Relative abundances in metal-poor stars. III. Sodium through copper

Journal Article · Sun Mar 15 04:00:00 EST 1981 · Astrophys. J.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1086/158771· OSTI ID:6316507

Peterson, R C

Patterns of the relative abundances of 15 elements from sodium through the iron peak are identified from self-consistent analyses of more than 30 metal-poor field dwarfs and subgiants. The iron-peak elements are always found in the same proportion as in the Sun, while the lighter even-Z elements: magnesium, silicon, calcium, and titanium: appear slightly enhanced. Only aluminum shows instances of large deviations from the solar proportion; for all other elements, except perhaps sodium and magnesium, there is no intrinsic scatter to within about +- 0.1 dex. Although exceptions do occur, sodium and aluminum both tend to become less and less abundant with respect to iron as the overall level of stellar metallicity diminishes. Explosive nucleosynthesis, which alone has predicted such a trend, is strongly supported by that trend as the mechanism which has produced the heavy elements in these stars. This interpretation demands a connection between the metallicity of the explosive object and that of the subsequent stellar generation. Implications are also noted for the interpretation of extragalactic spectra.

• Research Organization: Lockheed Palo Alto Research Labortories
• OSTI ID: 6316507
• Journal Information: Astrophys. J.; (United States), Journal Name: Astrophys. J.; (United States) Vol. 244:3; ISSN ASJOA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640102* -- Astrophysics & Cosmology-- Stars & Quasi-Stellar
Radio & X-Ray Sources
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ABUNDANCE
ATMOSPHERES
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
DATA ANALYSIS
DWARF STARS
ENERGY SPECTRA
GIANT STARS
NUCLEOSYNTHESIS
SPECTRA
SPECTROSCOPY
STARS
STELLAR ATMOSPHERES