Christian I. Johnson

The Bulge Radial Velocity Assay (BRAVA). II. Complete Sample And Data Release

We present new radial velocity measurements from the Bulge Radial Velocity Assay, a large-scale spectroscopic survey of M-type giants in the Galactic bulge/bar region. The sample of ~4500 new radial velocities, mostly in the region –10° < l < +10° and b ≈ –6°, more than doubles the existent published data set. Our new data extend our rotation curve and velocity dispersion profile to +20°, which is ~2.8 kpc from the Galactic center. The new data confirm the cylindrical rotation observed at –6° and –8° and are an excellent fit to the Shen et al. N-body bar model. We measure the strength of the TiOe molecular band as a first step toward a metallicity ranking of the stellar sample, from which we confirm the presence of a vertical abundance gradient. Our survey finds no strong evidence of previously unknown kinematic streams. We also publish our complete catalog of radial velocities, photometry, TiO band strengths, and spectra, which is available at the Infrared Science Archive as well as at UCLA.

Light, Alpha, and Fe-Peak Element Abundances in the Galactic Bulge

We present radial velocities and chemical abundances of O, Na, Mg, Al, Si, Ca, Cr, Fe, Co, Ni, and Cu for a sample of 156 red giant branch stars in two Galactic bulge fields centered near (l,b)=(+5.25,-3.02) and (0,-12). The (+5.25,-3.02) field also includes observations of the bulge globular cluster NGC 6553. The results are based on high resolution (R~20,000), high signal-to-noise (S/N>70) FLAMES-GIRAFFE spectra obtained through the ESO archive. However, we only selected a subset of the original observations that included spectra with both high S/N and that did not show strong TiO absorption bands. The present work extends previous analyses of this data set beyond Fe and the alpha-elements Mg, Si, Ca, and Ti. While we find reasonable agreement with past work, the data presented here indicate that the bulge may exhibit a different chemical composition than the local thick disk, especially at [Fe/H]>-0.5. In particular, the bulge [alpha/Fe] ratios may remain enhanced to a slightly higher [Fe/H] than the thick disk and the Fe-peak elements Co, Ni, and Cu appear enhanced compared to the disk. There is also some evidence that the [Na/Fe] (but not [Al/Fe]) trends between the bulge and local disk may be different at low and high metallicity. We also find that the velocity dispersion decreases as a function of increasing [Fe/H] for both fields, and do not detect any significant cold, high velocity population. A comparison with chemical enrichment models indicates that a significant fraction of hypernovae are required to explain the bulge abundance trends, and that initial mass functions that are steep, top-heavy (and do not include strong outflow), or truncated to avoid including contributions from stars >40 solar masses are ruled out, in particular because of disagreement with the Fe-peak abundance data. [abridged]

METALLICITY DISTRIBUTION FUNCTIONS, RADIAL VELOCITIES, AND ALPHA ELEMENT ABUNDANCES IN THREE OFF-AXIS BULGE FIELDS

We present radial velocities and chemical abundance ratios of [Fe/H], [O/Fe], [Si/Fe], and [Ca/Fe] for 264 red giant branch stars in three Galactic bulge off-axis fields located near (l, b) = (–5.5, –7), (–4, –9), and (+8.5, +9). The results are based on equivalent width and spectrum synthesis analyses of moderate resolution (R ≈ 18,000), high signal-to-noise ratio (S/N ~ 75-300 pixel-1) spectra obtained with the Hydra spectrographs on the Blanco 4 m and WIYN 3.5 m telescopes. The targets were selected from the blue side of the giant branch to avoid cool stars that would be strongly affected by CN and TiO; however, a comparison of the color-metallicity distribution in literature samples suggests that our selection of bluer targets should not present a significant bias against metal-rich stars. We find a full range in metallicity that spans [Fe/H] ≈–1.5 to +0.5, and that, in accordance with the previously observed minor-axis vertical metallicity gradient, the median [Fe/H] also declines with increasing Galactic latitude in off-axis fields. The off-axis vertical [Fe/H] gradient in the southern bulge is estimated to be ~0.4 dex kpc-1; however, comparison with the minor-axis data suggests that a strong radial gradient does not exist. The (+8.5, +9) field exhibits a higher than expected metallicity, with a median [Fe/H] = –0.23, that might be related to a stronger presence of the X-shaped bulge structure along that line-of-sight. This could also be the cause of an anomalous increase in the median radial velocity for intermediate metallicity stars in the (+8.5, +9) field. However, the overall radial velocity and dispersion for each field are in good agreement with recent surveys and bulge models. All fields exhibit an identical, strong decrease in velocity dispersion with increasing metallicity that is consistent with observations in similar minor-axis outer bulge fields. Additionally, the [O/Fe], [Si/Fe], and [Ca/Fe] versus [Fe/H] trends are identical among our three fields, and are in good agreement with past bulge studies. We find that stars with [Fe/H] lesssim –0.5 are α-enhanced, and that the [α/Fe] ratios decline at higher metallicity. At [Fe/H] lesssim 0, the α-element trends are indistinguishable from the halo and thick disk, and the variations in the behavior of individual α-elements are consistent with production in massive stars and a rapid bulge formation timescale.

