Metal-poor Group Research Articles

Chemo-dynamics of the stellar component of the Sculptor dwarf galaxy. I. Observed properties

Recently, both the presence of multiple stellar chemo-kinematic components and rotation in the Sculptor dwarf spheroidal galaxy have been put into question. Therefore, we re-examine the chemo-kinematic properties of this galaxy, making use of the best spectroscopic dataset available containing both the line-of-sight velocities and metallicities of individual stars. We carried out a detailed, quantitative analysis on a recent spectroscopic dataset from the literature that contains high precision velocities and metallicities for 1339 members of Sculptor. In particular, we assessed whether Sculptor is best represented by a single stellar population with a negative metallicity gradient or by the super-position of two or more components with a different mean metallicity, spatial distribution, and kinematic properties. For this analysis, we also include the incompleteness of the spectroscopic dataset. We find that Sculptor is better described by a two-population model than by a single-population model with a metallicity gradient. Moreover, given the assumptions of the current modeling, we find evidence of a third population, composed of few stars, that is more extended and metal-poor than the two other populations. This very metal-poor group of stars shows a shift of sim 15 km s$^ $ in its average line-of-sight velocity ($v_ los $) with respect to the rest of the galaxy. We discuss several possible origins for this new population, finding a minor merger as the most likely one. We also find a $v_ los $ gradient of 4.0$^ $ km s$^ $ deg$^ $ but its statistical evidence is inconclusive and, moreover, its detection is partially driven by the group of stars with off-set velocities.

ESPRESSO observations of HE 0107−5240 and other CEMP-no stars with [Fe/H] ≤ –4.5

Context. HE 0107−5240 is a hyper metal-poor star with [Fe/H] = −5.39, one of the lowest-metallicity stars known. Its stellar atmosphere is enhanced in carbon, with [C/Fe] = +4.0, without a detectable presence of neutron-capture elements. Therefore, it belongs to the carbon-enhanced metal-poor (CEMP−no) group, along with the majority of the most metal-poor stars known to date. Recent studies have revealed variations in the line-of-sight velocity of HE 0107−5240, suggesting it belongs to a binary system. CEMP-no stars are the closest descendants of the very first Pop III stars, and binarity holds important clues for the poorly known mechanism that leads to their formation. Aims. We performed high-resolution observations with the ESPRESSO spectrograph at the VLT to constrain the kinematical properties of the binary system HE 0107−5240 and to probe the binarity of the sample of the eight most metal-poor stars with [Fe/H] ≤ −4.5. Methods. Radial velocities are obtained by using a cross-correlation function in the interval 4200−4315 Å , which contains the relatively strong CH band, against a template that could be either a synthetic spectrum or a combined observed spectrum in an iterative process. A Bayesian method is applied to calculate the orbit using the ESPRESSO measurements and others from the literature. Chemical analysis has also been performed for HE 0107−5240, employing spectral synthesis with the SYNTHE and ATLAS codes. Results. Observations of HE 0107−5240 spanning more than 3 years show a monotonic decreasing trend in radial velocity at a rate of approximately 0.5 m s−1 d−1. A maximum vrad was reached between March 13, 2012, and December 8, 2014. The period is constrained at Porb = 13009−1370+1496 d. New, more stringent upper limits have been found for several elements: (a) [Sr/Fe] and [Ba/Fe] are lower than −0.76 and +0.2, respectively, confirming the star is a CEMP-no; (b) A(Li) < 0.5 is well below the plateau at A(Li) = 1.1 found in the lower red giant branch stars, suggesting Li was originally depleted; and (c) the isotopic ratio 12C/13C is 87 ± 6, showing very low 13C in contrast to what is expected from a ‘spinstar’ progenitor. Conclusions. We confirm that HE 0107−5240 is a binary star with a long period of about 13 000 d (∼36 yr). The carbon isotopic ratio excludes the possibility that the companion has gone through the asymptotic giant branch phase and transferred mass to the currently observed star. The binarity of HE 0107−5240 implies that some of the first generations of low-mass stars formed in multiple systems and indicates that the low metallicity does not preclude the formation of binaries. Finally, a solid indication of vrad variation has also been found in SMSS 1605−1443.

