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Judith G. Cohen

Publications and source records attributed to Judith G. Cohen.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
arXiv2005

C and N Abundances in Stars At the Base of the Red Giant Branch in M15

We present an analysis of a large sample of moderate resolution Keck LRIS spectra of subgiants and stars at the base of the RGB in M15, most within the range 16.5 < V < 19.5 (1.2 < M_V < 4.2), with the goal of deriving C abundances (from the G band of CH) and N abundances (from the NH band at 3360 A). Star-to-star stochastic variations with significant range in both [C/Fe] and [N/Fe] are found at all luminosities extending to the subgiants at M_V ~ +3. The C and N abundances appear anti-correlated, as would be expected from the CN-cycle processing of stellar material. Yet these M15 stars are considerably fainter than the RGB bump, the point at which deep mixing is believed to set in. On this basis, while the observed abundance pattern is consistent with proton capture nucleosynthesis, we infer that the site of the reactions is likely not within the present sample. The range of variation of the N abundances is very large and the sum of C+N increases as C decreases. To reproduce this requires the incorporation not only of CN but also of ON-processed material. Combining our work with that of Trefzger et al (1983) for the brighter giants in M15, we find strong evidence for additional depletion of C among the most luminous giants. This presumably represents the first dredge up (with enhanced deep mixing) expected for such luminous cluster RGB stars in the course of normal stellar evolution as they cross the RGB bump. We compare the behavior of these patterns for C and N in globular clusters covering a wide range of metallicity and of current mass and discuss possible scenarios to reproduce the observed behavior of these key elements. (abridged)

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arXiv2005

Analysis of the carbon-rich very metal-poor dwarf G77-61

We present an analysis of the carbon dwarf G77-61, a known binary, based on high resolution Keck spectra. G77-61 has a very-low metallicity, although not as extreme as what was previously conjectured. This star is very carbon-enhanced, the spectra showing very strong CH, CN, and C$_2$ bands of both $^{13}$C and $^{12}$C isotopes. Atomic lines are sparse, and often blended, but we were able to derive abundances for Na, Mg, Ca, Cr, Mn, and Fe. Its [Fe/H] of -4.03$\pm$0.1 places it among the lowest metallicity stars known, and its very high [C/Fe]=+2.6, and [N/Fe]=+2.6 among the most C and N-rich metal-poor stars. The carbon isotopic ratio is $^{12}$C/$^{13}C=5\pm$1. No overabundance of s- or r-process elements is detectable, but the upper limits that can be set on these overabundances are not very constraining.

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arXiv2004

Chemical Abundance Inhomogeneities in Globular Cluster Stars

It is now clear that abundance variations from star-to-star among the light elements, particularly C, N, O, Na and Al, are ubiquitous within galactic globular clusters; they appear seen whenever data of high quality is obtained for a sufficiently large sample of stars within such a cluster. The correlations and anti-correlations among these elements and the range of variation of each element appear to be independent of stellar evolutionary state, with the exception that enhanced depletion of C and of O is sometimes seen just at the RGB tip. While the latter behavior is almost certainly due to internal production and mixing, the internal mixing hypothesis can now be ruled out for producing the bulk of the variations seen. We focus on the implications of our new data for any explanation invoking primordial variations in the proto-cluster or accretion of polluted material from a neighboring AGB star.

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arXiv2004

Outer Versus Inner Halo Globular Clusters: NGC 7492 Abundances

We have carried out a detailed abundance analysis for 21 elements in a sample of four RGB stars in the outer halo globular cluster NGC 7492 (R{GC} 25 kpc); we find [Fe/H] = -1.82 dex inferred from FeI lines (-1.79 from FeII) using high dispersion (R=35,000) spectra obtained with HIRES at the Keck Observatory. Most elements show no sign of star-to-star variation within our limited sample. We have, however, detected an anti-correlation between O and Na abundances similar to that seen in our previous analyses of inner halo GCs as well as in studies of relatively nearby GCs by others. We compare the abundance ratios in NGC 7492 with those we previously determined for the much closer old halo GCs M3 and M13. After making corrections for trends of abundance ratio with metallicity characteristic of halo stars, we find that for for these three GCs for each of the elements in common we deduce identical abundance ratios with respect to Fe to within the probable measurement uncertainties. Thus, the chemical history of the outer halo as exemplified by the metal-poor outer halo globular cluster NGC 7492 is indistinguishable from that of the inner halo, exemplified by M3 and M13, at least through the epoch of formation of these old globular clusters. This applies to the neutron capture processes as well.

