A simple accretion/diffusion model for Lambda Bootis stars

Journal Article · Wed May 01 00:00:00 EDT 1991 · Astrophysical Journal; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1086/186017· OSTI ID:5589029

Charbonneau, P ^[1]

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1. High Altitude Observatory, Boulder, CO (USA)

It has recently been suggested that the peculiar abundance patterns observed in the Lambda Bootis stars could be understood in terms of accretion of gas previously depleted in metals by means of grain formation in the interstellar medium. A simple analytical model is presented, describing the evolution of elemental abundances in these stars, under the combined influence of accretion and chemical separation. The only arbitrary parameter involved is the accretion rate. A rate of order 10 to the {minus}13th solar mass/yr is found to naturally reproduce many peculiar characteristics of Lambda Bootis stars, in particular their restriction to the spectral type range A0{minus}F0. This lends quantitative support to the accretion hypothesis as a key component toward an understanding of the Lambda Bootis phenomenon. 18 refs.

• OSTI ID: 5589029
• Journal Information: Astrophysical Journal; (United States), Vol. 372; Other Information: L33-L36; ISSN 0004-637X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
STAR EVOLUTION
STAR MODELS
STARS
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
ELEMENT ABUNDANCE
HERTZSPRUNG-RUSSELL DIAGRAM
INTERSTELLAR SPACE
LUMINOSITY
ROTATION
STAR ACCRETION
ABUNDANCE
DIAGRAMS
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
MOTION
OPTICAL PROPERTIES
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
SPACE
640102* - Astrophysics & Cosmology- Stars & Quasi-Stellar
Radio & X-Ray Sources