Masahide Takada-Hidai

Nucleosynthetic signatures of the first stars

The chemically most primitive stars provide constraints on the nature of the first stellar objects that formed in the Universe; elements other than hydrogen, helium and traces of lithium present within these objects were generated by nucleosynthesis in the very first stars. The relative abundances of elements in the surviving primitive stars reflect the masses of the first stars, because the pathways of nucleosynthesis are quite sensitive to stellar masses. Several models have been suggested to explain the origin of the abundance pattern of the giant star HE0107–5240, which hitherto exhibited the highest deficiency of heavy elements known. Here we report the discovery of HE1327–2326, a subgiant or main-sequence star with an iron abundance about a factor of two lower than that of HE0107–5240. Both stars show extreme overabundances of carbon and nitrogen with respect to iron, suggesting a similar origin of the abundance patterns. The unexpectedly low Li and high Sr abundances of HE1327–2326, however, challenge existing theoretical understanding: no model predicts the high Sr abundance or provides a Li depletion mechanism consistent with data available for the most metal-poor stars.

SPECTROSCOPIC STUDIES OF EXTREMELY METAL-POOR STARS WITH THE SUBARU HIGH DISPERSION SPECTROGRAPH. II. THE r-PROCESS ELEMENTS, INCLUDING THORIUM

We have obtained high-resolution, high signal-to-noise near-UV-blue spectra of 22 very metal-poor stars ([Fe/H] < -2.5) with the Subaru High Dispersion Spectrograph and measured the abundances of elements from C to Th. The metallicity range of the observed stars is -3.2 < [Fe/H] < -2.4. As found by previous studies, the star-to-star scatter in the measured abundances of neutron-capture elements in these stars is very large, much greater than could be assigned to observational errors, in comparison with the relatively small scatter in the α- and iron-peak elements. In spite of the large scatter in the ratios of the neutron-capture elements relative to iron, the abundance patterns of heavy neutron-capture elements (56 ≤ Z 72) are quite similar within our sample stars. The Ba/Eu ratios in the 11 very metal-poor stars in our sample in which both elements have been detected are nearly equal to that of the solar system r-process component. Moreover, the abundance patterns of the heavy neutron-capture elements (56 ≤ Z ≤ 70) in seven objects with clear enhancements of the neutron-capture elements are similar to that of the solar system r-process component. These results prove that heavy neutron-capture elements in these objects are primarily synthesized by the r-process. In contrast, the abundance ratios of the light neutron-capture elements (38 ≤ Z ≤ 46) relative to the heavier ones (56 ≤ Z ≤ 70) exhibit a large dispersion. Our inspection of the correlation between Sr and Ba abundances in very metal-poor stars reveals that the dispersion of the Sr abundances clearly decreases with increasing Ba abundance. This trend is naturally explained by hypothesizing the existence of two processes, one that produces Sr without Ba and another that produces Sr and Ba in similar proportions. This result should provide a strong constraint on the origin of the light neutron-capture elements at low metallicity. We have identified a new highly r-process element enhanced, metal-poor star, CS 22183-031, a giant with [Fe/H] = -2.93 and [Eu/Fe] = +1.2. We also identified a new, moderately r-process-enhanced, metal-poor star, CS 30306-132, a giant with [Fe/H] = -2.42 and [Eu/Fe] = +0.85. The abundance ratio of the radioactive element Th (Z = 90) relative to the stable rare-earth elements (e.g., Eu) in very metal-poor stars has been used as a cosmochronometer by a number of previous authors. Thorium is detected in seven stars in our sample, including four objects for which the detection of Th has already been reported. New detections of thorium have been made for the stars HD 6268, HD 110184, and CS 30306-132. The Th/Eu abundance ratios [log(Th/Eu)], are distributed over the range -0.10 to -0.59, with typical errors of 0.10 to 0.15 dex. In particular, the ratios in two stars, CS 31082-001 and CS 30306-132, are significantly higher than the ratio in the well-studied object CS 22892-052 and those of other moderately r-process-enhanced metal-poor stars previously reported. Since these very metal-poor stars are believed to be formed in the early Galaxy, this result suggests that the abundance ratios between Th and stable rare-earth elements such as Eu, both of which are presumably produced by r-process nucleosynthesis, may exhibit real star-to-star scatter, with implications for (1) the astrophysical sites of the r-process, and (2) the use of Th/Eu as a cosmochronometer.

