Signatures of an Intermediate-Age Metal-Rich Bulge Population
Conference Proceeding/Paper
|
Published
|
English
Authors:
Bensby, Thomas
;
Feltzing, Sofia
;
Gould, A.
;
Johnson, J. A.
;
Asplund, M.
;
Adén, Daniel
;
Melendez, J.
;
Cohen, J. G.
;
Thompson, I.
;
Lucatello, S.
;
Gal-Yam, A.
, et al.
Department:
Lund Observatory - Has been reorganised
Abstract:
We have determined detailed elemental abundances and stellar ages for a sample of now 38 microlensed dwarf and subgiant stars in the Galactic bulge. Stars with sub-solar metallicities are all old and have enhanced alpha-element abundances - very similar to what is seen for local thick disk stars. The metal-rich stars on the other hand show a wide variety of stellar ages, ranging from 3-4 Gyr to 12 Gyr, and an average around 7-8 Gyr. The existence of young and metal-rich stars are in conflict with recent photometric studies of the bulge which claim that the bulge only contains old stars.
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