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arXiv2004

Abundances in a Large Sample of Stars in M3 and M13

We have carried out a detailed abundance analysis for 21 elements in a sample of 25 stars with a wide range in luminosity from luminous giants to stars near the main sequence turnoff in the globular cluster M13 and in a sample of 13 stars distributed from the tip to the base of the RGB in the GC M3. Most elements, including Fe, show no trend with Teff, and low scatter around the mean between the top of the RGB and near the main sequence turnoff. We have detected an anti-correlation between O and Na abundances, observed previously among the most luminous RGB stars in both of these clusters, in both M3 and in M13 over the full range of luminosity of our samples, i.e. in the case of M13 to near the main sequence turnoff. M13 shows a larger range in both O and Na abundance than does M3 at all luminosities, in particular having a few stars at its RGB tip with unusually strongly depleted O. Although CN burning must be occurring in both M3 and in M13, and ON burning is required for M13, we combine our new O abundances with published C and N abundances to confirm with quite high precision that the sum of C+N+O is constant near the tip of the giant branch, and we extend this down to the bump in the luminosity function. Star I-5 in M13 has large excesses of Y and of Ba, with no strong enhancement of Eu, suggesting an s-process event contributed. The mean abundance ratios for M3 and for M13 are identical to within the errors. The abundance ratios for 13 Galactic GCs with recent detailed abundance analyses are compared to those of published large surveys of metal-poor halo field stars. For most elements, the agreement is very good, suggesting a common chemical history for the halo field and cluster stars.

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arXiv2004

Abundances In Very Metal Poor Dwarf Stars

We discuss the detailed composition of 28 extremely metal-poor dwarfs, 22 of which are from the Hamburg/ESO Survey, based on Keck Echelle spectra. Our sample has a median [Fe/H] of -2.7 dex, extends to -3.5 dex, and is somewhat less metal-poor than was expected from [Fe/H](HK,HES) determined from low resolution spectra. Our analysis supports the existence of a sharp decline in the distribution of halo stars with metallicity below [Fe/H] = -3.0 dex. So far no additional turnoff stars with [Fe/H]}<-3.5 have been identified in our follow up efforts. For the best observed elements between Mg and Ni, we find that the abundance ratios appear to have reached a plateau, i.e. [X/Fe] is approximately constant as a function of [Fe/H], except for Cr, Mn and Co, which show trends of abundance ratios varying with [Fe/H]. These abundance ratios at low metallicity correspond approximately to the yield expected from Type II SN with a narrow range in mass and explosion parameters; high mass Type II SN progenitors are required. The dispersion of [X/Fe] about this plateau level is surprisingly small, and is still dominated by measurement errors rather than intrinsic scatter. The dispersion in neutron-capture elements, and the abundance trends for Cr, Mn and Co are consistent with previous studies of evolved EMP stars. Two dwarfs in the sample are carbon stars, while two others have significant C enhancements, all with C12/C13 ~ 7 and with C/N between 10 and 150. Three of these C-rich stars have large enhancements of the heavy neutron capture elements, including lead, which implies a strong s-process contribution, presumably from binary mass transfer; the fourth shows no excess of Sr or Ba.

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arXiv2003

The Chemical Inhomogeneity of Faint M13 Stars: C and N Abundances

Building upon earlier observations which demonstrate substantial star-to-star differences in the carbon abundances of M13 subgiants, we present new Keck LRIS spectra reaching more that 1.5 mag below the M13 main-sequence turn-off (to V ~ 20). Our analysis reveals a distribution of C abundances similar to that found among the subgiants, implying little change in the compositions of the M13 stars at least through the main-sequence turn-off. We presume these differences to be the result of some process operating early in the cluster history. Additional spectra of previously studied bright M13 giants have been obtained with the Hale 5-m. A comparison of C abundances derived using the present methods and those from the literature yield a mean difference of 0.03+-0.14 dex for four stars in common with Smith et al. (1996) and 0.14+-0.07 dex for stars also observed by Suntzeff (1981) (if one extreme case is removed). We conclude that the lower surface C abundances of these luminous giants as compared to the subgiants and main-sequence stars are likely the result of mixing rather than a difference in our abundance scales. NH band strengths have also been measured for a handful of the most luminous M13 turn-off stars. While molecular band formation in such stars is weak, significant star-to-star NH band strength differences are present. Moreover, for the stars with both C and N measurements, differences between stars in these two elements appear to be anticorrelated. Finally, the most recent C and N abundances for main-sequence, main-sequence turn-off, and subgiant stars in 47 Tuc, M71, M5, and the present M13 data are compared.

