Non-local thermodynamic equilibrium stellar spectroscopy with 1D and 3D models – II. Chemical properties of the Galactic metal-poor disk and the halo [SSA]

http://arxiv.org/abs/1612.07363


We have analysed high-resolution spectra of 328 stars and derived Mg abundances using non-local thermodynamic equilibrium (NLTE) spectral line formation calculations and plane-parallel model stellar atmospheres derived from the mean stratification of 3D hydrodynamical surface convection simulations of late-type stars. The distribution of Mg abundances in the Galactic disk is analysed from the perspective of Galactic chemical evolution. We find that the trend of [Mg/Fe] shows a mild decline with decreasing metallicity below [Fe/H]~-1.2 and that a significant fraction of low-metallicity stars have [Mg/Fe] ratios close to solar even at [Fe/H] ~ -2. This is at variance with results of classical abundance analyses based on local thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE) and 1D model stellar atmospheres, which argue for a constant elevated [Mg/Fe] in metal-poor stars of the Galactic thick disk and halo.

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M. Bergemann, R. Collet, R. Schoenrich, et. al.
Fri, 23 Dec 16
36/60

Comments: 12 pages, submitted to ApJ, comments welcome