CONSTRAINTS ON THE FORMATION OF THE GALACTIC BULGE FROM Na, Al, AND HEAVY-ELEMENT ABUNDANCES IN PLAUT's FIELD

We report chemical abundances of Na, Al, Zr, La, Nd, and Eu for 39 red giant branch (RGB) stars and 23 potential inner disk red clump stars located in Plauts low-extinction window. We also measure lithium for a super Li-rich RGB star. The abundances were determined by spectrum synthesis of high-resolution (R 25,000), high signal-to-noise (S/N ~ 50-100 pixel-1) spectra obtained with the Blanco 4?m telescope and Hydra multifiber spectrograph. For the bulge RGB stars, we find a general increase in the [Na/Fe] and [Na/Al] ratios with increasing metallicity, and a similar decrease in [La/Fe] and [Nd/Fe]. Additionally, the [Al/Fe] and [Eu/Fe] abundance trends almost identically follow those of the ?-elements, and the [Zr/Fe] ratios exhibit relatively little change with [Fe/H]. The consistently low [La/Eu] ratios of the RGB stars indicate that at least a majority of bulge stars formed rapidly (1?Gyr) and before the main s-process could become a significant pollution source. In contrast, we find that the potential inner disk clump stars exhibit abundance patterns more similar to those of the thin and thick disks. Comparisons between the abundance trends at different bulge locations suggest that the inner and outer bulges formed on similar timescales. However, we find evidence of some abundance differences between the most metal-poor and metal-rich stars in various bulge fields. The data also indicate that the halo may have had a more significant impact on the outer bulge initial composition than the inner bulge composition. The [Na/Fe], and to a lesser extent [La/Fe], abundances further indicate that the metal-poor bulge, at least at ~1?kpc from the Galactic center, and thick disk may not share an identical chemistry.

The Unique Na:O Abundance Distribution in NGC 6791: The First Open(?) Cluster with Multiple Populations

Almost all globular clusters investigated exhibit a spread in their light element abundances, the most studied being an Na:O anticorrelation. In contrast, open clusters show a homogeneous composition and are still regarded as Simple Stellar Populations. The most probable reason for this difference is that globulars had an initial mass high enough to retain primordial gas and ejecta from the first stellar generation and thus formed a second generation with a distinct composition, an initial mass exceeding that of open clusters. NGC 6791 is a massive open cluster and warrants a detailed search for chemical inhomogeneities. We collected high-resolution, high signal-to-noise spectra of 21 members covering a wide range of evolutionary status and measured their Na, O, and Fe content. We found [Fe/H] = +0.42 ± 0.01, in good agreement with previous values, and no evidence for a spread. However, the Na:O distribution is completely unprecedented. It becomes the first open cluster to show intrinsic abundance variations that cannot be explained by mixing, and thus the first discovered to host multiple populations. It is also the first star cluster to exhibit two subpopulations in the Na:O diagram with one being chemically homogeneous while the second has an intrinsic spread that follows the anticorrelation so far displayed only by globular clusters. NGC 6791 is unique in many aspects, displaying certain characteristics typical of open clusters, others more reminiscent of globulars, and yet others, in particular its Na:O behavior investigated here, that are totally unprecedented. It clearly had a complex and fascinating history.

AGB Sodium Abundances in the Globular Cluster 47 Tucanae (NGC 104)

A recent analysis comparing the [Na/Fe] distributions of red giant branch (RGB) and asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars in the Galactic globular cluster NGC 6752 found that the ratio of Na-poor to Na-rich stars changes from 30:70 on the RGB to 100:0 on the AGB. The surprising paucity of Na-rich stars on the AGB in NGC 6752 warrants additional investigations to determine if the failure of a significant fraction of stars to ascend the AGB is an attribute common to all globular clusters. Therefore, we present radial velocities, [Fe/H], and [Na/Fe] abundances for 35 AGB stars in the Galactic globular cluster 47 Tucanae (47 Tuc; NGC 104), and compare the AGB [Na/Fe] distribution with a similar RGB sample published previously. The abundances and velocities were derived from high resolution spectra obtained with the Michigan/Magellan Fiber System (M2FS) and MSpec spectrograph on the Magellan-Clay 6.5m telescope. We find the average heliocentric radial velocity and [Fe/H] values to be =-18.56 km s^-1 (sigma=10.21 km s^-1) and =-0.68 (sigma=0.08), respectively, in agreement with previous literature estimates. The average [Na/Fe] abundance is 0.12 dex lower in the 47 Tuc AGB sample compared to the RGB sample, and the ratio of Na-poor to Na-rich stars is 63:37 on the AGB and 45:55 on the RGB. However, in contrast to NGC 6752, the two 47 Tuc populations have nearly identical [Na/Fe] dispersion and interquartile range values. The data presented here suggest that only a small fraction <20% of Na-rich stars in 47 Tuc may fail to ascend the AGB. Regardless of the cause for the lower average [Na/Fe] abundance in AGB stars, we find that Na-poor stars and at least some Na-rich stars in 47 Tuc evolve through the early AGB phase. [abridged]

