arXiv subjects

Sofia Feltzing

Publications and source records attributed to Sofia Feltzing.

62 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

arXiv2001

The solar neighbourhood age-metallicity relation - does it exist?

We derive stellar ages, from evolutionary tracks, and metallicities, from Stromgren photometry, for a sample of 5828 dwarf and sub-dwarf stars from the Hipparcos Catalogue. This stellar disk sample is used to investigate the age-metallicity diagram in the solar neighbourhood. Such diagrams are often used to derive a so called age-metallicity relation. Because of the size of our sample, we are able to quantify the impact on such diagrams, and derived relations, due to different selection effects. Some of these effects are of a more subtle sort, giving rise to erroneous conclusions. In particular we show that [1] the age-metallicity diagram is well populated at all ages and especially that old, metal-rich stars do exist, [2] the scatter in metallicity at any given age is larger than the observational errors, [3] the exclusion of cooler dwarf stars from an age-metallicity sample preferentially excludes old, metal-rich stars, depleting the upper right-hand corner of the age-metallicity diagram, [4] the distance dependence found in the Edvardsson et al. sample by Garnett & Kobulnicky is an expected artifact due to the construction of the original sample. We conclude that, although some of it can be attributed to stellar migration in the galactic disk, a large part of the observed scatter is intrinsic to the formation processes of stars.

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arXiv2001

The low-mass IMF - deep star counts in the dSph galaxy Ursa Minor

We present a new study of deep star counts in the Local Group dwarf spheroidal (dSph) in Ursa Minor. Both the luminosity function (LF) and the colour-magnitude diagram (CMD) of the unevolved stars are compared with the LF and CMD of the old, metal-poor globular cluster M92. The main sequence locations and turn-offs are identical within the errors. Since we know from the brighter evolved stars that the metallicities for these two disparate systems are the same this implies that they also have equal ages. A direct comparison of faint LFs is then equivalent to comparison of the low-mass stellar Initial Mass Functions (IMF). We find that their LFs are identical within the mass-range covered (~0.35 - 0.8 M_sun). The Ursa Minor dSph has one of the highest apparent M/L ratios known in the Local Group, and is an extremely low surface brightness external galaxy. M92 is a typical high surface brightness globular cluster, with no apparent dark matter. These results lead to the conclusion that the low-mass stellar IMF in systems that formed at high redshift is independent of environment. Indeed, it is consistent with the low-mass IMF in star-forming regions today.

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arXiv2000

Detailed abundance analysis of 8 super-metal-rich star candidates

We provide detailed abundance analyses of 8 candidate super-metal-rich stars. Five of them are confirmed to have [Fe/H] > 0.2 dex, the generally-accepted limit for super-metal-richness. Furthermore, we derive abundances of several elements and find that the stars follow trends seen in previous studies of metal-rich stars. Ages are estimated from isochrones and velocities calculated. We find that there do exist very metal-rich stars that are older than 10 Gyr. This is contrary to what is found in several recent studies of the galactic age-metallicity relation. This is tentative evidence that there might not exist a one-to-one relation between age and metallicity for all stars. This is not surprising considering the current models of the independent evolution of the different galactic components. We also find that one star, HD 182572, could with ~ 75 % chance be a thick disk star with, for the thick disk, an extremely high metallicity at 0.34 dex. This star is, intriguingly, also somewhat enhanced in the alpha-elements.

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arXiv2000

The reality of old moving groups - the case of HR 1614

We prove the existence of the old and metal-rich moving group HR1614. This is done using the new Hipparcos parallaxes in combination with metallicities derived from Stromgren photometry, supported by dynamical simulations of the evolution of old moving groups in the galactic potential. A new selection criterion for this moving group is presented as well as a new, extended sample of probable member stars. In particular we find that the HR 1614 moving group has an age of about 2 Gyr (using Bertelli et al. 1994 isochrones) and a [Fe/H] = 0.19 +/- 0.06 dex. We also revisit and apply our new selection criterion to the samples in Eggen (1992) and Eggen (1998). It is found that, when binaries and stars with too low metallicity have been removed, 15 of his stars fulfill our criteria.

