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Chemical evolution of the Galactic bulge as traced by microlensed dwarf and subgiant stars III. Detection of lithium in the metal-poor bulge dwarf MOA-2010-BLG-285S

Bensby, Thomas LU orcid ; Asplund, M. ; Johnson, J. A. ; Feltzing, Sofia LU orcid ; Melendez, J. ; Dong, S. ; Gould, A. ; Han, C. ; Adén, Daniel LU and Lucatello, S. , et al. (2010) In Astronomy & Astrophysics 521.
Abstract
Context. To study the evolution of Li in the Galaxy it is necessary to observe dwarf or subgiant stars. These are the only long-lived stars whose present-day atmospheric chemical composition reflects their natal Li abundances according to standard models of stellar evolution. Although Li has been extensively studied in the Galactic disk and halo, to date there has only been one uncertain detection of Li in an unevolved bulge star. Aims. Our aim with this study is to provide the first clear detection of Li in the Galactic bulge, based on an analysis of a dwarf star that has largely retained its initial Li abundance. Methods. We performed a detailed elemental abundance analysis of the bulge dwarf star MOA-2010-BLG-285S using a... (More)
Context. To study the evolution of Li in the Galaxy it is necessary to observe dwarf or subgiant stars. These are the only long-lived stars whose present-day atmospheric chemical composition reflects their natal Li abundances according to standard models of stellar evolution. Although Li has been extensively studied in the Galactic disk and halo, to date there has only been one uncertain detection of Li in an unevolved bulge star. Aims. Our aim with this study is to provide the first clear detection of Li in the Galactic bulge, based on an analysis of a dwarf star that has largely retained its initial Li abundance. Methods. We performed a detailed elemental abundance analysis of the bulge dwarf star MOA-2010-BLG-285S using a high-resolution and high signal-to-noise spectrum obtained with the UVES spectrograph at the VLT when the object was optically magnified during a gravitational microlensing event (visual magnification A similar to 550 during observation). The Li abundance was determined through synthetic line profile fitting of the Li-7 resonance doublet line at 670.8 nm. The results have been corrected for departures from LTE. Results. MOA-2010-BLG-285S is, at [Fe/H] = -1.23, the most metal-poor dwarf star detected so far in the Galactic bulge. Its old age (12.5 Gyr) and enhanced [alpha/Fe] ratios agree well with stars in the thick disk at similar metallicities. This star represents the first unambiguous detection of Li in a metal-poor dwarf star in the Galactic bulge. We find an NLTE corrected Li abundance of log epsilon(Li) = 2.16, which is consistent with values derived for Galactic disk and halo dwarf stars at similar metallicities and temperatures. Conclusions. Our results show that there are no signs of Li enrichment or production in the Galactic bulge during its earliest phases. Observations of Li in other galaxies (omega Cen) and other components of the Galaxy suggest further that the Spite plateau is universal. (Less)
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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
stars: abundances, evolution, Galaxy:, Galaxy: formation, gravitational lensing: micro, Galaxy: bulge
in
Astronomy & Astrophysics
volume
521
article number
L57
publisher
EDP Sciences
external identifiers
  • wos:000284150900057
  • scopus:77958131717
ISSN
0004-6361
DOI
10.1051/0004-6361/201015745
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
6ffcca2e-c810-4510-af22-f7f41939c376 (old id 1752638)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 12:55:33
date last changed
2024-01-09 05:03:52
@article{6ffcca2e-c810-4510-af22-f7f41939c376,
  abstract     = {{Context. To study the evolution of Li in the Galaxy it is necessary to observe dwarf or subgiant stars. These are the only long-lived stars whose present-day atmospheric chemical composition reflects their natal Li abundances according to standard models of stellar evolution. Although Li has been extensively studied in the Galactic disk and halo, to date there has only been one uncertain detection of Li in an unevolved bulge star. Aims. Our aim with this study is to provide the first clear detection of Li in the Galactic bulge, based on an analysis of a dwarf star that has largely retained its initial Li abundance. Methods. We performed a detailed elemental abundance analysis of the bulge dwarf star MOA-2010-BLG-285S using a high-resolution and high signal-to-noise spectrum obtained with the UVES spectrograph at the VLT when the object was optically magnified during a gravitational microlensing event (visual magnification A similar to 550 during observation). The Li abundance was determined through synthetic line profile fitting of the Li-7 resonance doublet line at 670.8 nm. The results have been corrected for departures from LTE. Results. MOA-2010-BLG-285S is, at [Fe/H] = -1.23, the most metal-poor dwarf star detected so far in the Galactic bulge. Its old age (12.5 Gyr) and enhanced [alpha/Fe] ratios agree well with stars in the thick disk at similar metallicities. This star represents the first unambiguous detection of Li in a metal-poor dwarf star in the Galactic bulge. We find an NLTE corrected Li abundance of log epsilon(Li) = 2.16, which is consistent with values derived for Galactic disk and halo dwarf stars at similar metallicities and temperatures. Conclusions. Our results show that there are no signs of Li enrichment or production in the Galactic bulge during its earliest phases. Observations of Li in other galaxies (omega Cen) and other components of the Galaxy suggest further that the Spite plateau is universal.}},
  author       = {{Bensby, Thomas and Asplund, M. and Johnson, J. A. and Feltzing, Sofia and Melendez, J. and Dong, S. and Gould, A. and Han, C. and Adén, Daniel and Lucatello, S. and Gal-Yam, A.}},
  issn         = {{0004-6361}},
  keywords     = {{stars: abundances; evolution; Galaxy:; Galaxy: formation; gravitational lensing: micro; Galaxy: bulge}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  publisher    = {{EDP Sciences}},
  series       = {{Astronomy & Astrophysics}},
  title        = {{Chemical evolution of the Galactic bulge as traced by microlensed dwarf and subgiant stars III. Detection of lithium in the metal-poor bulge dwarf MOA-2010-BLG-285S}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/201015745}},
  doi          = {{10.1051/0004-6361/201015745}},
  volume       = {{521}},
  year         = {{2010}},
}