Neutron-capture Elements Research Articles

MINCE III. Detailed chemical analysis of the UVES sample

The Measuring at Intermediate Metallicity Neutron-Capture Elements (MINCE) project aims to provide high-quality neutron-capture abundances measurements for several hundred stars at an intermediate metallicity of -2.5 < Fe/H $<-1.5$. This project will shed light on the origin of the neutron-capture elements and the chemical enrichment of the Milky Way. The goal of this work is to chemically characterize the second sample of the MINCE project and compare the abundances with the galactic chemical evolution model at our disposal. We performed a standard abundance analysis based on one-dimensional (1D) local thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE) model atmospheres based on high-resolution and high-signal-to-noise-ratio (S/N) spectra from Ultraviolet and Visual Echelle Spectrograph (UVES) . We provide the kinematic classification (i.e., thin disk, thick disk, thin-to-thick disk, halo, Gaia Sausage Enceladus, Sequoia) of 99 stars and the atmospheric parameters for almost all stars. We derived the abundances for light elements (from Na to Zn) and neutron-capture elements (Rb, Sr, Y, Zr, Ba, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, and Eu) for a subsample of 32 stars in the metallicity range of -2.5 < Fe/H $< -1.00$. In the subsample of 32 stars, we identified eight active stars exhibiting (inverse) P-Cygni profile and one Li-rich star, CD,28-11039. We find a general agreement between the chemical abundances and the stochastic model computed for the chemical evolution of the Milky Way halo for elements Mg, Ca, Si, Ti, Sc, Mn, Co, Ni, Zn, Rb, Sr, Y, Zr, Ba, La, and Eu . The MINCE project has already significantly increased the number of neutron-capture elements measurements in the intermediate metallicity range. The results from this sample are in perfect agreement with the previous MINCE sample. The good agreement between the chemical abundances and the chemical evolution model of the Galaxy supports the nucleosynthetic processes adopted to describe the origin of the n-capture elements.

Modelling chemical clocks. Theoretical evidences of the space and time evolution of [s/α] in the Galactic disc with Gaia-ESO survey

Chemical clocks based on s-process element/α element ratios are widely used to estimate the ages of Galactic stellar populations. However, the s/α versus age relations are not universal, varying with metallicity, location in the Galactic disc, and specific s-process elements. Moreover, current Galactic chemical evolution models struggle to reproduce the observed s/α increase at young ages, particularly for Ba. Our aim is to provide chemical evolution models for different regions of the Milky Way (MW) disc in order to identify the conditions required to reproduce the observed s/H s/Fe and s/α versus age relations. We adopted a detailed multi-zone chemical evolution model for the MW including state-of-the-art nucleosynthesis prescriptions for neutron-capture elements. The s-process elements were synthesised in asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars and rotating massive stars, while r-process elements originate from neutron star mergers and magneto-rotational supernovae. Starting from a baseline model that successfully reproduces a wide range of neutron-capture element abundance patterns, we explored variations in gas infall/star formation history scenarios, AGB yield dependencies on progenitor stars, and rotational velocity distributions for massive stars. We compared the results of our model with the open clusters dataset from the sixth data release of the Gaia -ESO survey. A three-infall scenario for disc formation aligns better with the observed trends. The models capture the rise of s/α with age in the outer regions but fail towards the inner regions, with larger discrepancies for second s-process peak elements. Specifically, Ba production in the last 3 Gyr of chemical evolution would need to increase by slightly more than half to match the observations. The s-process contribution from low-mass ( 1.1 M_⊙) AGB stars helps reconcile predictions with data but it requires a too-strong increase that is not predicted by current nucleosynthesis calculations, even with a potential i-process contribution. Variations in the metallicity dependence of AGB yields either worsen the agreement or show inconsistent effects across elements, while distributions of massive star rotational velocities with lower velocity at high metallicities fail to improve results due to balanced effects on different elements. The predictions of our model confirm, as expected, that there is no single relationship s/α versus age and that it varies along the MW disc. However, the current prescriptions for neutron-capture element yields are not able to fully capture the complexity of evolution, particularly in the inner disc.

