Normal Red Giants Research Articles

Chemical compositions of semiregular variable red giants

ABSTRACT A sample of warm, low-level semiregular variables chosen from the General Catalogue of Variable Stars is studied for their chemical compositions by analysing high-resolution optical spectra. The abundance ratios from Na/Fe to Eu/Fe displayed by these and previously analysed semiregular variables are quite similar to ratios displayed by normal red giants across the Galactic thin and thick discs and halo populations in the solar neighbourhood, suggesting from this perspective that the variables may be among the more photometrically active red giants.

Carbon-deficient Red Giants

Abstract Carbon-deficient red giants (CDRGs) are a rare class of peculiar red giants, also called “weak G-band” or “weak CH” stars. Their atmospheric compositions show depleted carbon, a low isotopic ratio, and an overabundance of nitrogen, indicating that the material at the surface has undergone CN-cycle hydrogen burning. I present Strömgren uvby photometry of nearly all known CDRGs. Barium stars, having an enhanced carbon abundance, exhibit the “Bond–Neff effect”—a broad depression in their energy distributions at ∼4000 Å, recently confirmed to be due to the CH molecule. This gives Ba ii stars unusually low Strömgren c 1 photometric indices. I show that CDRGs, lacking CH absorption, exhibit an “anti-Bond–Neff effect”—higher c 1 indices than normal red giants. Using precise parallaxes from Gaia DR2, I plot CDRGs in the color–magnitude diagram (CMD) and compare them with theoretical evolution tracks. Most CDRGs lie in a fairly tight clump in the CMD, indicating initial masses in the range ∼2– , if they have evolved as single stars. It is unclear whether they are stars that have just reached the base of the red-giant branch and the first dredge-up of CN-processed material, or are more highly evolved helium-burning stars in the red-giant clump. About 10% of CDRGs have higher masses of ∼4– , and exhibit unusually high rotational velocities. I show that CDRGs lie at systematically larger distances from the Galactic plane than normal giants, possibly indicating a role of binary mass transfer and mergers. CDRGs continue to present a major puzzle for our understanding of stellar evolution.

On the observational characteristics of lithium-enhanced giant stars in comparison with normal red giants

Abstract While lithium is generally deficient in the atmosphere of evolved giant stars because of the efficient mixing-induced dilution, a small fraction of red giants show unusually strong Li lines indicative of conspicuous abundance excess. With the aim of shedding light on the origin of these peculiar stars, we carried out a spectroscopic study on the observational characteristics of 20 selected bright giants already known to be Li-rich from past studies, in comparison with the reference sample of a large number of normal late G–early K giants. Special attention was paid to clarifying any difference between the two samples from a comprehensive point of view (i.e., with respect to stellar parameters, rotation, activity, kinematic properties, 6Li/7Li ratio, and the abundances of Li, Be, C, O, Na, S, and Zn). Our sample stars are roughly divided into a “bump/clump group” and a “luminous group” according to their positions on the HR diagram. Regarding the former group [1.5 ≲ log (L/L⊙) ≲ 2 and M ∼ 1.5–3 M⊙], Li-enriched giants and normal giants appear practically similar in almost all respects except for Li, suggesting that surface Li enhancement in this group may be a transient episode which normal giants undergo at certain evolutionary stages in their lifetime. Meanwhile, those Li-rich giants belonging to the latter group [log (L/L⊙) ∼ 3 and M ∼ 3–5 M⊙] appear more anomalous in the sense that they tend to show higher rotation as well as higher activity, and that their elemental abundances (especially those derived from high-excitation lines) are apt to show apparent overabundances, though this might be due to a spurious effect reflecting the difficulty of abundance derivation in stars of higher rotation and activity. Our analysis confirmed considerable Be deficiency as well as absence of 6Li as the general characteristics of Li-rich giants under study, which implies that engulfment of planets is rather unlikely for the origin of Li-enrichment.

