Lithium Abundances In Solar-type Stars Research Articles

Lithium destruction induced by planetary accretion in solar-type stars

AbstractAccretion of planetary (metal-rich) material onto a star in its early phases can produce episodes of thermohaline convection below the outer convective zone. These extra-mixing phases lead to rapid lithium destruction. The observed dispersion of lithium abundances in solar-type stars can be related to such events.

A Comparative Study on Lithium Abundances in Solar-Type Stars With and Without Planets

We have investigated the abundance anomalies of lithium for stars with planets in the temperature range of 5600--5900 K reported by Israelian and coworkers, as compared to 20 normal stars at the same temperature and metallicity ranges. Our result indicates a higher probability of lithium depletion for stars with planets in the main--sequence stage. It seems that stellar photospheric abundances of lithium in stars with planets may be somewhat affected by the presence of planets. Two possible mechanisms are considered to account for the lower Li abundances of stars with planets. One is related to the rotation-induced mixing due to the conservation of angular momentum by the protoplanetary disk, and the other is a shear instability triggered by planet migration. These results provide new information on stellar evolution and the lithium evolution of the Galaxy.

The Evolution of the Lithium Abundances of Solar-Type Stars. VI. The End of Lithium in the Pleiades

The Evolution of the Lithium Abundances of Solar-Type Stars. VI. The End of Lithium in the Pleiades

The Rotational History of Solar-Type Stars: Does It Affect Lithium Abundances?

Recent studies of lithium abundances in solar-type stars suggest that second order effects, such as rotation and/or mass-loss, might affect the rate at which lithium is depleted at the surface of cool stars. This conclusion mainly stems from the dispersion of lithium abundances observed in late-type stars with otherwise similar mass and age. The dispersion of lithium abundances is relatively small in pre-main sequence (PMS) stars [1], reaches a maximum of about 2 dex in ZAMS stars (Soderblom, this volume), and decreases later during main sequence evolution, although significant dispersion may still be present by the age of the Sun [2], and perhaps even during the giant stage (Balachandran, this volume).Such a pattern of lithium dispersion is difficult to understand in the framework of conventional models in which lithium burning occurs at the base of the convective zone of non-rotating, non-mass losing stars. That two stars of the same age and mass can exhibit different lithium content strongly suggests that other, so far neglected, mechanisms play a role in lithium depletion.In this context, it may be relevant to stress that the pattern of lithium dispersion varies with age in much a similar way than does the dispersion of stellar rotation, namely: the dispersion in both rotation rates and lithium abundances is relatively small in the PMS stage, then strongly increases from the PMS to the ZAMS, and subsequently decreases on the main sequence. The parallel evolution of the range of lithium abundances and of rotation rates observed in solar-type stars is strongly suggestive of a physical link between rotation and lithium depletion.

The evolution of the lithium abundances of solar-type stars. III - The Pleiades

view Abstract Citations (540) References (76) Co-Reads Similar Papers Volume Content Graphics Metrics Export Citation NASA/ADS The Evolution of the Lithium Abundances of Solar-Type Stars. III. The Pleiades Soderblom, David R. ; Jones, Burton F. ; Balachandran, Suchitra ; Stauffer, John R. ; Duncan, Douglas K. ; Fedele, Stephen B. ; Hudon, J. D. Abstract New measurements of lithium in more than 100 Pleiades F, G, and K dwarfs are reported. Abundances are determined from spectrum synthesis fits to the data as well as from use of new covers of growth from the Li 6708-A feature. It is argued that most Late-F and early-G dwarfs in the Pleiades are consistent with the tight N(Li) vs mass relation seen in the Hyades in the same mass range. Most Li-rich stars have abundances at or near the primordial level for Population I, and none exceed that level by a significant amount. At any given color the stars that rotate fast have the most Li and have the strongest chromospheric activity. Ways in which an apparent spread in N(Li) could arise from an intrinsically tight n(Li)-mass relation are considered, and it is concluded that the spread is probably real and is not an artifact of line formation conditions or inhomogeneous atmospheres on the stars. Publication: The Astronomical Journal Pub Date: September 1993 DOI: 10.1086/116704 Bibcode: 1993AJ....106.1059S Keywords: Abundance; F Stars; G Stars; K Stars; Lithium; Star Clusters; Stellar Evolution; Color-Magnitude Diagram; Spectral Line Width; Starspots; Stellar Atmospheres; Stellar Rotation; Stellar Spectra; Astrophysics; STARS: ABUNDANCES; OPEN CLUSTERS AND ASSOCIATIONS: INDIVIDUAL: PLEIADES full text sources ADS | data products SIMBAD (135) CDS (1) Related Materials (9) Part 1: 1990AJ.....99..595S Part 2: 1993AJ....105.2299S Part 4: 1993AJ....106.1080S Part 5: 1995AJ....109.1402S Part 6: 1995AJ....110..729S Part 7: 1996AJ....112..186J Part 8: 1997AJ....114..352J Part 9: 1999AJ....117..330J Part 10: 1999AJ....118.1301S