Chemical Evolution of R-process Elements in Stars (CERES)

Context. The chemical abundances of elements such as barium and the lanthanides are essential to understand the nucleosynthesis of heavy elements in the early Universe as well as the contribution of different neutron capture processes (for example slow versus rapid) at different epochs. Aims. The Chemical Evolution of R-process Elements in Stars (CERES) project aims to provide a homogeneous analysis of a sample of metal-poor stars ([Fe/H]<−1.5) to improve our understanding of the nucleosynthesis of neutron capture elements, in particular the r-process elements, in the early Galaxy. Methods. Our data consist of a sample of high resolution and high signal-to-noise ratio UVES spectra. The chemical abundances were derived through spectrum synthesis, using the same model atmospheres and stellar parameters as derived in the first paper of the CERES series. Results. We measured chemical abundances or upper limits of seven heavy neutron capture elements (Ba, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, and Eu) for a sample of 52 metal-poor giant stars. We estimated through the mean shift clustering algorithm that at [Ba/H]=−2.4 and [Fe/H]=−2.4 a variation in the trend of [X/Ba], with X=La,Nd,Sm,Eu, versus [Ba/H] occurs. This result suggests that, for [Ba/H]<−2.4, Ba nucleosynthesis in the Milky Way halo is primarily due to the r-process, while for [Ba/H]>−2.4 the effect of the s-process contribution begins to be visible. In our sample, stars with [Ba/Eu] compatible with a Solar System pure r-process value (hereafter, r-pure) do not show any particular trend compared to other stars, suggesting r-pure stars may form in similar environments to stars with less pure r-process enrichments. Conclusions. Homogeneous investigations of high resolution and signal-to-noise ratio spectra are crucial for studying the heavy elements formation, as they provide abundances that can be used to test nucleosynthesis models as well as Galactic chemical evolution models.

Eridanus III and DELVE 1: Carbon-rich Primordial Star Clusters or the Smallest Dwarf Galaxies?* *This paper includes data gathered with the 6.5 m Magellan Telescopes located at Las Campanas Observatory, Chile.

We present spectroscopy of the ultra-faint Milky Way satellites Eridanus III (Eri III) and DELVE 1. We identify eight member stars in each satellite and place nonconstraining upper limits on their velocity and metallicity dispersions. The brightest star in each object is very metal poor, at [Fe/H] = −3.1 for Eri III and [Fe/H] = −2.8 for DELVE 1. Both of these stars exhibit large overabundances of carbon and very low abundances of the neutron-capture elements Ba and Sr, and we classify them as CEMP-no stars. Because their metallicities are well below those of the Milky Way globular cluster population, and because no CEMP-no stars have been identified in globular clusters, these chemical abundances could suggest that Eri III and DELVE 1 are dwarf galaxies. On the other hand, the two systems have half-light radii of 8 pc and 6 pc, respectively, which are more compact than any known ultra-faint dwarfs. We conclude that Eri III and DELVE 1 are either the smallest dwarf galaxies yet discovered, or they are representatives of a new class of star clusters that underwent chemical evolution distinct from that of ordinary globular clusters. In the latter scenario, such objects are likely the most primordial star clusters surviving today. These possibilities can be distinguished by future measurements of carbon and/or iron abundances for larger samples of stars or improved stellar kinematics for the two systems.

The Radcliffe wave as traced by young open clusters. Stellar parameters, activity indicators, and abundances of solar-type members of eight young clusters