Red giants in the vicinity of open clusters. Field stars

We present a comparative analysis of the atmospheric abundances of red giants in the vicinity of open clusters. The atmospheric parameters, atmospheric abundances, masses, ages, Galactic velocities, and elements of the Galactic orbits are derived for all the studied stars. We have discovered high metal abundances (close to 0.3dex) for five stars, which we classify as super-metal-rich stars. Several stars have lower [Na/Fe] than normal red giants with similar atmospheric parameters. The kinematic characteristics of these stars are somewhat different from those for objects in the Galactic thin disk. We suggest that the observed effect can be explained by inhomogeneity of the chemical composition of gas-dust clouds, which could be due to different rates of SNe II supernovae in different regions of the Galaxy.

LIGHT ELEMENT ABUNDANCES IN TWO CHEMICALLY PECULIAR STARS: HD 104340 AND HD 206983

We derive carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, and lithium abundances as well as 12C/13C isotopic ratios in two chemically peculiar red giant stars: HD 104340 and HD 206983. The abundances were determined via spectrum synthesis of optical high-resolution spectra containing C2, CH, CN, [O I], and Li I lines. Our results indicate that HD 206983 is a barium star, while HD 104340, although showing enhancements of s-process elements, should not be considered as a classical barium star: its barium star nature can be explained by internal nucleosynthesis. The low metallicity giant HD 104340 can experience deeper convective mixing and, consequently, a larger dredge-up of CNO-cycle products compared to normal red giants. The light element abundance pattern of HD 104340 resembles anomalies resulting from the appearance on the stellar surface of material enriched by triple-α and CNO cycling.

Abundance analysis of barium and mild barium stars

High signal to noise, high resolution spectra were obtained for a sample of normal, mild barium, and barium giants. Atmospheric parameters were determined from the FeI and FeII lines. Abundances for Na, Mg, Al, Si, Ca, Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Sr, Y, Zr, Ba, La, Ce, Nd, Sm, Eu, and Gd, were determined from equivalent widths and model atmospheres in a differential analysis, with the red giant Eps Vir as the standard star. The different levels of s-process overabundances of barium and mild barium stars were earlier suggested to be related to the stellar metallicity. Contrary to this suggestion, we found in this work no evidence of barium and mild barium to having different range in metallicity. However, comparing the ratio of abundances of heavy to light s-process elements, we found some evidence that they do not share the same neutron exposure parameter. The exact mechanism controlling this difference is still not clear. As a by-product of this analysis we identify two normal red giants misclassified as mild barium stars. The relevance of this finding is discussed. Concerning the suggested nucleosynthetic effects possibly related to the s-process, for elements like Cu, Mn, V and Sc, we found no evidence for an anomalous behavior in any of the s-process enriched stars analyzed here. However, further work is still needed since a clear [Cu/Fe] vs. [Ba/H] anticorrelation exists for other s-process enriched objects.

CNO and Li abundances in Barium-enriched stars

AbstractCNO and Li abundances and 12C/13C isotopic ratios have been derived for two metal-poor Ba giants, HD 104340 and HD 206983, and two CH subgiants, HD 50264 and HD 87080. High resolution spectra obtained with the 1.52 m telescope and the FEROS echelle spectrograph at ESO, La Silla, Chile, were used in this study. CNO and Li abundances so as 12C/13C isotopic ratios were determined by applying the synthetic spectrum method to the lines of C2, CH, CN, [O I’ and Li I. Our analysis showed that the giant stars studied here have quite different natures: HD 206983 is a metal-poor barium star while HD 104340, although showing enhancement of s-process elements, should not be considered as a classical barium star: its barium syndrome can be explained by internal nucleosynthesis. The low metallicity giant HD 104340 can experience deeper convective mixing and, consequently, a larger dredge-up of CNO-cycle products compared to normal red giants. Light element abundance pattern of HD 104340 resembles anomalies resulting from the appearance on the stellar surface of material enriched in triple-α and CNO cycling.