A study of rotating globular clusters The case of the old, metal-poor globular cluster NGC 4372 ,

Context. NGC 4372 is a poorly studied old, very metal-poor globular cluster (GC) located in the inner Milky Way halo. Aims. We present the first in-depth study of the kinematic properties and derive the structural parameters of NGC 4372 based on the fit of a Plummer profile and a rotating, physical model. We explore the link between internal rotation to different cluster properties and together with similar studies of more GCs, we put these in the context of globular cluster formation and evolution. Methods. We present radial velocities for 131 cluster member stars measured from high-resolution FLAMES/GIRAFFE observations. Their membership to the GC is additionally confirmed from precise metallicity estimates. We build a velocity dispersion profile and a systemic rotation curve using this kinematic data set. Additionally, we obtain an elliptical number density profile of NGC 4372 based on optical images using a Markov chain Monte Carlo fitting algorithm. From this, we derive the cluster’s half-light radius and ellipticity as rh = 3.44 � ± 0.04 � and � = 0.08 ± 0.01. Finally, we give a physical interpretation of the observed morphological and kinematic properties of this GC by fitting an axisymmetric, differentially rotating, dynamical model. Results. Our results show that NGC 4372 has an unusually high ratio of rotation amplitude to velocity dispersion (1. 2v s. 4. 5k m s −1 ) for its metallicity. This puts it in line, however, with two other exceptional, very metal-poor GCs: M 15 and NGC 4590. We also find a mild flattening of NGC 4372 in the direction of its rotation. Given its old age, this suggests that the flattening is indeed caused by the systemic rotation rather than tidal interactions with the Galaxy. Additionally, we estimate the dynamical mass of the GC

Separating the Conjoined Red Clump in the Galactic Bulge: Kinematics and Abundances

We have used the AAOMEGA spectrograph to obtain R ~ 1500 spectra of 714 stars that are members of two red clumps in the Plaut Window Galactic bulge field (l, b) = (0°, – 8°). We discern no difference between the clump populations based on radial velocities or abundances measured from the Mgb index. The velocity dispersion has a strong trend with Mgb-index metallicity, in the sense of a declining velocity dispersion at higher metallicity. We also find a strong trend in mean radial velocity with abundance. Our red clump sample shows distinctly different kinematics for stars with [Fe/H] <–1, which may plausibly be attributable to a minority classical bulge or inner halo population. The transition between the two groups is smooth. The chemo-dynamical properties of our sample are reminiscent of those of the Milky Way globular cluster system. If correct, this argues for no bulge/halo dichotomy and a relatively rapid star formation history. Large surveys of the composition and kinematics of the bulge clump and red giant branch are needed to further define these trends.

Multiple populations in ω Centauri: a cluster analysis of spectroscopic data

ω Centauri, the largest globular cluster of the Milky Way, is composed of several stellar populations, which can be seen in both photometry and spectroscopy. The history of how these different populations assembled will allow us to reconstruct the evolution of this complex object. In particular, understanding the detailed chemical evolution will be particularly illuminating. However, this is not easy because of the errors intrinsic to abundance determinations. We performed a statistical cluster analysis on the large data set of accurate abundances recently provided for about 800 red giant branch stars. We find that stars in ω 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 similar 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 that 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 metalintermediate population is not very large, and we can 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.

Spitzer spectra of evolved stars in ω Centauri and their low-metallicity dust production

Dust production is explored around 14 metal-poor ([Fe/H] =− 1.91 to −0.98) giant stars in the Galactic globular cluster ω Centauri using new Spitzer Infrared Spectrograph spectra. This sample includes the cluster’s post-asymptotic giant branch (AGB) and carbon stars and is thus the first representative spectral study of dust production in a metal-poor ([Fe/H] < −1) population. Only the more metal-rich stars V6 and V17 ([Fe/H] =− 1.08, −1.06) exhibit silicate emission, while the five other stars with mid-infrared excess show only a featureless continuum which we argue is caused by metallic iron dust grains. We examine the metallicity of V42, and find it is likely part of the metal-rich population ([Fe/H] ∼− 0.8). Aside from the post-AGB star V1, we find no star from the cluster’s bulk, metal-poor ([Fe/H] < −1.5) population – including the carbon stars – to be producing detectable amounts of dust. We compare the dust production to the stars’ Hα line profiles obtained at the Magellan/Clay telescope at Las Campanas Observatory, finding pulsation shocking in the strongest pulsators (V6, V17 and V42), but evidence of outflow in all other stars. We conclude that the onset of dust production does not signify a fundamental change in the material leaving the star. Our data add to a growing body of evidence that metallic iron dominates dust production in metal-poor, oxygen-rich stars, but that dust is probably not the primary accelerant of winds in this mass–metallicity regime.