THE TYPE IC HYPERNOVA SN 2002AP

Photometric and spectroscopic data of the energetic Type Ic supernova (SN) 2002ap are presented, and the properties of the SN are investigated through models of its spectral evolution and its light curve. The SN is spectroscopically similar to the hypernova SN 1997ef. However, its kinetic energy [~(4-10) ? 1051 ergs] and the mass ejected (2.5-5 M?) are smaller, resulting in a faster evolving light curve. The SN synthesized ~0.07 M? of 56Ni, and its peak luminosity was similar to that of normal SNe. Brightness alone should not be used to define a hypernova, whose defining character, namely very broad spectral features, is the result of high kinetic energy. The likely main-sequence mass of the progenitor star was 20-25 M?, which is also lower than that of both hypernovae SN 1997ef and SN 1998bw. SN 2002ap appears to lie at the low-energy and low-mass end of the hypernova sequence as it is known so far. Observations of the nebular spectrum, which is expected to dominate by the summer of 2002, are necessary to confirm these values.

HE 1327?2326, an Unevolved Star with [Fe/H] < ?5.0. I. A Comprehensive Abundance Analysis

HE 1327-2326, an Unevolved Star with [Fe/H] < -5.0. : I. A Comprehensive Abundance Analysis

HIGH-RESOLUTION SPECTROSCOPY OF EXTREMELY METAL-POOR STARS FROM SDSS/SEGUE. I. ATMOSPHERIC PARAMETERS AND CHEMICAL COMPOSITIONS

Chemical compositions are determined based on high-resolution spectroscopy for 137 candidate extremely metal-poor (EMP) stars selected from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) and its first stellar extension, the Sloan Extension for Galactic Understanding and Exploration (SEGUE). High-resolution spectra with moderate signal-to-noise (S/N) ratios were obtained with the High Dispersion Spectrograph of the Subaru Telescope. Most of the sample (approximately 80%) are main-sequence turnoff stars, including dwarfs and subgiants. Four cool main-sequence stars, the most metal-deficient such stars known, are included in the remaining sample. Good agreement is found between effective temperatures estimated by the SEGUE stellar parameter pipeline, based on the SDSS/SEGUE medium-resolution spectra, and those estimated from the broadband (V – K)0 and (g – r)0 colors. Our abundance measurements reveal that 70 stars in our sample have [Fe/H] +0.7) among the 25 giants in our sample is as high as 36%, while only a lower limit on the fraction (9%) is estimated for turnoff stars. This paper is the first of a series of papers based on these observational results. The following papers in this series will discuss the higher-resolution and higher-S/N observations of a subset of this sample, the metallicity distribution function, binarity, and correlations between the chemical composition and kinematics of extremely metal-poor stars.

Non-LTE line formation for heavy elements in four very metal-poor stars

Aims. Stellar parameters and abundances of Na, Mg, Al, K, Ca, Sr, Ba, and Eu are determined for four very metal-poor (VMP) stars (−2.15 ≥ [Fe/H] ≥− 2.66). For two of them, HD 84937 and HD 122563, the fraction of the odd isotopes of Ba derived for the first time. Methods. Determination of an effective temperature, surface gravity, and element abundances was based on non-local thermodynamic equilibrium (non-LTE) line formation and analysis of high-resolution (R ∼ 60 000 and 90 000) high signal-to-noise (S/N ≥ 200) observed spectra. A model atom for H i is presented. An effective temperature was obtained from the Balmer Hα and Hβ line wing fits. The surface gravity was calculated from the Hipparcos parallax if available and the non-LTE ionization balance between Ca i and Ca ii. Based on the hyperfine structure affecting the Ba ii resonance line λ 4554, the fractional abundance of the odd isotopes of Ba was derived from a requirement that Ba abundances from the resonance line and subordinate lines of Ba ii must be equal. Results. For each star, non-LTE leads to a consistency of Teff from two Balmer lines and to a higher temperature compared to the LTE case, by up to 60 K. Non-LTE effects are important in spectroscopic determination of surface gravity from the ionization balance between Ca i and Ca ii. For each star with a known trigonometric surface gravity, non-LTE abundances from the lines of two ionization stages, Ca i and Ca ii, agree within the error bars, while a difference in the LTE abundances consists of 0.23 dex to 0.40 dex for different stars. Departures from LTE are found to be significant for all investigated atoms, and they strongly depend on stellar parameters. For HD 84937, the Eu/Ba ratio is consistent with the relative solar system r-process abundances, and the fraction of the odd isotopes of Ba, fodd, equals 0.43 ± 0.14. The latter can serve as an observational constraint on r-process models. The lower Eu/Ba ratio and fodd = 0.22 ± 0.15 found for HD 122563 suggest that the s-process or the unknown process has contributed significantly to the Ba abundance in this star.