The Radcliffe wave has only recently been recognised as a approx 3\,kpc long coherent gas structure encompassing most of the star-forming regions in the solar vicinity. Since its discovery, it has been mainly studied from the perspective of dynamics, but a detailed chemical study is necessary to understand its nature and the composition of the natal clouds that gave rise to it. For this paper we used some of the connected young open clusters (age lesssim 100 Myr) as tracers of the molecular clouds. We performed high-resolution spectroscopy with GIARPS at the TNG of 53 stars that are bona fide members of seven clusters located at different positions along the Radcliffe wave. We provide radial velocities and atmospheric parameters for all of them. For a subsample consisting of 41 FGK stars, we also studied the chromospheric activity and the content of Li, from which we inferred the age of the parent clusters. These values agree with the evolutionary ages reported in the literature. For these FGK stars, we determined the chemical abundances for 25 species. Pleiades, ASCC\,16, and NGC\,7058 exhibit a solar metallicity while Melotte\,20, ASCC\,19, NGC\,2232, and Roslund\,6 show a slightly subsolar value (approx \,$-$0.1\,dex). On average, the clusters show a chemical composition compatible with that of the Sun, especially for alpha - and Fe-peak elements. Neutron-capture elements, on the other hand, present a slight overabundance of about 0.2\,dex, especially barium. Finally, considering also ASCC\,123, which was studied by our group in a previous research project, we inferred a correlation between the chemical composition and the age or position of the clusters along the wave, demonstrating their physical connection within an inhomogeneous mixing scenario.

A Comprehensive Study of Open Cluster Chemical Homogeneity Using APOGEE and Milky Way Mapper Abundances

Stars in an open cluster are assumed to have formed from a broadly homogeneous distribution of gas, implying that they should be chemically homogeneous. Quantifying the level to which open clusters are chemically homogeneous can therefore tell us about interstellar medium pollution and gas mixing in progenitor molecular clouds. Using Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS)-V Milky Way Mapper and SDSS-IV Apache Point Observatory Galaxy Evolution Experiment DR17 abundances, we test this assumption by quantifying intrinsic chemical scatter in up to 20 different chemical abundances across 26 Milky Way open clusters. We find that we can place 3σ upper limits on open cluster homogeneity within 0.02 dex or less in the majority of elements, while for neutron capture elements, as well as those elements having weak lines, we place limits on their homogeneity within 0.2 dex. Finally, we find that giant stars in open clusters are ∼0.01 dex more homogeneous than a matched sample of field stars.

Chemical abundances of 20 barium stars from the OHP spectra

ABSTRACT Based on the high resolution and high signal-to-noise spectra, we derived the chemical abundances of 20 elements for 20 barium (Ba-) stars. For the first time, the detailed abundances of four sample stars, namely HD 92482, HD 150430, HD 151101, and HD 177304 have been analysed. Additionally, Ba element abundance has been measured using high-resolution spectra for the first time in six of the other 16 sample stars. Based on the [s/Fe] ratios, the Ba-unknown star HD 115927 can be classified as a strong Ba-star, while the Ba-likely star HD 160538 can be categorized into a mild Ba-star. Consequently, our sample comprises three strong and 17 mild Ba-stars. The light odd-Z metal elements and Fe-peak elements exhibit near-solar abundances. The [$\alpha$/Fe] ratios demonstrate decreasing trends with increasing metallicity. Moreover, the abundances of neutron-capture (n-capture) elements show significant enhancements in different degrees. Using a threshold of the signed distances to the solar rapid-process (r-process) abundance pattern $d_{\rm s}$ = 0.6, we find that all of our sample stars are normal Ba-stars, indicating that the enhancements of slow-process (s-process) elements should be attributed to material transfer from their companions. We compare the observed n-capture patterns of sample stars with the FRUITY models, and estimate the mass of the Thermally-Pulsing Asymptotic Giant Branch stars that previously contaminated the Ba-stars. The models with low masses can successfully explain the observations. From a kinematic point of view, we note that most of our sample stars are linked with the thin disc, while HD 130255 may be associated with the thick disc.