Analysis of the Na, Mg, Al, and Si abundances in the atmospheres of red giants of different spectral subgroups

We analyze the Na, Mg, Al, and Si abundances in the atmospheres of more than 40 stars, includingred giants of different spectral subgroups (normal red giants, mild and classical barium stars) and several supergiants. All these elements exhibit abundance excesses, with the overabundance increasing with the star’s luminosity. The dependence of the overabundances for each of these elements on the luminosity (or log g) is the same for all the spectral subgroups, testifying to a common origin: they are all products of hydrogen burning in the NeNa and MgAl cycles that have been dredged up from the stellar interiors to the outer atmospheric layers by convection that gradually develops during the star’s evolution from the main sequence to the red-giant stage. The sodium abundances derived for several stars are lower than for other stars with similar atmospheric parameters. The ages and kinematic characteristics of these two groups of stars suggest that they probably belong to different stellar generations.

Analysis of atmospheric abundances in classical barium stars

We present our analysis of elemental abundances in the atmospheres of 16 classical barium stars derived from high-resolution spectra and model atmospheres. Comparison of the results with analogous data for moderate barium stars and normal red giants shows that the abundance patterns for elements before the iron peak are the same for all three groups of red giants, testifying to a similar origin. For binary systems, we confirm the influence of the orbital period and, hence, the component separation, on the overabundance of s-process elements. The amount of enrichment in s-process elements is also influenced by mass, metallicity, and evolutionary phase. Any of these parameters can be important in individual objects.

Studies of classical barium stars

Using atmosphere models based on high-resolution spectra, we have derived the abundances of chemical elements in the atmospheres of seven classical barium stars and compared them with the elemental abundances of moderate barium stars and normal red giants. The behavior of elements up to the iron peak is the same in all three groups of giants, providing evidence that they have a common origin. The dependence of the anomalous abundances of s-process elements on stellar mass and metallicity is qualitatively similar for all three groups, probably indicating that a substantial role is played by the evolutionary phase of the stars. We conclude that the barium-star phenomenon and the overabundances of s-process elements in barium stars cannot be explained as a consequence of binarity alone. The extent to which the s-process elements are overabundant is affected by the mass, metallicity, and evolutionary phase of the given star, and any of these parameters may prove to be important in a specific object.

Analysis of chemical abundances in the atmospheres of moderate barium stars

We used high-resolution spectra to compute model atmospheres to derive the atmospheric abundances of moderate barium stars. Comparing our results with analogous data for normal red giants, we find that the moderate barium stars appear to not differ systematically from normal red giants. Their chemical abundance anomalies show the same patterns and can be interpreted in terms of evolutionary effects: the evolutionary stage, mass, luminosity, and metallicity of the objects.

X–ray and optical monitoring of the peculiar source 4U 1700+24/V934 Her

We report on ASCA and BeppoSAX X–ray broad band observations of the galactic low-luminosity X–ray source 4U 1700+24 performed on 1995 and 1998, respectively, and on (quasi-)simultaneous ground observations of its optical counterpart, V934 Her, from the Loiano 1.5-meter telescope. In order to better understand the nature of the source we also analyze public archival ROSAT and RXTE data as well as the RXTE ASM light curve of 4U 1700+24; we also re–analyze a 1985 EXOSAT pointing. The optical spectra are typical of a M2 III star; this allows us to determine a revised distance to the object of ~400 pc. While these spectra do not show either any spectral change between the two epochs or any peculiar feature apart from those observed in normal red giants, the spectroscopic measurements carried out in X–rays reveal a complex and long-term variable spectrum, with a clear soft excess. The X–ray spectral properties of the source are best described by a thermal Comptonization spectrum plus a soft energy (<1 keV) excess, which can be modeled in the form of a blackbody emission with 1 keV; the latter component is not detected at the lowest source flux levels. The ratio between the two components varies substantially with the source flux. The X–ray emission from the object appears to become harder as its luminosity increases: indeed, the RXTE data acquired during an outburst occurred in October-November 1997 display a hard tail, detected up to 100 keV and modeled with a comptonizing cloud which is hotter and less opaque than that seen in the low intensity state. Apart from erratic shot-noise variability on timescales of tens to thousands of seconds, no significant properties (such as pulsations or QPOs) are found from the timing analysis of the X–ray light curves extracted from the observations presented here. With the new distance determination, the 2–10 keV X–ray luminosity range spanned in the considered observations lies between ~21032 and ~11034 erg s-1. All this information, combined with the findings by other authors, allows us to suggest that the scenario which best describes the object consists of a wide binary system in which a neutron star accretes matter from the wind of a M-type giant star. Implications of such a model are discussed.