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arXiv2003

The Ages and Abundances of a Sample of Globular Clusters in M49 (NGC 4472)

We present a study of the metallicity and age of the globular clusters system of M49 (NGC 4472), the most luminous galaxy in the Virgo cluster. We measure Lick indices for 47 GCs in M49 from LRIS/Keck spectra and establish their metallicity parameters qualitatively in comparison to the Galactic GCs and to published data for 150 M87 GCs. We then compare our measurements with the predictions of models for the integrated light of old single burst stellar systems by Worthey and by Thomas, Maraston & Bender. We find that the metallicity of the M49 GC system spans the range from [Fe/H]_Z = -2.0 to +0.4 dex. We show that the metallicity and age parameters for these two GC systems are basically identical, except that the M49 GCs reach slightly higher metallicities than do those of M87. We find that the GCs of both of these giant elliptical galaxies are alpha-enhanced by a factor of about two above the Solar value, as is also true of the Galactic GCs. While adoption of the alpha-enhanced models of TMB has eliminated most of the previous discrepancies with observations, the most metal rich M49 GCs have NaD lines which are still considerably stronger than those predicted by any model, and there are still issues involving the metallicity scale of these models. We find that in the mean, the M49 GCs are at least 10 Gyr old. However, the grids of models we used differ in how they treat the horizontal branch, and this perceptibly affects the predicted Hbeta index. Hence our current incomplete understanding of the role of the horizontal branch limits our ability to derive a more detailed distribution for the ages of the GCs in M49 and in M87.

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arXiv2003

Dynamics of the Globular Cluster System Associated with M49 (NGC4472): Cluster Orbital Properties and the Distribution of Dark Matter

We have measured radial velocities for 196 globular clusters (GCs) around M49, the brightest member of the Virgo Cluster. Combined with published data, they bring the total number of GCs with measured radial velocities in this galaxy to 263. Using this sample, we extract the projected kinematics of the full sample of GCs, and of the separate metal-poor and metal-rich subsamples. In agreement with previous results for the global GC kinematics based on smaller datasets, we find that the GC system as a whole exhibits a slow overall rotation that is due almost entirely to a net rotation of the metal-poor GC subsystem alone. In a spatial average, the metal-rich GCs shows essentially no rotation. We note, however, the presence of a well defined grouping of 10 metal-rich GCs that are located at opposite poles along the galaxy's major axis and which appear to be rotating at nearly 300 km/s about the minor axis. This grouping may be the relic of a past merger or accretion event. Using a Jeans-equation analysis, we show that the GC radial velocities alone point unequivocally (and independently of X-ray observations) to the need for a massive dark halo associated with M49 and the Virgo B subcluster around it. We also show that the GC system as a whole is consistent with an almost perfectly isotropic velocity ellipsoid. M49 is now the second elliptical galaxy (after M87) for which we have been able to demonstrate velocity isotropy in the globular cluster system overall, when no division based on GC color or metallicity is attempted. Thus, the data for these two galaxies lend support the general assumption of isotropy when using GC kinematics to study the dark-matter distribution in early-type galaxies. (ABRIDGED)

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arXiv2003

Abundance Analysis of HE2148-1247, A Star With Extremely Enhanced Neutron Capture Elements