Blanco DECam Bulge Survey (BDBS) IV: Metallicity distributions and bulge structure from 2.6 million red clump stars

ABSTRACT We present photometric metallicity measurements for a sample of 2.6 million bulge red clump stars extracted from the Blanco DECam Bulge Survey (BDBS). Similar to previous studies, we find that the bulge exhibits a strong vertical metallicity gradient, and that at least two peaks in the metallicity distribution functions appear at b < −5°. We can discern a metal-poor ([Fe/H] ∼ −0.3) and metal-rich ([Fe/H] ∼ +0.2) abundance distribution that each show clear systematic trends with latitude, and may be best understood by changes in the bulge’s star formation/enrichment processes. Both groups exhibit asymmetric tails, and as a result we argue that the proximity of a star to either peak in [Fe/H] space is not necessarily an affirmation of group membership. The metal-poor peak shifts to lower [Fe/H] values at larger distances from the plane while the metal-rich tail truncates. Close to the plane, the metal-rich tail appears broader along the minor axis than in off-axis fields. We also posit that the bulge has two metal-poor populations – one that belongs to the metal-poor tail of the low latitude and predominantly metal-rich group, and another belonging to the metal-poor group that dominates in the outer bulge. We detect the X-shape structure in fields with |Z| > 0.7 kpc and for stars with [Fe/H] > −0.5. Stars with [Fe/H] < −0.5 may form a spheroidal or ‘thick bar’ distribution while those with [Fe/H] $\gtrsim$ −0.1 are strongly concentrated near the plane.

Homogeneous analysis of globular clusters from the APOGEE survey with the BACCHUS code – III. ω Cen

ABSTRACT We study the multiple populations of ω Cen by using the abundances of Fe, C, N, O, Mg, Al, Si, K, Ca, and Ce from the high-resolution, high signal-to-noise (S/N > 70) spectra of 982 red giant stars observed by the SDSS-IV/APOGEE-2 survey. We find that the shape of the Al–Mg and N–C anticorrelations changes as a function of metallicity, continuous for the metal-poor groups, but bimodal (or unimodal) at high metallicities. There are four Fe populations, similarly to previous literature findings, but we find seven populations based on Fe, Al, and Mg abundances. The evolution of Al in ω Cen is compared to its evolution in the Milky Way and in five representative globular clusters. We find that the distribution of Al in metal-rich stars of ω Cen closely follows what is observed in the Galaxy. Other α-elements and C, N, O, and Ce are also compared to the Milky Way, and significantly elevated abundances are observed over what is found in the thick disc for almost all elements. However, we also find some stars with high metallicity and low [Al/Fe], suggesting that ω Cen could be the remnant core of a dwarf galaxy, but the existence of these peculiar stars needs an independent confirmation. We also confirm the increase in the sum of CNO as a function of metallicity previously reported in the literature and find that the [C/N] ratio appears to show opposite correlations between Al-poor and Al-rich stars as a function of metallicity.

Globular clusters in the outer halo of M 31

In this paper, we present photometry of 53 globular clusters (GCs) in the M 31 outer halo, including the GALEX far-ultraviolet (FUV) and near-ultraviolet (NUV), SDSS ugriz, 15 intermediate-band filters of BATC, and 2MASS JHKs bands. By comparing the multicolour photometry with stellar population synthesis models, we determine the metallicities, ages, and masses for these GCs, aiming to probe the merging/accretion history of M 31. We find no clear trend of metallicity and mass with the de-projected radius. The halo GCs younger than ∼8 Gyr are mostly located at the de-projected radii around 100 kpc, but this may be due to a selection effect. We also find that the halo GCs have consistent metallicities with their spatially associated substructures, which provides further evidence of the physical association between them. Both the disc and halo GCs in M 31 show a bimodal luminosity distribution. However, we should emphasise that there are more faint halo GCs which are not seen in the disc. The bimodal luminosity function of the halo GCs may reflect a different origin or evolution environment in their original hosts. The M 31 halo GCs include one intermediate metallicity group (−1.5 < [Fe/H] < −0.4) and one metal-poor group ([Fe/H] < −1.5), while the disc GCs have one metal-rich group more. There are considerable differences between the halo GCs in M 31 and the Milky Way (MW). The total number of GCs in M 31 is approximately three times greater than in the MW, however M 31 has about six times more halo GCs than the MW. Compared to the halo GCs of M 31, those of the MW are mostly metal-poor. Both the numerous halo GCs and the higher-metallicity component are suggestive of an active merger history of M 31.