The eccentricities of the barium stars

We investigate the eccentricities of barium (Ba ii) stars formed via a stellar wind accretion model. We carry out a series of Monte Carlo simulations using a rapid binary evolution algorithm, which incorporates full tidal evolution, mass loss and accretion, and nucleosynthesis and dredge-up on the thermally pulsing asymptotic giant branch. We follow the enhancement of barium in the envelope of the accreting main-sequence companion and dilution into its convective envelope once the star ascends the giant branch. The observed eccentricities of Ba ii stars are significantly smaller than those of an equivalent set of normal red giants but are nevertheless non-zero. We show that such a distribution of eccentricities is consistent with a wind accretion model for Ba ii star production with weak viscous tidal dissipation in the convective envelopes of giant stars. We successfully model the distribution of orbital periods and the number of observed Ba ii stars. The actual distribution of eccentricities is quite sensitive to the strength of the tides, so that we are able to confirm that this strength is close to, but less than, what is expected theoretically and found with alternative observational tests. Two systems – one very short-period but eccentric, and one long-period and highly eccentric – still lie outside the envelope of our models, and so require a more exotic formation mechanism. All our models, even those which were a good fit to the observed distributions, overproduced the number of high-period barium stars, a problem that could not be solved by some combination of the three parameters: tidal strength, tidal enhancement and wind accretion efficiency.

Spectroscopic Binaries in Globular Clusters. II. A Search for Long-Period Binaries in M22

A catalog of 383 radial velocities for red giants in the globular cluster M22 has been compiled from the literature and from new observations accumulated between 1972 and 1994. This 22-year baseline is the longest available for any sample of globular cluster stars. Using 333 repeat velocities for 109 cluster members, we have carried out a search for spectroscopic binaries with periods in the range 0.2 -- 40 years and with mass ratios between 0.1 and 1.0. Although the velocities for these evolved stars show clear evidence for atmospheric motions, no star is convincingly found to exhibit a velocity variation greater than 7 km/s. By comparing the observed velocity variations to those found in a series of Monte-Carlo simulations, we estimate the cluster binary fraction to be X = 0.01 (circular orbits) and X = 0.03 (thermal orbits). These results are to be compared to the corresponding binary fraction of X = 0.12 for nearby solar-type stars having similar mass ratios and periods. We speculate that both the relative abundances of short- and long-period binaries in globular clusters and the large differences in measured binary fractions for clusters with high binary ionization rates (M22, Omega Cen) compared to those for clusters with low ionization rates (M71, M4, NGC 3201) point to a frequency-period distribution in which soft binaries have been disrupted by stellar encounters. Finally, we note that none of the three CH stars in our survey shows evidence for velocity variations; this is in stark contrast to field CH stars, virtually all of which are binaries. We argue that binaries in M22 which have binding energies similar to field CH stars are unlikely to have been disrupted by stellar encounters and suggest that the cluster CH stars are otherwise normal red giants which lie in the carbon-enriched tail of the cluster metallicity

On the problem of selective enhancement of barium in the atmospheres of BaII stars

High-resolution spectroscopy and standard LTE analysis of 31 barium and normal red giants (Astron. Astrophys. 283, 1994, p. 937) shows a selective enhancement of Ba (∼+0.5 dex) in two stars. HR 3845 and HD 130386, relative to the standard star e Vir. We do not overinterpret these enhancements due to possible errors in the equivalent widths or in the atmospheric parameters. The non-LTE analysis of BaII in the atmospheres of red (barium) giants shows that the corrections for the non-LTE effects is relatively small, reaching a maximum of −0.16 dex, therefore, the enhancement of barium had apparently another nature.