Abundances for 27 elements in the very metal poor dwarf star HE2148-1247 are presented, including many of the neutron capture elements. We establish that HE2148-1247 is a very highly s-process enhanced star with anomalously high Eu as well, Eu/H about half Solar, demonstrating the large addition of heavy nuclei at [Fe/H] = -2.3 dex. Ba and La are enhanced by a somewhat larger factor and reach the solar abundance, while Pb significantly exceeds it. Ba/Eu is ten times the solar r-process ratio but much less than that of the s-process, indicating a substantial r-process addition as well. C and N are also very highly enhanced. We have found that HE2148-1247 is a radial velocity variable. The C, N and the s-process element enhancements thus presumably were produced through mass transfer from a former AGB binary companion. The large enhancement of heavy r-nuclides also requires an additional source as this is far above any inventory in the ISM at such low [Fe/H]. We further hypothesize that accretion onto the white dwarf from the envelope of the star caused accretion induced collapse of the white dwarf, forming a neutron star, which then produced heavy r-nuclides and again contaminated its companion. (abridged)

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arXiv2002

Stellar Archaeology: a Keck Pilot Program on Extremely Metal- Poor Stars From the Hamburg/ESO Survey. III. The Lead (Pb) Star HE 0024-2523

We present a detailed abundance analysis, including spectral syntheses, of a very metal-poor ([Fe/H]= -2.7), peculiar main sequence star, HE0024-2523 detected during the course of the Keck Pilot Program. Radial velocities of this star were obtained during four different observing runs over a time span of 1.1 years, and demonstrate that it is clearly a short period spectroscopic binary. An orbital solution was obtained, and orbital parameters were determined with high precision. The rotational velocity was also measured (vsin i=9.7$\pm$1.5 kms); rotation appears likely to be synchronous with the orbit. The abundance analysis and spectral syntheses indicate that the object is a CH star characterized by extreme s-process enrichment, likely due to mass accretion from an evolved companion which has now probably become a white dwarf. The lead (Pb) abundance of HE0024-2523 is very high, the same as that of the recently discovered lead-rich metal-poor star CS 29526-110, [Pb/Fe]=+3.3. The abundance ratio of the heavy-s to light-s elements, as characterized by Pb and Ba, [Pb/Ba]=+1.9, is the highest yet found for any metal-poor star, and is about 0.7 dex higher than that of CS29526-110. On the basis of the measured isotopic ratio of carbon (12C/13C about 6) we argue that the mass donor must have had an original mass of at least 3 Msun. The unusually short period of this CH star suggests that it underwent a past common-envelope phase with its evolved companion. Our results are compared to the latest available models for AGB yields and s-process nucleosynthesis. We also discuss the possible connection between HE0024-2523 the lithium depletion of halo stars, and halo blue straggler formation.

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arXiv2002

Abundances in Stars from the Red Giant Branch Tip to Near the Main Sequence Turn Off in M5

We present the iron abundance and abundance ratios for 18 elements with respect to Fe in a sample of stars with a wide range in luminosity from luminous giants to stars near the turnoff in the globular cluster M5. The analyzed spectra, obtained with HIRES at the Keck Observatory, are of high dispersion (R=35,000). We find that the neutron capture, the iron peak and the alpha-element abundance ratios show no trend with Teff, and low scatter around the mean between the top of the RGB and near the main sequence turnoff To within the precision of the measurements (~0.1 dex), gravitationally induced heavy element diffusion does not appear to be present among the stars near the main sequence turnoff studied here. Our work and other recent studies suggest that heavy element diffusion is inhibited in the surface layers of metal poor stars. Differences in the Na abundance from star to star which extend to the main sequence turnoff are detected in our sample in M5. The anti-correlation between O and Na abundances, observed in other metal poor globular clusters, is not detected in our sample, but it may be hidden among stars with only upper limits for their O abundances. Overall the abundance ratios of M5 appear very similar to those of M71, with the possible exception of the neutron capture element Ba, where we argue that the apparent difference may be due to difficulties in the analysis. As in M71, the alpha-elements Mg, Ca, Si and Ti are overabundant relative to Fe. The results of our abundance analysis of 25 stars in M5 provide further evidence of abundance variations among specific light elements at unexpectedly low luminosities, which cannot be explained by our current understanding of stellar evolution.