The evolution of the lithium abundances of solar-type stars. II - The Ursa Major Group

We draw upon a recent study of the membership of the Ursa Major Group (UMaG) to examine lithium among 0.3 Gyr old solar-type stars. For most G and K dwarfs, Li confirms the conclusions about membership in UMaG reached on the basis of kinematics and chromospheric activity. G and K dwarfs in UMaG have less Li than comparable stars in the Pleiades. This indicates that G and K dwarfs undergo Li depletion while they are on the main sequence, in addition to any pre-main-sequence depletion they may have experienced. Moreover, the Li abundances of the Pleiades K dwarfs cannot be attributed to main-sequence depletion alone, demonstrating that pre-main-sequence depletion of Li also takes place. The sun's Li abundance implies that the main-sequence mechanism becomes less effective with age. The hottest stars in UMaG have Li abundances like those of hot stars in the Pleiades and Hyades and in T Tauris, and the two genuine UMaG members with temperatures near Boesgaard's Li chasm have Li abundances consistent with that chasm developing fully by 0.3 Gyr for stars with UMaG's metallicity. We see differences in the abundance of Li between UMaG members of the same spectral types, indicating that a real spread in the lithium abundance exists within this group.

The evolution of the lithium abundances of solar-type stars. I - The Hyades and Coma Berenices clusters

High-resolution, high signal-to-noise spectra of the lithium region at 6708 A in 28 solar-type stars of the Hyades and Coma Berenices clusters are reported. Given an observational uncertainty of less than about 5 mA in W-lambda (Li), no significant scatter about the mean relation was seen for most stars. However, there are several stars that have anomalous abundances. Two of them fall well below the mean relation, and appear to have no distinctive qualities that might account for their low Li. Two others are close binaries and have significantly greater than average Li. A means by which close binaries might preserve Li is suggested, and Li depletion timescales for stars near the zero-age main sequence (ZAMS) are estimated by comparing the Hyades to the Pleiades. This comparison indicates that Li depletion for stars near 1 solar mass starts on the ZAMS, not before, and that depletion occurs at a much slower rate after the age of the Hyades than before. 87 refs.

Lithium Abundances of Solar-Type Stars: A Critical Application of High Signal-to-Noise, High Resolution Spectroscopy

The study of lithium depletion in solar-type stars should help elucidate essential properties of convection in those objects. Recent high-quality observations have revealed extensive flaws in our understanding of this phenomenon. The state of our knowledge of Li depletion is reviewed, with a brief possible explanation of it all.

Evidence for Lithium Destruction and Synthesis in Main-Sequence and Subgiant Stars of about Solar Mass

Herbig’s extensive work on lithium abundances in solar-type stars on and near the main sequence, suggested to him that for these stars the lithium abundance might be some simple, decreasing function of age. If this were the full story we should expect a low lithium abundance in subgiants of about solar mass. However, already in Herbig’s work there were one or two stars with lithium abundance about 10 times the Greenstein-Richardson solar value whose trigonometrical parallaxes showed them to be possible subgiants. Other subgiants with high lithium abundances have been found by Wallerstein and at Pretoria. These results suggest that solar-mass stars are able to synthesise fresh lithium in or just prior to their subgiant phase.