Chemical Abundance Analysis of the Extremely Metal-Poor Star HE 1300+0157

We present a detailed chemical abundance analysis of HE 1300+0157, a subgiant with Fe/H = -3.9. Froma high-resolution, high-S/N Subaru HDS spectrum we find the star to be enriched in C ([C/Fe](1D) ...

Behavior of Sulfur Abundances in Metal-poor Giants and Dwarfs

LTE and non-LTE (NLTE) abundances of sulfur in six metal-poor giants and 61 dwarfs (62 dwarfs including the Sun) were explored in the range of -3 [Fe/H] +0.5 using high-resolution, high signal-to-noise ratio spectra of the S I 8693.9 and 8694.6 A lines observed by us and measured by Francois and Clegg, Lambert, & Tomkin. NLTE effects in S abundances are found to be small and practically negligible. The behavior of [S/Fe] versus [Fe/H] exhibits a linear increasing trend without plateau with decreasing [Fe/H]. Combining our results with those available in the literature, we find that the slope of the increasing trend is -0.25 in the NLTE behavior of [S/Fe], which is comparable to that observed in [O/Fe]. The observed behavior of S may require chemical evolution models of the Galaxy, in which scenarios of hypernovae nucleosynthesis and/or time-delayed deposition into interstellar medium are incorporated.

SPECTROSCOPIC STUDIES OF EXTREMELY METAL-POOR STARS WITH THE SUBARU HIGH DISPERSION SPECTROGRAPH. V. THE Zn-ENHANCED METAL-POOR STAR BS 16920-017*

A detailed elemental abundance analysis has been carried out for the very metal-poor ([Fe/H] = -2.7) star BS 16934-002, which was identified in our previous work as a star exhibiting large overabundances of Mg and Sc. A comparison of the abundance pattern of this star with that of the well-studied metal-poor star HD 122563 indicates excesses of O, Na, Mg, Al, and Sc in BS 16934-002. Of particular interest, no excess of C or N is found in this object, in contrast to CS 22949-037 and CS 29498-043, two previously known carbon-rich, extremely metal-poor stars with excesses of the α-elements. No established nucleosynthesis model exists that explains the observed abundance pattern of BS 16934-002. A supernova model, including mixing and fallback and assuming severe mass loss before explosion, is discussed as a candidate progenitor of BS 16934-002.

Non-LTE Line-Formation and Abundances of Sulfur and Zinc in F, G, and K Stars

Extensive statistical-equilibrium calculations on neutral sulfur and zinc were carried out, in order to investigate how the non-LTE effect plays a role in the determination of S and Zn abundances in F, G, and K stars. Having checked on the spectra of representative F-type stars (Polaris, Procyon, and alpha Per) and the Sun that our non-LTE corrections yield a reasonable consistency between the abundances derived from different lines, we tried an extensive non-LTE reanalysis of published equivalent-width data of S I and Zn I lines for metal-poor halo/disk stars. According to our calculations, S I 9212/9228/9237 lines suffer significant negative non-LTE corrections amounting to <~ 0.2--0.3 dex, while LTE is practically valid for S I 8683/8694 lines. Embarrassingly, as far as the very metal-poor regime is concerned, a marked discordance is observed between the [S/Fe] values from these two abundance indicators, in the sense that the former attains a nearly flat plateau (or even a slight downward bending) while the latter shows an ever-increasing trend with a further lowering of metallicity. The reason for this discrepancy is yet to be clarified. Regarding Zn, we almost confirmed the characteristic tendencies of [Zn/Fe] reported from recent LTE studies (i.e., an evident/slight increase of [Zn/Fe] with a decrease of [Fe/H] for very metal-poor/disk stars), since the non-LTE corrections for the Zn I 4722/4810 and 6362 lines (tending to be positive and gradually increasing towards lower [Fe/H]) are quantitatively of less significance (<~ 0.1 dex).