The age–velocity dispersion relation of the Galactic discs from LAMOST–Gaia data

We present the age-velocity dispersion relation (AVR) in three dimensions in the solar neighbourhood using 3,564 commonly observed sub-giant/red-giant branch stars selected from LAMOST, which gives the age and radial velocity, and \emph{Gaia}, which measures the distance and proper motion. The stars are separated into metal-poor (${\rm [Fe/H]<-0.2}$\,dex and metal-rich (${\rm [Fe/H]>-0.2}$\,dex) groups, so that the metal-rich stars are mostly $\alpha$-poor, while the metal-poor group are mostly contributed by $\alpha$-enhanced stars. Thus, the old and metal-poor stars likely belong to the chemically defined thick disc population, while the metal-rich sample is dominated by the thin disc. The AVR for the metal-poor sample shows an abrupt increase at $\gtrsim7$\,Gyr, which is contributed by the thick disc component. On the other hand, most of the thin disc stars with ${\rm [Fe/H]>-0.2}$\,dex display a power-law like AVR with indices of about 0.3--0.4 and 0.5 for the in-plane and vertical dispersions, respectively. This is consistent with the scenario that the disc is gradually heated by the spiral arms and/or the giant molecular clouds. Moreover, the older thin disc stars ($>7$\,Gyr) have a rounder velocity ellipsoid, i.e. $\sigma_\phi/\sigma_{\rm z}$ is close to 1.0, probably due to the more efficient heating in vertical direction. Particularly for the old metal-poor sample located with $|z|>270$\,pc, the vertical dispersion is even larger than its azimuthal counterpart. Finally, the vertex deviations and the tilt angles are plausibly around zero with large uncertainties.

Spectroscopic Comparison of Metal-rich RRab Stars of the Galactic Field with their Metal-poor Counterparts

Abstract We investigate atmospheric properties of 35 stable RRab stars that possess the full ranges of period, light amplitude, and metal abundance found in Galactic RR Lyrae stars. Our results are derived from several thousand echelle spectra obtained over several years with the du Pont telescope of Las Campanas Observatory. Radial velocities of metal lines and the Hα line were used to construct curves of radial velocity versus pulsation phase. From these we estimated radial velocity amplitudes for metal lines (formed near the photosphere) and Hα Doppler cores (formed at small optical depths). We also measured Hα emission fluxes when they appear during primary light rises. Spectra shifted to rest wavelengths, binned into small phase intervals, and co-added were used to perform model atmospheric and abundance analyses. The derived metallicities and those of some previous spectroscopic surveys were combined to produce a new calibration of the Layden abundance scale. We then divided our RRab sample into metal-rich (disk) and metal-poor (halo) groups at [Fe/H] = −1.0; the atmospheres of RRab families, so defined, differ with respect to (a) peak strength of Hα emission flux, (b) Hα radial velocity amplitude, (c) dynamical gravity, (d) stellar radius variation, (e) secondary acceleration during the photometric bump that precedes minimum light, and (f) duration of Hα line-doubling. We also detected Hα line-doubling during the “bump” in the metal-poor family, but not in the metal-rich one. Although all RRab probably are core helium-burning horizontal branch stars, the metal-rich group appears to be a species sui generis.

STAR CLUSTERS IN M31. VII. GLOBAL KINEMATICS AND METALLICITY SUBPOPULATIONS OF THE GLOBULAR CLUSTERS

ABSTRACT We carry out a joint spatial–kinematical–metallicity analysis of globular clusters (GCs) around the Andromeda Galaxy (M31), using a homogeneous, high-quality spectroscopic data set. In particular, we remove the contaminating young clusters that have plagued many previous analyses. We find that the clusters can be divided into three major metallicity groups based on their radial distributions: (1) an inner metal-rich group ([Fe/H] &gt; ); (2) a group with intermediate metallicity (with median [Fe/H] = −1); and (3) a metal-poor group, with [Fe/H] &lt; . The metal-rich group has kinematics and spatial properties like those of the disk of M31, while the two more metal-poor groups show mild prograde rotation overall, with larger dispersions—in contrast to previous claims of stronger rotation. The metal-poor GCs are the least concentrated group; such clusters occur five times less frequently in the central bulge than do clusters of higher metallicity. Despite some well-known differences between the M31 and Milky Way GC systems, our revised analysis points to remarkable similarities in their chemodynamical properties, which could help elucidate the different formation stages of galaxies and their GCs. In particular, the M31 results motivate further exploration of a metal-rich GC formation mode in situ, within high-redshift, clumpy galactic disks.