M giants with IGRINS

Context. Neutron-capture elements represent an important nucleosynthetic channel in the study of the Galactic chemical evolution of stellar populations. For stellar populations behind significant extinction, such as those in the Galactic centre and along the Galactic plane, abundance analyses based on near-infrared (NIR) spectra are necessary. Previously, spectral lines from the neutron-capture elements, such as copper (Cu), cerium (Ce), neodymium (Nd), and ytterbium (Yb), have been identified in the H band, while yttrium (Y) lines have been identified in the K band. Aims. Due to the scarcity of spectral lines from neutron-capture elements in the NIR, the addition of useful spectral lines from other neutron-capture elements is highly desirable. The aim of this work is to identify and characterise a spectral line suitable for abundance determination from the most commonly used s-process element, namely barium. Methods. We observed the NIR spectra of 37 M giants in the solar neighbourhood at high spectral resolution and with a high signal-to-noise ratio using the IGRINS spectrometer on the GEMINI South telescope. The full H- and K-bands were recorded simultaneously at R = 45 000. Using a manual spectral synthesis method, we determined the fundamental stellar parameters for these stars and derived the barium abundance from the Ba line (6s5d 3D2 → 6s6p 3P2o) at λair = 23 253.56 Å in the K band. Results. We demonstrate that the Ba line in the K band at 2.33 μm (λ23 253.56) is useful for abundance analyses from the spectra of M giants. The line becomes progressively weaker at higher temperatures and is only useful in M giants and the coolest K giants at supersolar metallicities. Conclusions. We can now add Ba to the trends of the heavy elements Cu, Zn, Y, Ce, Nd, and Yb, which can be retrieved from high-resolution H- and K-band spectra. This opens up the study of nucleosynthetic channels, including the s-process and the r-process, in dust-obscured populations. Thus, these elements can be studied for heavily dust-obscured regions of the Galaxy, such as the Galactic centre.

The R-process Alliance: Fifth Data Release from the Search for R-process-enhanced Metal-poor Stars in the Galactic Halo with the GTC* * This paper includes data gathered with the 10.4 m Gran Telescopio Canarias located at La Palma, Canary Islands, Spain.

Understanding the abundance pattern of metal-poor stars and the production of heavy elements through various nucleosynthesis processes offers crucial insights into the chemical evolution of the Milky Way, revealing primary sites and major sources of rapid neutron-capture process (r-process) material in the Universe. In this fifth data release from the R-Process Alliance (RPA), we present the detailed chemical abundances of 41 faint (down to V = 15.8) and extremely metal-poor (down to [Fe/H] = −3.3) halo stars selected from the RPA. We obtained high-resolution spectra for these objects with the HORuS spectrograph on the Gran Telescopio Canarias. We measure the abundances of light, α, Fe-peak, and neutron-capture elements. We report the discovery of five carbon-enhanced metal-poor, one limited-r, three r-I, and four r-II stars, and six Mg-poor stars. We also identify one star of a possible globular cluster origin at an extremely low metallicity at [Fe/H] = −3.0. This adds to the growing evidence of a lower-limit metallicity floor for globular cluster abundances. We use the abundances of Fe-peak elements and the α-elements to investigate the contributions from different nucleosynthesis channels in the progenitor supernovae. We find the distribution of [Mg/Eu] as a function of [Fe/H] to have different enrichment levels, indicating different possible pathways and sites of their production. We also reveal differences in the trends of the neutron-capture element abundances of Sr, Ba, and Eu of various r-I and r-II stars from the RPA data releases, which provide constraints on their nucleosynthesis sites and subsequent evolution.

HR-GO

Context. Dwarf galaxy streams encode vast amounts of information essential to understanding early galaxy formation and nucleosynthesis channels. Due to the variation in the timescales of star formation history in their progenitors, stellar streams serve as ‘snapshots’ that record different stages of galactic chemical evolution. Aims. This study focusses on the Cetus stream, stripped from a low-mass dwarf galaxy. We aim to uncover its chemical evolution history as well as the different channels of its element production from detailed elemental abundances. Methods. We carried out a comprehensive analysis of the chemical composition of 22 member stars based on their high-resolution spectra. We derived abundances for up to 28 chemical species from C to Dy and, for 20 of them, we account for the departures from local thermodynamic equilibrium (NLTE effects). Results. We confirm that the Cetus stream has a mean metallicity of [Fe/H] = −2.11 ± 0.21. All observed Cetus stars are α enhanced with [α/Fe] ≃ 0.3. The absence of the α-‘knee’ implies that star formation stopped before iron production in type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) became substantial. Neutron capture element abundances suggest that both the rapid (r-) and the main slow (s-) processes contributed to their origin. The decrease in [Eu/Ba] from a typical r-process value of [Eu/Ba] = 0.7–0.3 with increasing [Ba/H] indicates a distinct contribution of the r- and s-processes to the chemical composition of different Cetus stars. For barium, the r-process contribution varies from 100 to 20% in different sample stars, with an average value of 50%. Conclusions. Our abundance analysis indicates that the star formation in the Cetus progenitor ceased after the onset of the main s-process in low- to intermediate-mass asymptotic giant branch stars but before SNe Ia played an important role. A distinct evolution scenario is revealed by comparing the abundances in the Ursa Minor dwarf spheroidal galaxy, showing the diversity in – and uniqueness of – the chemical evolution of low-mass dwarf galaxies.