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arXiv2000

Age and metallicity gradients in the Galactic Bulge - A differential study using HST/WFPC2

The Galactic Bulge has long been assumed to be a largely old stellar population. However, some recent studies based on observations with the HST WF/PC-1 and WFPC2 of stars in the Galactic Bulge have concluded that the old population may not make up more then 30% of the total. Other studies using HST/WFPC2 differential studies of `Bulge' globular clusters and field stars have found the bulge to be comparable in age to the Galactic Halo. A complication in all these studies is the presence of a substantial population of stars which mimic a young bulge population, but which may be, and are often assumed to be, foreground disk stars whose reddening and distance distributions happen to mimic a young bulge turnoff. We show, using number counts in HST/WFPC2 colour-magnitude diagrams of both field stars in the Bulge and of two `bulge' and one `disk' globular cluster (NGC6528, NGC6553, and NGC5927) that the stars interpreted as young in fact are foreground disk stars. Thus, we confirm that the bulk of the bulge field stars in Baade's Window are old. The existence of a young metal-rich population cannot, however, be ruled out from our data. We also test for age and metallicity gradients using the CMD of a metal-rich globular cluster as an empirical isochrone and derive a metallicity difference of <0.2 dex between Baade's window and SGR-I window.

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arXiv1999

The Low-Mass Stellar IMF at High Redshift: Faint Stars in the Ursa Minor Dwarf Spheroidal Galaxy

Low-mass stars, those with main-sequence lifetimes that are of order the age of the Universe, provide unique constraints on the Initial Mass Function (IMF) when they formed. Star counts in systems with simple star-formation histories are particularly straightforward to interpret, and those in old systems allow one to determine the low-mass stellar IMF at large look-back times and thus at high redshift. We present the faint stellar luminosity function (based on optical HST data) in an external galaxy, the Ursa Minor dwarf Spheroidal (dSph). This relatively-nearby (distance 70kpc) companion galaxy to the Milky Way has a stellar population with narrow distributions of age and of metallicity, remarkably similar to that of a classical halo globular cluster such as M92 or M15, i.e. old and metal-poor. Contrasting with globular clusters, the internal velocity dispersion of the Ursa Minor dSph indicates the presence of significant amounts of dark matter. We find that the main sequence stellar luminosity function of the Ursa Minor dSph, and implied IMF, down to 0.4 of a solar mass is indistinguishable from that of the halo globular clusters M92 and M15. Thus the low mass stellar IMF for stars that formed at high redshift is invariant in going from a low-surface-brightness, dark-matter-dominated external galaxy, to a globular cluster within the Milky Way.

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arXiv1999

The Faint Optical Stellar Luminosity Function in the Ursa Minor Dwarf Spheroidal Galaxy

Analyses of their internal stellar kinematics imply that the dwarf spheroidal (dSph) companion galaxies to the Milky Way are among the most dark-matter dominated systems known. Should there be significant dark matter in the form of faint stars in these systems, the stellar luminosity function must be very different from that of a similar metallicity globular cluster, for which there is no evidence for dark matter. We present the faint stellar luminosity function in the Ursa Minor dSph, down to a luminosity corresponding to roughly 0.45 M_sun, derived from new deep HST/WFPC2 data. We find a remarkable similarity between this luminosity function, and inferred initial mass function, and that of the globular cluster M92, a cluster of similar age and metallicity to the Ursa Minor dSph.

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arXiv1997

Abundances in metal-rich stars - Detailed abundance analysis of 47 G and K dwarf stars with [Me/H] $>$ 0.10 dex

We have derived elemental abundances of O, Na, Mg, Al, Si, Ca, Ti, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni for 47 G and K dwarf, with [Me/H]>0.1 dex. The selection of stars was based on their kinematics as well as on their uvby-photometry. One sample of stars on rather eccentric orbits traces the chemical evolution interior to the solar orbit and another, on circular orbits, the evolution around the solar orbit. A few Extreme Pop I stars were included in the latter sample. The stars have -0.1 0.1 dex. The increase in [Na/Fe] and [Al/Fe] as a function of [Fe/H] found previously by Edvardsson et al. (1993a) has been confirmed for [Na/Fe]. This upturning relation, and the scatter around it, are shown not to be due to a mixture of populations with different mean distances to the galactic centre. We have not been able to trace any tendency for relative abundances of O, Si, and Ti relative to Fe to vary with the stellar velocities, i.e. the stars present mean distance to the galactic centre. These results imply that there is no significant difference in the chemical evolution of the different stellar populations for stars with [Me/H]>0.1 dex. SMR stars on highly eccentric orbits, alleged to trace the evolution of the chemical evolution in the galactic Bulge, have previously been found overabundant in O, Mg and Si. We have included 3 such stars from the study by Barbuy & Grenon (1990). We find them to be less metal rich and the other elemental abundances remain puzzling. Our study includes 5 K dwarf stars and reveal a striking example of overionization.

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