Multiple populations in globular clusters and the origin of the Oosterhoff period groups

Abstract The presence of multiple populations is now well established in most globular clusters in the Milky Way. In light of this, here we propose a new model to explain the origin of the Sandage period-shift and the difference in mean period of type ab RR Lyrae variables between the two Oosterhoff groups. In our model, the instability strip in the metal-poor group II clusters, such as M15, is populated by second-generation stars (G2) with enhanced helium and CNO abundances, while the RR Lyraes in the relatively metal-rich group I clusters such as M3 are produced mostly by first-generation stars (G1) without these enhancements. This population shift within the instability strip with metallicity can create the observed period-shift between the two groups, as both helium and CNO abundances play a role in increasing the period of RR Lyraes. The presence of more metal-rich clusters having Oosterhoff-intermediate characteristics, such as NGC 1851, as well as of most metal-rich clusters having RR Lyraes with the longest periods (group III) can also be reproduced, as more helium-rich third and later generations of stars (G3) penetrate into the instability strip with a further increase in metallicity. Therefore, although there are systems in which the suggested population shift cannot be a viable explanation, for the most general cases our models predict that the RR Lyraes are produced mostly by G1, G2 and G3 for the Oosterhoff groups I, II and III, respectively.

Two groups within the thick disc of the Milky Way?

Compositions of F and G dwarf stars in two groups of thick disc stars are presented. The groups identified by Schuster et al. have mean characteristics ([Fe/H], V(rot), Age, ) of (−0.7 dex, 120 km s−1, 12.5 Gyr, 62 km s−1) and (−0.4, 160, 10.0, 45.8). Abundances for 23 elements obtained from high-resolution spectra are presented for 59 stars in the metal-rich group and 27 stars in the metal-poor group. The run of abundance ratios [X/Fe] versus [Fe/H] for the two groups define a single relation for each element (designated as X) with no intrinsic scatter and without a measurable discontinuity at −0.6 < [Fe/H] < −0.5, the metallicity at which the two groups overlap. The relations [X/Fe] versus [Fe/H] are those determined previously for thick disc stars. It is suggested that these two groups and the thick disc as a whole have a common origin in terms of prior chemical evolution.

Spectroscopic study of globular clusters in the halo of M31 with the Xinglong 2.16 m telescope II: dynamics, metallicity and age

In Paper I, we performed spectroscopic observations on 11 confirmed globular clusters (GCs) in M31 with the Xinglong 2.16 m telescope. We mainly focused on the fitting method and the metallicity gradient for the M31 GC sample. Here, we analyze and further discuss the dynamics, metallicity and age, and their distributions, as well as the relationships between these parameters. In our work, eight more confirmed GCs in the halo of M31 were observed, most of which lack previous spectroscopic information. These star clusters are located far from the galactic center at a projected radius of ∼ 14 to ∼ 117 kpc, which is more spatially extended than that in the previous work. Firstly, we measured the Lick absorption-line indices and the radial velocities. Then the ages and metallicity values of [Fe/H] and [α/Fe] were fitted by comparing the observed spectral feature indices and the Single Stellar Population model of Thomas et al. in the Cassisi and Padova stellar evolutionary tracks, respectively. Our results show that most of the star clusters in our sample are older than 10 Gyr except B290, which is ∼ 5.5 Gyr, and most of them are metal-poor with metallicity [Fe/H] < −1, suggesting that these clusters were born at the early stage of the galaxy's formation. We find that the metallicity gradient for the outer halo clusters with rp > 25 kpc may have an insignificant slope of −0.005 ± 0.005 dex kpc−1 and if the outliers G001 and H11 are excluded, the slope does not change significantly, with a value of −0.002 ± 0.003 dex kpc−1. We also find that the metallicity is not a function of age for the GCs with age < 7 Gyr, but for the old GCs with age > 7 Gyr, there seems to be a trend that the older ones have lower metallicity. Additionally, we plot metallicity distributions with the largest sample of M31 GCs so far and show the bimodality is not significant, and the number of metal-poor and metal-rich groups becomes comparable. The spatial distributions show that the metal-rich group is more centrally concentrated but the metal-poor group occupies a more extended halo. In addition, the young population is centrally concentrated but the old population is more spatially extended towards the outer halo.

