| Full text | |
| Author(s): |
Smiljanic, R.
;
Gauderon, R.
;
North, P.
;
Barbuy, B.
;
Charbonnel, C.
;
Mowlavi, N.
Total Authors: 6
|
| Document type: | Journal article |
| Source: | ASTRONOMY & ASTROPHYSICS; v. 502, n. 1, p. 20-pg., 2009-07-01. |
| Abstract | |
Context. Evolved low-mass stars (0.8 <= M/M-circle dot <= 2.5) of a wide range of metallicity bear signatures of a non-standard mixing event in their surface abundances of Li, C, and N, and in their C-12/C-13 ratio. A Na overabundance has also been reported in some giants of open clusters but remains controversial. The cause of the extra-mixing has been attributed to thermohaline convection that should take place after the RGB bump for low-mass stars and on the early-AGB for more massive objects. Aims. To track the occurrence of this process over a wide mass range, we derive in a homogeneous way the abundances of C, N, O, and Na, as well as the C-12/C-13 ratio in a sample of 31 giants of 10 open clusters with turn-off masses from 1.7 to 3.1 M-circle dot. The sample includes red giants, clump giants, and early-AGB stars. We study the observational behavior of the abundances as well as the possible correlations between different elements and between the chemical abundances and stellar mass. Methods. A model atmosphere analysis is conducted using high signal-to-noise ratio, high-resolution FEROS and EMMI spectra. We derive atmospheric parameters using Fe I and Fe II lines. We calculate abundances for Na, C, N, and O, as well as the C-12/C-13 ratio using spectral synthesis. For the elements Mg, Ca, Si, Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Co, and Ni, abundances are derived using equivalent widths. Results. A group of first ascent red giants with M/M-circle dot <= 2.5 exhibits lower [N/C] ratios than those measured in clump giants of the same mass range, suggesting an additional increase in the [N/C] ratio after the first dredge-up. The sodium abundances corrected from NLTE are found to be about solar. [Na/Fe] shows a slight increase of 0.10 dex as a function of stellar mass in the 1.8 to 3.2 M-circle dot range covered by our sample, in agreement with standard first dredge-up predictions. Our results do not support previous claims of sodium overabundances as high as +0.60 dex. An anti-correlation between C-12/C-13 and turn-off mass is identified and interpreted as being caused by a post-bump thermohaline mixing. Moreover, we find low C-12/C-13 ratios in a few intermediate-mass early-AGB stars, confirming that an extra-mixing process also operates in stars that do not experienced the RGB bump. In this case, the extra-mixing possibly acts on the early-AGB, in agreement with theoretical expectations for thermohaline mixing. (AU) | |
| FAPESP's process: | 04/13667-4 - Molecular bands and spectral indices in the ultraviolet region 3200-4500a |
| Grantee: | Rodolfo Henrique Silva Smiljanic |
| Support Opportunities: | Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate |