A. Mucciarelli

News from the Galactic suburbia: the chemical composition of the remote globular cluster NGC 2419

We present the chemical analysis of 49 giant stars of the globular cluster NGC 2419, using medium resolution spectra collected with the multi-object spectrograph DEIMOS@Keck. Previous analysis of this cluster revealed a large dispersion in the line strength of the infrared Ca ii triplet, suggesting an intrinsic star-to-star scatter in its Fe or Ca content. From our analysis, we assess that all the investigated stars share the same [Fe/H], [Ca/Fe] and [Ti/Fe] abundance ratios, while a large spread in Mg and K abundances is detected. The distribution of [Mg/Fe] is bimodal, with ∼40 per cent of the observed targets having subsolar [Mg/Fe], down to [Mg/Fe] ∼ −1 dex, a level of Mg deficiency never observed before in globular clusters. It is found that the large dispersion in Mg abundances is likely the main origin of the observed dispersion of the Ca ii triplet lines strengths (that can be erroneously interpreted in terms of Fe or Ca abundance scatter) because Mg plays a relevant role in the atmosphere of giant stars as an electron donor. A strong depletion in the Mg abundance leads to an increase of the line strength of the Ca ii triplet, due to the variation in the electronic pressure, at a constant Fe and Ca abundance. Finally, we detect an anti-correlation between Mg and K abundances, not easily explainable within the framework of the current nucleosynthesis models.

LOOKING OUTSIDE THE GALAXY: THE DISCOVERY OF CHEMICAL ANOMALIES IN THREE OLD LARGE MAGELLANIC CLOUD CLUSTERS*

By using the multifiber spectrograph FLAMES mounted at the ESO-VLT, we have obtained high-resolution spectra for 18 giant stars, belonging to 3 old globular clusters of the Large Magellanic Cloud (namely NGC 1786, 2210 and 2257). While stars in each cluster showed quite homogeneous iron content, within a few cents of dex (the mean values being Fe/H]= -1.75+-0.01 dex, -1.65+-0.02 dex and -1.95+-0.02 dex for NGC 1786, 2210 and 2257, respectively), we have detected significant inhomogeneities for the [Na/Fe], [Al/Fe], [O/Fe] and [Mg/Fe] abundance ratios, with evidence of [O/Fe] vs [Na/Fe] and [Mg/Fe] vs [Al/Fe] anticorrelations. The trends detected nicely agree with those observed in Galactic Globular Clusters, suggesting that such abundance anomalies are ubiquitous features of old stellar systems and they do not depend on the parent galaxy environment. In NGC 1786 we also detected two extreme O-poor, Na-rich stars. This is the first time that a firm signature of extreme chemical abundance anomalies has been found in an extragalactic stellar cluster.

SPECTROSCOPY UNVEILS THE COMPLEX NATURE OF TERZAN 5

We present the chemical abundance analysis of 33 red giant stars belonging to the complex stellar system Terzan 5. We confirm the discovery of two stellar populations with distinct iron abundances: a relatively metal-poor component with [Fe/H] = –0.25 ± 0.07 rms and another component with [Fe/H] = +0.27 ± 0.04 rms, exceeding in metallicity any known Galactic globular cluster (GC). The two populations also show different [α/Fe] abundance ratios. The metal-poor component has an average [α/Fe] =+0.34 ± 0.06 rms, consistent with the canonical scenario for rapid enrichment by core collapse supernovae (SNe). The metal-rich component has [α/Fe] =+0.03 ± 0.04 rms, suggesting that the gas from which it formed was polluted by both type II and type Ia SNe on a longer timescale. Neither of the two populations shows evidence of the [Al/Fe] over [O/Fe] anti-correlation that is typically observed in Galactic GCs. Because these chemical abundance patterns are unique, we propose that Terzan 5 is not a true GC, but a stellar system with a much more complex history of star formation and chemical enrichment.

NEW DENSITY PROFILE AND STRUCTURAL PARAMETERS OF THE COMPLEX STELLAR SYSTEM TERZAN 5

Terzan 5 is a globular cluster-like stellar system in the Galactic bulge which has been recently found to harbor two stellar populations with different iron content and probably different ages. This discovery suggests that Terzan 5 may be the relic of a primordial building block that contributed to the formation of the Galactic bulge. Here we present a re-determination of the structural parameters (center of gravity, density and surface brightness profiles, total luminosity, and mass) of Terzan 5, as obtained from the combination of high-resolution (ESO-MAD and Hubble Space Telescope ACS-WFC) and wide-field (ESO-WFI) observations. We find that Terzan 5 is significantly less concentrated and more massive than previously thought. Still it has the largest collision rate of any stellar aggregate in the Galaxy. We discuss the impact of these findings on the exceptional population of millisecond pulsars harbored in this stellar system.