Multiple populations inω Centauri: a cluster analysis of spectroscopic data

Omega Cen is composed of several stellar populations. Their history might allow us to reconstruct the evolution of this complex object. We performed a statistical cluster analysis on the large data set provided by Johnson and Pilachowski (2010). Stars in Omega Cen divide into three main groups. The metal-poor group includes about a third of the total. It shows a moderate O-Na anticorrelation, and similarly to other clusters, the O-poor second generation stars are more centrally concentrated than the O-rich first generation ones. This whole population is La-poor, with a pattern of abundances for n-capture elements which is very close to a scaled r-process one. The metal-intermediate group includes the majority of the cluster stars. This is a much more complex population, with an internal spread in the abundances of most elements. It shows an extreme O-Na anticorrelation, with a very numerous population of extremely O-poor and He-rich second generation stars. This second generation is very centrally concentrated. This whole population is La-rich, with a pattern of the abundances of n-capture elements that shows a strong contribution by the s-process. The spread in metallicity within this metal-intermediate population is not very large, and we might attribute it either to non uniformities of an originally very extended star forming region, or to some ability to retain a fraction of the ejecta of the core collapse SNe that exploded first, or both. As previously noticed, the metal-rich group has an Na-O correlation, rather than anticorrelation. There is evidence for the contribution of both massive stars ending their life as core-collapse SNe, and intermediate/low mass stars, producing the s-capture elements. Kinematics of this population suggests that it formed within the cluster rather than being accreted.

SPACE VELOCITIES OF SOUTHERN GLOBULAR CLUSTERS. VI. NINE CLUSTERS IN THE INNER MILKY WAY

We have measured the absolute proper motions of nine low-latitude, inner Galaxy globular clusters, namely, NGC 6273 (M 19), NGC 6284, NGC 6287, NGC 6293, NGC 6333 (M 9), NGC 6342, NGC 6356, NGC 6388, and NGC 6441. These are the first determinations ever made for these clusters. The proper motions are on the International Celestial Reference System via Hipparcos. The proper-motion errors range between 0.4 and 0.9 mas yr−1 and are dominated by the number of measurable cluster members in these regions which are very crowded by the bulge/bar and the thick disk. This sample contains five metal-poor ([Fe/H] < −1.0) and four metal-rich ([Fe/H] ⩾ −1.0) clusters; seven clusters are located within ∼4 kpc from the Galactic center, while the remaining two, namely NGC 6356 and NGC 6284, are in the background of the bulge at ∼7.5 kpc from the Galactic center. By combining proper motions with radial velocities and distances from the literature we derive three-dimensional velocities. In a number of cases, distance uncertainties make the kinematical classification ambiguous. For the metal-poor group of clusters, we find that three clusters, namely NGC 6273, NGC 6287, and NGC 6293 are members of a kinematically hot system, the inner halo. As for the remaining two metal-poor clusters, NGC 6284 is located at ∼7.5 kpc from the Galactic center and kinematically belongs to the thick disk, while NGC 6333, located in the inner ∼2 kpc, has an uncertain membership (between halo and thick disk) due to the distance uncertainty. Within the metal-rich group of clusters, NGC 6356 and NGC 6342 have velocities compatible with membership in the thick disk; however, velocity uncertainties do not allow us to rule out their belonging to a hotter system. NGC 6342 is within ∼2 kpc from the Galactic center, and thus it may belong to the bulge. NGC 6356 is at ∼7.5 kpc from the Galactic center and thus its metallicity, kinematics, and location argue together in favor of thick-disk membership. The remaining two metal-rich clusters, NGC 6388 and NGC 6441, have velocities incompatible with membership in the thick disk or the bar of the Milky Way. They can be thought of as members of a kinematically hot system in the inner Galaxy. Curiously, both clusters have similar velocity components. Together with their similar Galactic location and peculiar but similar stellar-population characteristics, these two clusters may share a common origin. Their velocities are also very low indicating that the two clusters are now at apocenter, i.e., they will not leave the inner ∼4 kpc of the Galaxy.

The Multiplicity of the Subgiant Branch of ω Centauri: Evidence for Prolonged Star Formation

We present metallicity measurements based on GIRAFFE@VLT spectra of 80 subgiant-branch stars of the Galactic globular cluster Omega Centauri. The VLT spectroscopic data are complemented by ACS/HST and WFI@ESO2.2m high-accuracy color-magnitude diagrams. We have obtained the [Fe/H] abundance for each of the 80 target stars, and the abundances of C, N, Ca, Ti, and Ba for a subset of them, by comparison with synthetic spectra. We show that stars with [Fe/H]<-1.25 have a large magnitude spread on the flat part of the SGB. We interpret this as empirical evidence for an age spread. We have identified four distinct stellar groups within the SGB region: (i) an old, metal-poor group ([Fe/H]~-1.7); (ii) an old, metal-rich group ([Fe/H]~-1.1); (iii) a young (up to 4--5 Gyr younger than the old component) metal-poor group ([Fe/H]~-1.7); (iv) a young, intermediate-metallicity ([Fe/H]~-1.4) group, on average 1--2 Gyr younger than the old metal-poor population, and with an age spread that we cannot properly quantify with the present sample. In addition, a group of SGB stars are spread between the intermediate-metallicity and metal-rich branches of the SGB. The spread in age within each population establishes that the progenitor of Omega Cen system must have had a composite nature.

