of GC stars. This fully accounts for offsets among analyses due to different temperature scales, line lists, adopted (or neglected) corrections for departures from LTE. We illustrate our method estimating the fraction of first and second generation stars in the well studied GC NGC 6752. As a by-product, the comparison of [Na/H] values in GC and field stars suggests that at least two classes of old stellar systems probably contributed to the halo assembly: one group with characteristics similar to the currently existing GCs, and the other more similar to the present-day dwarf satellite galaxies.

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arXiv2013

On the internal pollution mechanisms in the globular cluster NGC 6121 (M4): heavy-element abundances and AGB models

Globular clusters display significant variations in their light-element content, pointing to the existence of a second stellar generation formed from the ejecta of an earlier generation. The nature of these internal polluters is still a matter of debate: the two most popular scenarios indicate intermediate-mass AGB stars and fast rotating massive stars. Abundances determination for some key elements can help distinguish between these competitor candidates. We present in this paper Y abundances for a sample of 103 red giant branch stars in NGC 6121. Within measurement errors, we find that the [Y/Fe] is constant in this cluster contrary to a recent suggestion. For a subsample of six stars we also find [Rb/Fe] to be constant, consistent with previous studies showing no variation in other s-process elements. We also present a new set of stellar yields for intermediate-mass AGB stellar models of 5 and 6 solar masses, including heavy element s-process abundances. The uncertainties on the mass-loss rate, the mixing-length parameter, and the nuclear reaction rates have a major impact on the stellar abundances. Within the IM-AGB pollution scenario, the constant abundance of heavy elements inside the cluster requires a marginal s-process efficiency in IM-AGB stars. Such a constrain could still be satisfied by the present models assuming a stronger mass-loss rate. The uncertainties mentioned above are limiting the predictive power of intermediate-mass AGB models. For these reasons, at the moment we are not able to clearly rule out their role as main polluters of the second population stars in globular clusters.

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arXiv2013

Potassium in globular cluster stars: comparing normal clusters to the peculiar cluster NGC 2419

Two independent studies recently uncovered two distinct populations among giants in the distant, massive globular cluster (GC) NGC 2419. One of these populations has normal magnesium (Mg) and potassium (K) abundances for halo stars: enhanced Mg and roughly solar K. The other population has extremely depleted Mg and very enhanced K. To better anchor the peculiar NGC 2419 chemical composition, we have investigated the behavior of K in a few red giant branch stars in NGC 6752, NGC 6121, NGC 1904, and omega Cen. To verify that the high K abundances are intrinsic and not due to some atmospheric features in giants, we also derived K abundances in less evolved turn-off and subgiant stars of clusters 47 Tuc, NGC 6752, NGC 6397, and NGC 7099. We normalized the K abundance as a function of the cluster metallicity using 21 field stars analyzed in a homogeneous manner. For all GCs of our sample, the stars lie in the K-Mg abundance plane on the same locus occupied by the Mg-normal population in NGC 2419 and by field stars. This holds both for giants and less evolved stars. At present, NGC 2419 seems unique among GCs.

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arXiv2013

Reading the book: from "chemical anomalies" to "standard composition" of globular clusters

It is now commonly accepted that globular clusters (GCs) have undergone a complex formation and that they host at least two stellar generations. This is a recent paradigm and is founded on both photometric and spectroscopic evidence. We concentrate on results based on high-resolution spectroscopy and on how we moved from single to multiple stellar populations concept for GCs. We underline that the peculiar chemical composition of GC stars is fundamental in establishing the multiple populations scenario and briefly outline what can be learned from observations. Finally, recent observational results on large samples of stars in different evolutionary phases are discussed.

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arXiv2012

An aluminium tool for multiple stellar generations in the globular clusters 47 Tuc and M 4

We present aluminium abundances for a sample of about 100 red giant stars in each of the Galactic globular clusters 47 Tuc (NGC 104) and M 4 (NGC 6121). We have derived homogeneous abundances from intermediate-resolution FLAMES/GIRAFFE spectra. Aluminium abundances are from the strong doublet Al I at 8772-8773 A as in previous works done for giants in NGC 6752 and NGC 1851, and nitrogen abundances are extracted from a large number of features of the CN molecules, by assuming a suitable carbon abundance. We added previous homogeneous abundances of O and Na and newly derived abundances of Mg and Si for our samples of 83 stars in M 4 and 116 stars in 47 Tuc to obtain the full set of elements from proton-capture reactions produced by different stellar generations in these clusters. By simultaneously studying the Ne-Na and Mg-Al cycles of H-burning at high temperature our main aims are to understand the nature of the polluters at work in the first generation and to ascertain whether the second generation of cluster stars was formed in one or, rather, several episodes of star formation. Our data confirm that in M 4 only two stellar populations are visible. On the other hand, for 47 Tuc a cluster analysis performed on our full dataset suggests that at least three distinct groups of stars are present on the giant branch. The abundances of O, Na, Mg and Al in the intermediate group can be produced within a pollution scenario; results for N are ambiguous, depending on the C abundance we adopt for the three groups.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2012