The AMBRE Project: Lead abundance in Galactic stars

Context. The chemical evolution of neutron capture elements in the Milky Way is still a matter of debate. Although more and more studies investigate their chemical behaviour, there is still a lack of a significant large sample of abundances of a key heavy element: lead. Aims. Lead is the final product of the s-process nucleosynthesis channel and is one of the most stable heavy elements. The goal of this article is to present the largest catalogue of homogeneous Pb abundances, in particular for metallicities higher than −1.0 dex, and then to study the lead content of the Milky Way. Methods. We analysed high-resolution spectra from the ESO UVES and FEROS archives. Atmospheric parameters were taken from the AMBRE parametrisation. We used the automated abundance method GAUGUIN to derive lead abundances in 653 slow-rotating FGK-type stars from the 368.34 nm Pb I line. Results. We present the largest catalogue of Local Thermodynamic Equilibrium (LTE) and non-LTE lead abundances ever published with metallicities ranging from −2.9 to 0.6 dex and [Pb/Fe] from −0.7 to 3.3 dex. Within this sample, no lead-enhanced Asymptotic Giant Branch (AGB) stars were found, but nine lead-enhanced metal-poor stars ([Pb/Fe] > 1.5) were detected. Most of them were already identified as carbon-enhanced metal-poor stars with enrichments in other s-process species. The lead abundance of 13 Gaia Benchmark Stars are also provided. We then investigated the Pb content of the Milky Way disc by computing vertical and radial gradients and found a slightly decreasing [Pb/Fe] radial trend with metallicity. This trend together with other related ratios ([Pb/Eu], [Pb/Ba], and [Pb/α]) are interpreted thanks to chemical evolution models. The two-infall model closely reproduces the observed trends with respect to the metallicity. It is also found that the AGB contribution to the Pb Galactic enrichment has to be strongly reduced. Moreover, the contribution of massive stars with rather high rotational velocities should be favoured in the low-metallicity regime.

Chemical Doppelgangers in GALAH DR3: The Distinguishing Power of Neutron-capture Elements among Milky Way Disk Stars

The observed chemical diversity of Milky Way stars places important constraints on Galactic chemical evolution and the mixing processes that operate within the interstellar medium. Recent works have found that the chemical diversity of disk stars is low. For example, the Apache Point Observatory Galactic Evolution Experiment (APOGEE) “chemical doppelganger rate,” or the rate at which random pairs of field stars appear as chemically similar as stars born together, is high, and the chemical distributions of APOGEE stars in some Galactic populations are well-described by two-dimensional models. However, limited attention has been paid to the heavy elements (Z > 30) in this context. In this work, we probe the potential for neutron-capture elements to enhance the chemical diversity of stars by determining their effect on the chemical doppelganger rate. We measure the doppelganger rate in GALactic Archaeology with HERMES DR3, with abundances rederived using The Cannon, and find that considering the neutron-capture elements decreases the doppelganger rate from ∼2.2% to 0.4%, nearly a factor of 6, for stars with −0.1 < [Fe/H] < 0.1. While chemical similarity correlates with similarity in age and dynamics, including neutron-capture elements does not appear to select stars that are more similar in these characteristics. Our results highlight that the neutron-capture elements contain information that is distinct from that of the lighter elements and thus add at least one dimension to Milky Way abundance space. This work illustrates the importance of considering the neutron-capture elements when chemically characterizing stars and motivates ongoing work to improve their atomic data and measurements in spectroscopic surveys.

Discovery of a Barium Blue Straggler Star in M67 and “Sighting” of Its White Dwarf Companion* * This is paper XV of the UVIT Open Cluster Study (UOCS).

