BOO-1137-AN EXTREMELY METAL-POOR STAR IN THE ULTRA-FAINT DWARF SPHEROIDAL GALAXY BOOeTES I

Journal Article · Mon Mar 01 00:00:00 EST 2010 · Astrophysical Journal

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/711/1/350· OSTI ID:21394364

Norris, John E; Yong, David ^[1]; Gilmore, Gerard ^[2]; Wyse, Rosemary F. G., ^[3]

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1. Research School of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Australian National University, Mount Stromlo Observatory, Cotter Road, Weston, ACT 2611 (Australia)
2. Institute of Astronomy, University of Cambridge, Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3 0HA (United Kingdom)
3. Department of Physics and Astronomy, Johns Hopkins University, 3900 North Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218 (United States)

We present high-resolution (R {approx} 40,000), high-signal-to-noise ratio (20-90) spectra of an extremely metal-poor giant star Boo-1137 in the 'ultra-faint' dwarf spheroidal galaxy (dSph) Booetes I, absolute magnitude M{sub V} {approx} -6.3. We derive an iron abundance of [Fe/H] = -3.7, making this the most metal-poor star as yet identified in an ultra-faint dSph. Our derived effective temperature and gravity are consistent with its identification as a red giant in Booetes I. Abundances for a further 15 elements have also been determined. Comparison of the relative abundances, [X/Fe], with those of the extremely metal-poor red giants of the Galactic halo shows that Boo-1137 is 'normal' with respect to C and N, the odd-Z elements Na and Al, the iron-peak elements, and the neutron-capture elements Sr and Ba, in comparison with the bulk of the Milky Way halo population having [Fe/H] {approx}<-3.0. The alpha-elements Mg, Si, Ca, and Ti are all higher by DELTA[X/Fe] {approx} 0.2 than the average halo values. Monte Carlo analysis indicates that DELTA[alpha/Fe] values this large are expected with a probability {approx}0.02. The elemental abundance pattern in Boo-1137 suggests inhomogeneous chemical evolution, consistent with the wide internal spread in iron abundances we previously reported. The similarity of most of the Boo-1137 relative abundances with respect to halo values, and the fact that the alpha-elements are all offset by a similar small amount from the halo averages, points to the same underlying galaxy-scale stellar initial mass function, but that Boo-1137 likely originated in a star-forming region where the abundances reflect either poor mixing of supernova (SN) ejecta, or poor sampling of the SN progenitor mass range, or both.

• OSTI ID: 21394364
• Journal Information: Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 711, Issue 1; Other Information: DOI: 10.1088/0004-637X/711/1/350; ISSN 0004-637X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

79 ASTROPHYSICS
COSMOLOGY AND ASTRONOMY
ABUNDANCE
CALCIUM
GALACTIC EVOLUTION
GIANT STARS
GRAVITATION
IRON
MAGNESIUM
MASS
MILKY WAY
MONTE CARLO METHOD
NEUTRON REACTIONS
SAMPLING
SIGNAL-TO-NOISE RATIO
SILICON
TITANIUM
ALKALINE EARTH METALS
BARYON REACTIONS
CALCULATION METHODS
DIMENSIONLESS NUMBERS
ELEMENTS
EVOLUTION
GALAXIES
HADRON REACTIONS
METALS
NUCLEAR REACTIONS
NUCLEON REACTIONS
SEMIMETALS
STARS
TRANSITION ELEMENTS