NGC 1866: a milestone for understanding the chemical evolution of stellar populations in the Large Magellanic Cloud★

We present new FLAMES@VLT spectroscopic observations of 30 stars in the field of the LMC stellar cluster NGC 1866. NGC 1866 is one of the few young and massive globular cluster that is close enough so that its stars can be individually studied in detail. Radial velocities have been used to separate stars belonging to the cluster and to the LMC field and the same spectra have been used to derive chemical abundances for a variety of elements, from [Fe/H] to the light (i.e. Na, O, Mg...) to the heavy ones. The average iron abundance of NGC 1866 turns out to be [Fe/H]= –0.43±0.01 dex (with a dispersion �= 0.04 dex), from the analysis of 14 cluster-member stars. Within our uncertainties, the cluster stars are homogeneous, as far as chemical composition is concerned, independent of the evolutionary status. The observed cluster stars do not show any sign of the light elements ’anti-correlation’ present in all the Galactic globular clusters so far studied, and also found in the old LMC stellar clusters. A similar lack of anti-correlations has been detected in the massive intermediate-age LMC clusters, indicating a different formation/evolution scenario for the LMC massive clusters younger than � 3 Gyr with respect to the old ones. Also opposite to the Galactic globulars, the chemical composition of the older RGB field stars and of the young post-MS cluster stars show robust homogeneity suggesting a quite similar process of chemical evolution. The field and cluster abundances are in agreement with recent chemical analysis of LMC stars, which show a distinctive chemical pattern for this galaxy with respect to the Milky Way. We discuss these findings in light of the theoretical scenario of chemical evolution of the LMC.

CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF THE OLD GLOBULAR CLUSTERS NGC 1786, NGC 2210, AND NGC 2257 IN THE LARGE MAGELLANIC CLOUD

This paper presents the chemical abundance analysis of a sample of 18 giant stars in three old globular clusters in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC), NGC 1786, NGC 2210, and NGC 2257. The derived iron content is [Fe/H] = -1.75 {+-} 0.01 dex ({sigma} = 0.02 dex), -1.65 {+-} 0.02 dex ({sigma} = 0.04 dex), and -1.95 {+-} 0.02 dex ({sigma} = 0.04 dex) for NGC 1786, NGC 2210, and NGC 2257, respectively. All the clusters exhibit similar abundance ratios, with enhanced values ({approx}+0.30 dex) of [{alpha}/Fe], consistent with the Galactic halo stars, thus indicating that these clusters have formed from a gas enriched by Type II supernovae. We also found evidence that r-process is the main channel of production of the measured neutron capture elements (Y, Ba, La, Nd, Ce, and Eu). In particular, the quite large enhancement of [Eu/Fe] ({approx}+0.70 dex) found in these old clusters clearly indicates a relevant efficiency of the r-process mechanism in the LMC environment.

Lithium abundance in the globular cluster M4: from the turn-off to the red giant branch bump★

We present Li and Fe abundances for 87 stars in the globular cluster M4, obtained by using high-resolution spectra collected with GIRAFFE at the Very Large Telescope. The targets range from the turn-off up to the red giant branch bump. The Li abundance in the turn-off stars is uniform, with an average value equal to A(Li)= 2.30 ± 0.02 dex (σ= 0.10 dex), consistent with the upper envelope of Li content measured in other globular clusters and in the halo field stars, confirming also for M4 the discrepancy with the primordial Li abundance predicted by Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe+ big bang nucleosynthesis (WMAP+BBNS). The global behaviour of A(Li) as a function of the effective temperature allows us to identify the two main drops in the Li evolution due to the first dredge-up and to the extra-mixing episode after the red giant branch bump. The measured iron content of M4 results to [Fe/H]=−1.10 ± 0.01 dex (σ= 0.07 dex), with no systematic offsets between dwarf and giant stars. n n n nThe behaviour of the Li and Fe abundances along the entire evolutionary path is incompatible with theoretical models including pure atomic diffusion, pointing out that an additional turbulent mixing below the convective region needs to be taken into account, able to inhibit the atomic diffusion. The measured value of A(Li) and its homogeneity in the turn-off stars allow us to put strong constraints on the shape of the Li profile inside the M4 turn-off stars. The global behaviour of A(Li) with the effective temperature can be reproduced with different pristine Li abundances, depending on the kind of adopted turbulent mixing. One cannot reproduce the global trend that starts from the WMAP+BBNS A(Li) and adopts the turbulent mixing described by Richard, Michaud & Richer with the same efficiency as that used by Korn et al. to explain the Li content in NGCxa06397. In fact, such a solution is not able to well reproduce simultaneously the Li abundance observed in turn-off and red giant branch stars. However, the WMAP+BBNS A(Li) can be reproduced assuming a more efficient turbulent mixing able to reach deeper stellar regions where the Li is burned. n n n nWe conclude that the cosmological Li discrepancy cannot be easily solved with the present, poor understanding of the turbulence in the stellar interiors, and a future effort to well understand the true nature of this non-canonical process is needed.