We report the discovery of a barium blue straggler star (BSS) in M67, exhibiting enhancements in slow neutron-capture (s-)process elements. Spectroscopic analysis of two BSSs (WOCS 9005 & WOCS 1020) and four stars located near the main-sequence turn-off using GALAH spectra, showed that WOCS 9005 has a significantly high abundance of the s-process elements ([Ba/Fe] = 0.75 ± 0.08, [Y/Fe] = 1.09 ± 0.07, and [La/Fe] = 0.65 ± 0.06). The BSS (WOCS 9005) is a spectroscopic binary with a known period, eccentricity, and a suspected white dwarf (WD) companion with a kinematic mass of 0.5 M ⊙. The first “sighting” of the WD in this barium BSS is achieved through multiwavelength spectral energy distribution (SED) with the crucial far-UV data from the UVIT/AstroSat. The parameters of the hot and cool companions are derived using binary fits of the SED using two combinations of models, yielding a WD with T eff in the range 9750–15,250 K. Considering the kinematic mass limit, the cooling age of the WD is estimated as ∼60 Myr. The observed enhancements are attributed to a mass transfer (MT) from a companion asymptotic giant branch star, now a WD. We estimate the accreted mass to be 0.15 M ⊙, through wind accretion, which increased the envelope mass from 0.45 M ⊙. The detection of chemical enhancement, as well as the sighting of WD in this system, have been possible due to the recent MT in this binary, as suggested by the young WD.

Chemical Cartography with APOGEE: Two-process Parameters and Residual Abundances for 288,789 Stars from Data Release 17

Stellar abundance measurements are subject to systematic errors that induce extra scatter and artificial correlations in elemental abundance patterns. We derive empirical calibration offsets to remove systematic trends with surface gravity log(g) in 17 elemental abundances of 288,789 evolved stars from the SDSS APOGEE survey. We fit these corrected abundances as the sum of a prompt process tracing core-collapse supernovae and a delayed process tracing Type Ia supernovae, thus recasting each star’s measurements into the amplitudes A cc and A Ia and the element-by-element residuals from this two-parameter fit. As a first application of this catalog, which is 8× larger than that of previous analyses that used a restricted log(g) range, we examine the median residual abundances of 14 open clusters, nine globular clusters, and four dwarf satellite galaxies. Relative to field Milky Way disk stars, the open clusters younger than 2 Gyr show ≈0.1−0.2 dex enhancements of the neutron-capture element Ce, and the two clusters younger than 0.5 Gyr also show elevated levels of C+N, Na, S, and Cu. Globular clusters show elevated median abundances of C+N, Na, Al, and Ce, and correlated abundance residuals that follow previously known trends. The four dwarf satellites show similar residual abundance patterns despite their different star formation histories, with ≈0.2–0.3 dex depletions in C+N, Na, and Al and ≈0.1 dex depletions in Ni, V, Mn, and Co. We provide our catalog of corrected APOGEE abundances, two-process amplitudes, and residual abundances, which will be valuable for future studies of abundance patterns in different stellar populations and of additional enrichment processes that affect galactic chemical evolution.

