Detection of neutral phosphorus in the near-ultraviolet spectra of late-type stars
- Department of Astronomy, University of Michigan, 1085 South University Avenue, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 (United States)
- Department of Physics and Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139 (United States)
We report the detection of several absorption lines of neutral phosphorus (P, Z = 15) in archival near-ultraviolet spectra obtained with the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph on board the Hubble Space Telescope. We derive phosphorus abundances or interesting upper limits in 14 late-type stars with metallicities spanning –3.8 < [Fe/H] <–0.1. Previously, phosphorus had only been studied in Galactic stars with –1.0 < [Fe/H] <+0.3. Iron lines reveal abundance offsets between the optical and ultraviolet regions, and we discuss and apply a correction factor to account for this offset. In stars with [Fe/H] >–1.0, the [P/Fe] ratio decreases toward the solar value with increasing metallicity, in agreement with previous observational studies. In stars with [Fe/H] <–1.0, ([P/Fe]) = +0.04 ± 0.10, which overlaps with the [P/Fe] ratios found in several high-redshift damped Lyman-α systems. This behavior hints at a primary origin in massive stars.
- OSTI ID:
- 22370071
- Journal Information:
- Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 797, Issue 1; Other Information: Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0004-637X
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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