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arXiv2002

Carbon Abundances of Faint Stars in M13 - Evidence for Two Abundance Altering Mechanisms

We present an analysis of CH band strengths in Keck LRIS spectra of a sample of 81 stars in M13 within 2 magnitudes of the main-sequence turnoff. The subgiants clearly exhibit a substantial (a factor of ~ 6) spread in [C/Fe]. Moreover, the bulk of the subgiants possess C abundances larger than those found among their more luminous counterparts. The turnoff stars themselves are too warm for appreciable CH formation, but the relatively small range in the observed CH band strength for stars just below the turnoff nevertheless translates into this same spread in [C/Fe]. Still fainter, the sample size is small, but the same range in [C/Fe] appears to be present. On the basis of these observations we suggest that a process external to the present stars has resulted in a substantial star-to-star dispersion in [C/Fe] (and possibly other light elements) among all stars in M13. In addition, the surface C abundances among the more luminous stars have been further modified by the operation of an internal deep-mixing mechanism during red giant branch ascent. The amplitude of the scatter we find in [C/Fe] at all luminosities may prove difficult to explain via accretion from intermediate mass AGB stars as the external "polluting" mechanism.

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arXiv2002

The Redshift of the Lensed Object in the Einstein Ring B0218+357

We present a secure redshift of z=0.944\pm0.002 for the lensed object in the Einstein ring gravitational lens B0218+357 based on five broad emission lines, in good agreement with our preliminary value announced several years ago based solely on the detection of a single emission line.

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arXiv2002

Star Formation in the Hubble Deep Field North

I am currently analyzing the emission line spectra of the approximately 600 galaxies from the sample of Cohen et al. (2000) and Cohen (2001) in the region of the HDF-North with z<1.5. A progress report on this effort of the Caltech Faint Galaxy Redshift Survey is presented.

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arXiv2002

Stellar Archaeology: a Keck Pilot Program on Extremely Metal-Poor Stars From the Hamburg/ESO Survey. I Stellar Parameters

In this series of two papers we present a high dispersion spectroscopic analysis of 8 candidate extremely metal poor stars selected from the Hamburg/ESO Survey and of 6 additional very metal poor stars. We demonstrate that with suitable vetting using moderate-resolution spectra the yield of this survey for stars with [Fe/H] $\le -3.0$ dex is very high; three out of the eight stars observed thus far at high resolution from the HES are actually that metal poor, three more have [Fe/H] $\le -2.8$ dex, and the remainder are only slightly more metal rich. In preparation for a large scale effort to mine the Hamburg/ESO Survey database for such stars about to get underway, we lay out in this paper the basic principles we intend to use to determine in a uniform way the stellar parameters Teff, surface grav, and reddening.

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arXiv2002

Stellar Archaeology: a Keck Pilot Program on Extremely Metal-Poor Stars from the Hamburg/ESO Survey. II. Abundance Analysis

We present a detailed abundance analysis of 8 stars selected as extremely metal poor candidates from the Hamburg/ESO Survey (HES). For comparison, we have also analysed 3 extremely metal-poor candidates from the HK survey, and 3 additional bright metal-poor stars. With this work, we have doubled the number of extremely metal-poor stars ([Fe/H]$\le 3.0$) with high-precision abundance analyses. Our sample of extremely metal-poor candidates from the HES contains 3 stars with [Fe/H] $\le -3.0$, 3 more with [Fe/H]$\le -2.8$, and 2 stars that are only slightly more metal rich. Thus, the chain of procedures that led to the selection of these stars from the HES successfully provides a high fraction of extremely metal-poor stars. We verify that our stellar parameters, derived in Paper I, lead to acceptable ionization and excitation balances for Fe, ruling out substantial non-LTE effects in Fe. For the $α-$elements Mg, Si, Ca, Ti, the light element Al, the iron-peak elements Sc, Cr, Mn, and the neutron capture elements Sr and Ba, we find trends in abundance ratios [X/Fe] similar to those found by previous studies. However,the scatter in most of these ratios, even at [Fe/H]$\le -3.0$ dex, is surprisingly small. Only Sr and Ba show scatter larger than the expected errors. Future work (the 0Z project) will provide much stronger constraints on the scatter (or lack thereof) in abundances for a greater number of stars. We discuss the implications of these results for the early chemical evolution of the Galaxy, including such issues as the number of contributing SN, and the sizes of typical fragments in which they were born. In addition, we have identified a very metal poor star that appears to be the result of the s-process chain, operating in a very metal-poor environment, with extremely enhanced C, Ba, and Pb, and somewhat enhanced Sr.

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