Abundances of neutron-capture elements in selected solar-type stars

The primary objective of this study is to accurately determine the abundances of Cu, Sr, Y, Zr, Ba, La, and Ce in selected solar-type stars. This will allow us to establish observational abundance--metallicity and abundance--age relations and to explore the reasons for the excess of Ba compared to other $s$-elements in younger solar-type stars. The chosen $s$-process elements are critical diagnostics for understanding the chemical evolution of our Galaxy. We analysed HARPS spectra with a high resolution ($R$ = 115\,000) and high signal-to-noise ratio (close to 100) of main-sequence solar-type FGK stars with metallicities from $-0.15$ to +0.35 dex and ages from 2 to 14 Gyr using one-dimensional (1D) local thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE) synthesis and MARCS atmospheric models. In the procedure of fitting synthetic to observed line profiles, the free parameters included abundance and microturbulent and macroturbulent velocity. The macroturbulent velocity can substantially compensate for non-local thermodynamic equilibrium (NLTE) effects in the line core. The resulting elemental abundance X/H increases with metallicity and age for solar-type stars. The ratio of the abundances of $s$-process elements s/Fe increases with decreasing metallicity and age, while the Cu/Fe ratio increases with both metallicity and age. These observed trends agree well with published observational data and with predictions from Galactic chemical evolution (GCE) models. A small Ba/Fe enhancement of 0.08 ± 0.08 dex has been detected in seven younger stars with an average age of $2.8 0.6$ Gyr. Compared to the abundances of other $s$-process elements Ba/Fe is 0.07 and 0.08 dex higher than La and Ce on average, respectively. Furthermore, we find that the Ba/Fe ratio increases with increasing chromospheric activity. The average Ba/Fe for the three most active stars is $0.15 0.10$ dex higher than that of the other stars. Chromospheric activity, characterised by stronger magnetic fields found in active regions such as pores, spots, plages, and networks, can significantly alter the physical conditions in the formation layers of the Ba lines. Our primary conclusion is that to account for the observed excess of Ba/Fe abundance in younger stars, it is essential to use more complex atmospheric models that incorporate magnetic structures.

Astrophysical calibration of the oscillator strengths of YJ-band absorption lines in classical Cepheids

ABSTRACT Newly-developed spectrographs with increased resolving powers, particularly those covering the near-IR range, allow the characterization of more and more absorption lines in stellar spectra. This includes the identification and confirmation of absorption lines and the calibration of oscillator strengths. In this study, we provide empirical values of ${{\rm log} gf}$ based on the abundances of classical Cepheids obtained with optical spectra to establish the consistency between optical and infrared abundance results. Using time series spectra of classical Cepheids obtained with WINERED spectrograph (0.97–1.35 $\mu$m, R$\sim$ 28000), we demonstrate that we can determine the stellar parameters of the observed Cepheids, including effective temperature (${T_\mathrm{eff}}$), surface gravity (${{\rm log} g}$), microturbulence ($\xi$), and metallicity (${\rm {[{\mathrm{ M}}/\mathrm{ H}]}}$). With the newly calibrated relations of line-depth ratios, we can achieve accuracy and precision comparable to optical studies, with uncertainties of $\sim$90 K and 0.108 dex for ${T_\mathrm{eff}}$, and ${{\rm log} g}$, respectively. Finally, we created a new atlas of absorption lines, featuring precise abundance measurements of various elements found in the atmosphere of Cepheids, including neutron-capture elements whose ${{\rm log} gf}$ values have been astrophysically calibrated.

Chemical Diversity on Small Scales: Abundance Analysis of the Tucana V Ultrafaint Dwarf Galaxy

The growing number of Milky Way satellites detected in recent years has introduced a new focus for stellar abundance analysis. Abundances of stars in satellites have been used to probe the nature of these systems and their chemical evolution. However, for most satellites, only centrally located stars have been examined. This paper presents an analysis of three stars in the Tucana V system, one in the inner region and two at ∼10′ (7–10 half-light radii) from the center. We find a remarkable chemical diversity between the stars. One star exhibits enhancements in rapid neutron-capture elements (an r-I star), and another is highly enhanced in C, N, and O but with low neutron-capture abundances (a CEMP-no star). The metallicities of the stars analyzed span more than 1 dex from [Fe/H] = −3.55 to −2.46. This, combined with a large abundance range of other elements like Ca, Sc, and Ni, confirms that Tuc V is an ultrafaint dwarf (UFD) galaxy. The variation in abundances, highlighted by [Mg/Ca] ratios ranging from +0.89 to −0.75, among the stars demonstrates that the chemical enrichment history of Tuc V was very inhomogeneous. Tuc V is only the second UFD galaxy in which stars located at large distances from the galactic center have been analyzed, along with Tucana II. The chemical diversity seen in these two galaxies, driven by the composition of the noncentral member stars, suggests that distant member stars are important to include when classifying faint satellites and that these systems may have experienced more complex chemical enrichment histories than previously anticipated.