HIGH-RESOLUTION REDDENING MAP IN THE DIRECTION OF THE STELLAR SYSTEM TERZAN 5*

We have used optical images acquired with the Hubble Space Telescope to construct the first high-resolution extinction map in the direction of Terzan 5, a peculiar stellar system in the inner bulge of our Galaxy. The map has a spatial resolution of 8 X 8, over a total FoV of 200 X 200. The absorption clouds show a patchy structure on a typical scale of 20 and extinction variations as large as delta E(B-V) = 0.67 mag, especially in the direction of the center of the system. These correspond to an absolute color excess ranging from E(B-V)=2.15 mag, up to 2.82 mag. After the correction for differential reddening, two distinct red giant branches become clearly visible in the color magnitude diagram of Terzan 5 and they well correspond to the two sub-populations with different iron abundances recently discovered in this system.

A low surface brightness halo surrounding the globular cluster NGC 5694

We report on the discovery of an extended stellar halo surrounding the distant Galactic globular cluster NGC 5694, based on new deep (V≃ 24.5) wide-field (24 × 20xa0arcmin2) photometry acquired with the VIMOS at the VLT. Stars with colour and magnitude consistent with the main sequence of the cluster are clearly identified out to r≃ 9xa0arcminxa0(≃93xa0pc) from the cluster centre, much beyond the tidal radius of the King model that best fits the inner profile (rt= 3.15xa0arcmin). We do not find a clear end of the structure within our field. The overall observed profile cannot be properly fitted with either a King model, an Elson et al. model or a Wilson model; however, it is very smooth and does not show any sign of the break near the tidal radius that is typically observed in stellar systems with tidal tails. The density map we derived does not show evidence of tidal tails, within the considered field. The extra-tidal component contains ≃ 3.5 per cent of the cluster light (mass) and has a surface density profile falling as ∼r−3.2. The possible origin of the detected structure is discussed, as a clear-cut conclusion cannot be reached with the available data.

Giants reveal what dwarfs conceal: Li abundance in lower red giant branch stars as diagnostic of the primordial Li

The discrepancy between cosmological Li abundance inferred from Population II dwarf stars and that derived from WMAP/BBNS is still far from being solved.We investigated, as an alternative route, the use of Li abundances in Population II lower RGB stars as empirical diagnostic of the cosmological Li. Both theory and observations suggest that the surface A(Li) in red giants after the completion of the first dredge-up and before the RGB bump, are significantly less sensitive to the efficiency of atomic diffusion, compared with dwarf stars. Standard stellar models computed under different physical assumptions show that the inclusion of the atomic diffusion has an impact of 0.07dex in the determination of A(Li)0 (much smaller than the case of MS stars) and it is basically unaffected by reasonable variations of other parameters (overshooting, age,initial Y, mixing length). We have determined the surface Li content of 17 Halo lower RGB stars,in the metallicity range [Fe/H]=-3.4 /-1.4 dex. The initial Li has then been inferred by accounting for the difference between initial and post-dredge up A(Li) in the appropriate stellar models. It depends mainly on the used T(eff) scale and is only weakly sensitive to the efficiency of atomic diffusion,so long as one neglects Li destruction caused by the process competing with atomic diffusion. Final A(Li)0 span a relatively narrow range (2.28 /2.46 dex), and is 0.3-0.4 dex lower the WMAP/BBNS predictions. These values of A(Li)0 are corroborated by the analysis of the GCs NGC6397, NGC6752 and M4. Our result provides an independent quantitative estimate of the difference with the Big Bang value and sets a very robust constraint for the physical processes invoked to resolve this discrepancy.