Abundance of oxygen in M92 giant stars

Journal Article · Tue Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1988 · Astrophys. J.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1086/185122· OSTI ID:7251939

Pilachowski, C A

The abundance of oxygen has been determined for six giant stars in the metal-poor globular cluster M92 from high-resolution, CCD echelle spectra. The abundance of oxygen varies from star to star and is anti-correlated with the abundance of nitrogen determined by Carbon et al. (1982), in such a way that the sum of the carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen abundances remains constant at + 0.03 + or - 0.05, despite large variations in the abundance of nitrogen from star to star. The constancy of C + N + O suggests that the abundance differences are due to variation in the degree of mixing, and not to initial differences in the amount of C + N + O. Furthermore, the anticorrelation of oxygen and nitrogen suggests that the ON cycle has been active to modify the surface C + N + O abundances in M92 giants. M92 giants also contain only a small excess of oxygen relative to iron; an oxygen excess may not be cited to reduce the derived age of the cluster. 8 references.

• Research Organization: Kitt Peak National Observatory, Tucson, AZ (USA)
• OSTI ID: 7251939
• Journal Information: Astrophys. J.; (United States), Journal Name: Astrophys. J.; (United States) Vol. 326; 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
CARBON
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
CNO CYCLE
ELEMENTS
ENERGY-LEVEL TRANSITIONS
FORBIDDEN TRANSITIONS
GIANT STARS
MIXING
NITROGEN
NONMETALS
OXYGEN
STAR BURNING
STAR CLUSTERS
STARS