The Chemical Properties of Milky Way and M31 Globular Clusters. II. Stellar Population Model Predictions

We derive ages, metallicities and [alpha/Fe] ratios from the integrated spectra of 23 globular clusters in M31, by employing multivariate fits to two stellar population models. In parallel we analyze spectra of 21 Galactic globular clusters in order to facilitate a differential analysis. We find that the M31 globular clusters separate into three distinct components in age and metallicity. We identify an old, metal-poor group (7 clusters), an old, metal-rich group (10 clusters) and an intermediate age (3-6 Gyr), intermediate-metallicity ([Z/H]~-1) group (6 clusters). This third group is not identified in the Galactic globular cluster sample. The majority of globular clusters in both samples appear to be enhanced in alpha-elements, the degree of enhancement being model-dependent. The intermediate age GCs appear to be the most enhanced, with [alpha/Fe]~0.4. These clusters are clearly depressed in CN with respect to the models and the bulk of the M31 and Milky Way sample. Compared to the bulge of M31, M32 and NGC 205, these clusters most resemble the stellar populations in NGC 205 in terms of age, metallicity and CN abundance. We infer horizontal branch morphologies for the M31 clusters using the Rose (1984) Ca II index, and demonstrate that blue horizontal branches are not leading to erroneous age estimates in our analysis. The intermediate age clusters have generally higher velocities than the bulk of the M31 cluster population. Spatially, three of these clusters are projected onto the bulge region, the remaining three are distributed at large radii. We discuss these objects within the context of the build-up of the M31 halo, and suggest that these clusters possibly originated in a gas-rich dwarf galaxy, which may or may not be presently observable in M31.

High-Resolution Spectroscopic Observations of [ITAL]Hipparcos[/ITAL] Red Clump Giants: Metallicity and Mass Determinations

We obtain high-resolution and high signal-to-noise ratio spectra of 39 red clump giants selected from the Hipparcos Catalogue. We determine their atmospheric parameters, iron abundances, α-element enhancements, and masses. We find that the sample can be divided into a metal-poor group and a metal-rich group. The majority of the stars are metal-rich (Z > 0.3 Z☉) with mass around 2 M☉, while the metal-poor group has lower surface gravity and lower mass. The variation of α-element abundances with [Fe/H] agrees with that of local G and K disk dwarfs. We also show that the metallicity is weakly correlated with the I-band absolute magnitude and the V-I color, in agreement with Udalski's recent findings. We make the high-resolution spectra available over the internet for interested readers.

Low-mass X-ray binaries in globular clusters: A new metallicity effect

Galactic Globular Clusters (GCs) containing bright X sources (L_x > 10^{36} erg/s), commonly associated with Low Mass X-Ray Binaries (LMXBs), are found to be significantly denser and more metal-rich than normal non-X-ray clusters both in the Galaxy and in M31. Within a framework where LMXBs in GCs are generated via tidal captures in high-density clusters and (2+1) encounters in low-density globulars, the higher incidence of LMXBs with increasing metallicity is shown to be {\it intrinsic} and not just a by-product of other effects. Two possible mechanisms are examined: the first one assumes a dependence of the cluster IMF on metallicity as recently published in the literature. The observed LMBXs, more frequently occurring in metal rich clusters, agrees with the predicted number of NS only if metallicity accounts for a minor contribution to the observed variation of the IMF slope. Other alternatives explored, such as the total variation of the observed IMF slopes is due to (a) just metallicity and (b) the combination of metallicity and position in the Galaxy lead to a clear-cut disagreement with the data. The second mechanism assumes that, at fixed cluster density, the rate of tidal captures depends on radius and mass of the capturing star. Based on standard stellar models, stars with higher metal content have wider radii and higher masses, hence the rate of tidal captures increases with increasing metallicity. From the order of magnitude computations made, this new effect by itself could explain the observed ratio of 4 between the frequencies of X-ray clusters in the metal-rich and metal-poor groups we observationally determined. However, there is no reason to exclude that both mechanisms can be at work.