Fluorine variations in the globular cluster NGC 6656 (M22): implications for internal enrichment timescales

Observed chemical (anti)correlations in proton-capture elements among globular cluster stars are presently recognized as the signature of self-enrichment from now extinct, previous generations of stars. This defines the multiple population scenario. Since fluorine is also affected by proton captures, determining its abundance in globular clusters provides new and complementary clues regarding the nature of these previous generations, and supplies strong observational constraints to the chemical enrichment timescales. In this paper we present our results on near-infrared CRIRES spectroscopic observations of six cool giant stars in NGC 6656 (M22): the main objective is to derive the F content and its internal variation in this peculiar cluster, which exhibits significant changes in both light and heavy element abundances. We detected F variations across our sample beyond the measurement uncertainties and found that the F abundances are positively correlated with O and anticorrelated with Na, as expected according to the multiple population framework. Furthermore, our observations reveal an increase in the F content between the two different sub-groups, s-process rich and s-process poor, hosted within M22. The comparison with theoretical models suggests that asymptotic giant stars with masses between 4 and 5 Msun are responsible for the observed chemical pattern, confirming evidence from previous works: the difference in age between the two sub-components in M22 must be not larger than a few hundreds Myr.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2012

Aluminum abundances of multiple stellar generations in the globular cluster NGC 1851

We study the distribution of aluminum abundances among red giants in the peculiar globular cluster NGC 1851. Aluminum abundances were derived from the strong doublet Al I 8772-8773 A measured on intermediate resolution FLAMES spectra of 50 cluster stars acquired under the Gaia-ESO public survey. We coupled these abundances with previously derived abundance of O, Na, Mg to fully characterize the interplay of the NeNa and MgAl cycles of H-burning at high temperature in the early stellar generation in NGC 1851. The stars in our sample show well defined correlations between Al,Na and Si; Al is anticorrelated with O and Mg. The average value of the [Al/Fe] ratio steadily increases going from the first generation stars to the second generation populations with intermediate and extremely modified composition. We confirm on a larger database the results recently obtained by us (Carretta et al. 2011a): the pattern of abundances of proton-capture elements implies a moderate production of Al in NGC 1851. We find evidence of a statistically significant positive correlation between Al and Ba abundances in the more metal-rich component of red giants in NGC 1851.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2012

Chemical tagging of three distinct populations of red giants in the globular cluster NGC 6752

We present aluminium, magnesium, and silicon abundances in the metal-poor globular cluster NGC 6752 for a sample of more than 130 red giants with homogeneous oxygen and sodium abundances. We find that [Al/Fe] shows a spread of about 1.4 dex among giants in NGC 6752 and is anticorrelated with [Mg/Fe] and [O/Fe] and correlated with [Na/Fe] and [Si/Fe]. These relations are not continuous in nature, but the distribution of stars is clearly clustered around three distinct Al values, low, intermediate, and high. These three groups nicely correspond to the three distinct sequences previously detected using Stromgren photometry along the red giant branch. These two independent findings strongly indicate the existence of three distinct stellar populations in NGC 6752. Comparing the abundances of O and Mg, we find that the population with intermediate chemical abundances cannot originate from material with the same composition of the most O- and Mg-poor population, diluted by material with that of the most O- and Mg-rich one. This calls for different polluters.

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arXiv2012

C, N, O abundances and carbon isotope ratios in evolved stars of the open clusters Collinder 261 and NGC 6253

Context. Investigations of abundances of carbon and nitrogen in the atmospheres of evolved stars of open clusters may provide comprehensive information on chemical composition changes caused by stellar evolution. Aims. Our main aim is to increase the number of open clusters with determined carbon-to nitrogen and carbon isotope ratios. Methods. High-resolution spectra were analysed using a differential model atmosphere method. Abundances of carbon were derived using the C_2 Swan (0,1) band head at 5635.5 Å (FEROS spectra) and the C_2 Swan (1,0) band head at 4737 Å (UVES spectra). The wavelength interval 7980-8130 Å, with strong CN features was analysed to determine nitrogen abundances and 12^C/13^C isotope ratios. The oxygen abundances were determined from the [Oi] line at 6300 Å. Results. The average value of 12^C/13^C isotope ratios of Cr 261 is equal to 18 \pm 2 in four giants and to 12 \pm 1 in two clump stars; it is equal to 16 \pm 1 in four clump stars of the open cluster NGC 6253. The mean C/N ratios in Cr 261 and NGC 6253 are equal to 1.67 \pm 0.06 and 1.37 \pm 0.09, respectively. Conclusions. The 12^C/13^C and C/N values in Cr 261 and NGC 6253 within limits of uncertainties agree with the theoretical model of thermohaline-induced mixing as well as with the cool-bottom processing model

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