Mass loss in M67 giants - Evidence from isochrone fitting

A comparison between the color-magnitude diagram of M67 and a new set of theoretical evolutionary models which include all phases from the unevolved main-sequence through core-helium burning and onto the AGB is presented. The present 5-Gyr solar abundance isochrone is found to yield an excellent fit to the whole of the M67 color-magnitude diagram. A differential technique that compares the gap in color between clump giants and normal red giants, on one hand, with the temperature gap between core He-burning tracks and first-ascent RGB tracks, on the other, strongly indicates that the clump giants in M67 have masses of 0.70 solar mass or less. The extremely large amount of mass loss that is deduced is well in excess of that found for globular cluster stars. Possible resolutions of this problem are that degree of mass loss increases with total stellar mass, or with metallicity.

Infrared spectroscopy of symbiotic stars: carbon abundances and 12C/13C isotopic ratios

Intermediate-resolution spectra of a sample of symbiotic stars in the K and L bands have been obtained. In many objects, Pfund and Brackett emission lines are detected, as well as the first-overtone CO absorption bands. Synthetic spectra are used to fit the CO absorption features and to obtain carbon abundances and 12 C/ 13 C ratios. Subsolar carbon abundances in the symbiotic red giants are found, with little scatter from star to star. The 12 C/ 13 C ratios are also lower than the solar value. In terms of the C abundance and isotopic ratio, the surveyed symbiotic stars are indistinguishable from normal red giants, i.e. no modifications due to binarity are detected

Properties Of Cool Stellar Components in S-Type Symbiotic Stars

In 1975 Webster and Allen (1975) divided all symbiotic stars into two groups-those in which the 1-4μm continuum show only the presence of a cool star (type S),and those in which dust emission dominates (type D). With the exception of some of yellow symbiotic stars, the dust presence in others correlates with the spectral type of their cool components. That is why one can say that S-type symbiotics contain red giants with spectral type earlier than M6-M7.At the IAU Colloq. N 7Q Allen (1982) noted that it is difficult to escape the conclusion that symbiotic stars contain normal cool giants. Nowadays it is certaiu to be correct because the modern observations of S-type symbiotic stars have not yet discovered any specific distinctions between their cool stellar components and normal red giants. At the same time it should be noted that some of these, for example, Z And, CI Cyg may be interacting binaries in which the cool component apparently fields its Roche lobe and unstable accretion of gas from the red giant onto its hot companion leads to the out bursts of the latter (Kenyon and Webbink 1984; Yudin 1987).

The 12C/13C Ratio in Barium Stars

It is suggested that the position of BaII stars with respect to normal red giants in the (log L, 12C/13C) and ([C/Fe],12C/13C) diagrams supports the hypothesis that 13C(α,n)16O was the neutron source responsible for the synthesis of the heavy elements now present in the BaII star envelopes.

Heavy-element abundances in the mild barium stars Omicron Virginis and 16 Serpentis

High-resolution Digicon and Reticon observations are used to determine detailed heavy-element abundances for the mild barium stars O Vir and 16 Ser and a standard star (Ep Vir). A comparison of their heavy-element abundances with those of the classical Ba II stars does not reveal any significant difference in the element-to-element ratios, but the overall enhancements (relative to iron) are smaller in the mild barium stars. This suggests that the mild barium stars originated from the same binary mechanism as the classical Ba II stars. The initial masses of the Ba II stars' former AGB components may have been significantly less than those of normal field red giants. Low masses for the Ba II star progenitors imply that the Ba II stars, while they belong to Population I, are older than the average Population I object, and so account for their observed tendency to be metal deficient. 47 references.