Abundances of Neutron-capture Elements in 62 Stars in the Globular Cluster Messier 15

M15 is a globular cluster with a known spread in neutron-capture elements. This paper presents abundances of neutron-capture elements for 62 stars in M15. Spectra were obtained with the Michigan/Magellan Fiber System spectrograph, covering a wavelength range from ∼4430 to 4630 Å. Spectral lines from Fe i, Fe ii, Sr i, Zr ii, Ba ii, La ii, Ce ii, Nd ii, Sm ii, Eu ii, and Dy ii were measured, enabling classifications and neutron-capture abundance patterns for the stars. Of the 62 targets, 44 are found to be highly Eu-enhanced r-II stars, another 17 are moderately Eu-enhanced r-I stars, and one star is found to have an s-process signature. The neutron-capture patterns indicate that the majority of the stars are consistent with enrichment by the r-process. The 62 target stars are found to show significant star-to-star spreads in Sr, Zr, Ba, La, Ce, Nd, Sm, Eu, and Dy, but no significant spread in Fe. The neutron-capture abundances are further found to have slight correlations with sodium abundances from the literature, unlike what has been previously found; follow-up studies are needed to verify this result. The findings in this paper suggest that the Eu-enhanced stars in M15 were enhanced by the same process, that the nucleosynthetic source of this Eu pollution was the r-process, and that the r-process source occurred as the first generation of cluster stars was forming.

The R-Process Alliance: Analysis of limited-r stars

In recent years, the $R$-Process Alliance (RPA) has conducted a successful search for stars that are enhanced in elements produced by the rapid neutron-capture ($r$-)process. In particular, the RPA has uncovered a number of stars that are strongly enriched in light $r$-process elements, such as Sr, Y, and Zr. These so-called limited-$r$ stars were investigated to explore the astrophysical production site(s) of these elements. We investigate the possible formation sites for light neutron-capture elements by deriving detailed abundances for neutron-capture elements from high-resolution spectra with a high signal-to-noise ratio of three limited-$r$ stars. We conducted a kinematic analysis and a 1D local thermodynamic equilibrium spectroscopic abundance analysis of three stars. Furthermore, we calculated the lanthanide mass fraction ($ X_ La $) of our stars and of limited-$r$ stars from the literature. We found that the abundance pattern of neutron-capture elements of limited-$r$ stars behaves differently depending on their $ Ba/Eu $ ratios, and we suggest that this should be taken into account in future investigations of their abundances. Furthermore, we found that the $ X_ La $ of limited-$r$ stars is lower than that of the kilonova AT2017gfo. The latter seems to be in the transition zone between limited-$r$ $ X_ La $ and that of $r$-I and $r$-II stars. Finally, we found that unlike $r$-I and $r$-II stars, the current sample of limited-$r$ stars is largely born in the Galaxy and is not accreted.

The oldest stars with low neutron-capture element abundances and origins in ancient dwarf galaxies

ABSTRACT We present a detailed chemical abundance and kinematic analysis of six extremely metal-poor (−4.2 ≤ [Fe/H] ≤−2.9) halo stars with very low neutron-capture abundances ([Sr/H] and [Ba/H]) based on high-resolution Magellan/MIKE spectra. Three of our stars have [Sr/Ba] and [Sr/H] ratios that resemble those of metal-poor stars in ultra-faint dwarf galaxies (UFDs). Since early UFDs may be the building blocks of the Milky Way, extremely metal-poor halo stars with low, UFD-like Sr and Ba abundances may thus be ancient stars from the earliest small galactic systems that were accreted by the proto-Milky Way. We label these objects as Small Accreted Stellar System (SASS) stars, and we find an additional 61 similar ones in the literature. A kinematic analysis of our sample and literature stars reveals them to be fast-moving halo objects, all with retrograde motion, indicating an accretion origin. Because SASS stars are much brighter than typical UFD stars, identifying them offers promising ways towards detailed studies of early star formation environments. From the chemical abundances of SASS stars, it appears that the earliest accreted systems were likely enriched by a few supernovae whose light element yields varied from system to system. Neutron-capture elements were sparsely produced and/or diluted, with r-process nucleosynthesis playing a role. These insights offer a glimpse into the early formation of the Galaxy. Using neutron-capture elements as a distinguishing criterion for early formation, we have access to a unique metal-poor population that consists of the oldest stars in the universe.