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Gaia DR3 opens a new era of all-sky spectral analysis of stellar populations thanks to the nearly 5.6 million stars observed by the RVS and parametrised by the GSP-spec module. The all-sky Gaia chemical cartography allows a powerful and precise chemo-dynamical view of the Milky Way with unprecedented spatial coverage and statistical robustness. First, it reveals the strong vertical symmetry of the Galaxy and the flared structure of the disc. Second, the observed kinematic disturbances of the disc -- seen as phase space correlations -- and kinematic or orbital substructures are associated with chemical patterns that favour stars with enhanced metallicities and lower [alpha/Fe] abundance ratios compared to the median values in the radial distributions. This is detected both for young objects that trace the spiral arms and older populations. Several alpha, iron-peak elements and at least one heavy element trace the thin and thick disc properties in the solar cylinder. Third, young disc stars show a recent chemical impoverishment in several elements. Fourth, the largest chemo-dynamical sample of open clusters analysed so far shows a steepening of the radial metallicity gradient with age, which is also observed in the young field population. Finally, the Gaia chemical data have the required coverage and precision to unveil galaxy accretion debris and heated disc stars on halo orbits through their [alpha/Fe] ratio, and to allow the study of the chemo-dynamical properties of globular clusters. Gaia DR3 chemo-dynamical diagnostics open new horizons before the era of ground-based wide-field spectroscopic surveys. They unveil a complex Milky Way that is the outcome of an eventful evolution, shaping it to the present day (abridged)., Astronomy and Astrophysics (accepted, in press)

Context. Exploring the Galactic chemical evolution and enrichment scenarios with open clusters (OCs) allows us to understand the history of the Milky Way disk. High-resolution spectra of OCs are a crucial tool, as they provide precise chemical information, to combine with precise distances and ages. Aims. The aim of the Stellar Population Astrophysics (SPA) project is to derive homogeneous and accurate comprehensive chemical characterization of a number of poorly studied OCs. Methods. Using the HARPS-N echelle spectrograph at the Telescopio Nazionale Galileo (TNG), we obtained high-resolution spectra of giant stars in 18 OCs, 16 of which are chemically characterized for the first time, and two of which are well studied for comparison. The OCs in this sample have ages from a few tens of Myr to 4 Gyr, with a prevalence of young clusters. We already presented the radial velocities and atmospheric parameters for them in a previous SPA paper. Here, we present results for the α-elements O, Mg, Si, Ca and Ti, and the light elements Na and Al, all determined by the equivalent width method. We also measured Li abundance through the synthesis method. Results. We discuss the behaviors of lithium, sodium and aluminum in the context of stellar evolution. For Na and Al, we compare our findings with models to investigate their behaviors as a function of mass, suggesting that Na mixing to the surface might start in masses as low as 2 M⊙. We study the radial, vertical, and age trends for the measured abundance ratios in a sample that combines our results and recent literature for OCs, finding significant (positive) gradients only for [Mg/Fe] and [Ca/Fe] in all cases. Finally, we compare O and Mg in the combined sample with chemo-dynamical models, finding a good agreement for intermediate-age and old clusters. There is a sharp increase in the abundance ratios measured among very young clusters (age < 300 Myr), accompanied by a poorer fit with the models for O and Mg, likely related to the inadequacy of traditional model atmospheres and methods in the derivation of atmospheric parameters and abundance ratios for stars of such young ages.

Context. The last decade has seen a revolution in our knowledge of the Galaxy thanks to the Gaia and asteroseismic space missions and the ground-based spectroscopic surveys. Aims. To complete this picture, it is necessary to map the ages of its stellar populations. During recent years, the dependence on time of abundance ratios involving slow (s) neutron-capture and α elements (called chemical-clocks) has been used to provide estimates of stellar ages, usually in a limited volume close to the Sun. We aim to analyse the relations of chemical clocks in the Galactic disc extending the range to RGC ∼ 6–20 kpc. Methods. Using the sixth internal data release of the Gaia-ESO survey, we calibrated several relations between stellar ages and abundance ratios [s/α] using a sample of open clusters, the largest one so far used with this aim (62 clusters). Thanks to their wide galactocentric coverage, we investigated the radial variations of the shape of these relations, confirming their non-universality. Results. The multi-variate relations allowed us to infer stellar ages for field stars. We estimated our accuracy (ranging from 0.0 to −0.9 Gyr) and precision (from 0.4 to 2.3 Gyr) in recovering the global ages of open clusters, and the ages of their individual members. We applied the relations with the highest correlation coefficients to the field star population, finding an older population at lower metallicity and higher [α/Fe] in the thin disc, and a younger one at higher [Fe/H] and low [α/Fe], as expected. Conclusion. We confirm that there is no single age-chemical clock relationship valid for the whole disc, but that there is a dependence on the galactocentric position, which is related to the radial variation of the star formation history combined with the non-monotonic dependence on metallicity of the yields of the s-process elements from low- and intermediate-mass stars. Finally, the abundance ratios [Ba/α] are more sensitive to age than those with [Y/α] for young disc stars, and their slopes vary less with galactocentric distance. We remind the reader that the application of such relationships to field stars is only of statistical value. © ESO 2022., Based on data products from observations made with ESO Telescopes at the La Silla Paranal Observatory under programme ID 188.B-3002. These data products have been processed by the Cambridge Astronomy Survey Unit (CASU) at the Institute of Astronomy, University of Cambridge, and by the FLAMES/UVES reduction team at INAF/Osservatorio Astrofisico di Arcetri. These data have been obtained from the Gaia-ESO Survey Data Archive, prepared and hosted by the Wide Field Astronomy Unit, Institute for Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, which is funded by the UK Science and Technology Facilities Council. This work was partly supported by the European Union FP7 programme through ERC grant number 320360 and by the Leverhulme Trust through grant RPG-2012-541. We acknowledge the support from INAF and Ministero dell’ Istruzione, dell’ Università’ e della Ricerca (MIUR) in the form of the grant “Premiale VLT 2012” and “Premiale 2016 MITiC”. The results presented here benefit from discussions held during the Gaia-ESO workshops and conferences supported by the ESF (European Science Foundation) through the GREAT Research Network Programme. This work has made use of data from the European Space Agency (ESA) mission Gaia (https://www.cosmos.esa.int/gaia), processed by the Gaia Data Processing and Analysis Consortium (DPAC, https://www.cosmos.esa.int/web/gaia/dpac/consortium). Funding for the DPAC has been provided by national institutions, in particular the institutions participating in the Gaia Multilateral Agreement. C.V.V. and L.M. thank the COST Action CA18104: MW-Gaia. T.B. was funded by grant No. 2018-04857 from The Swedish Research Council. F.J.E. acknowledges financial support by the spanish grant PGC2018-101950-B-I00 and MDM-2017-0737 at Centro de Astrobiología (CSIC-INTA), Unidad de Excelencia María de Maeztu, and from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under Grant Agreement no. 824064 through the ESCAPE – The European Science Cluster of Astronomy and Particle Physics ESFRI Research Infrastructures project. C.V.V. is especially grateful to Andrés Moya Bedón (University of Valencia) for his support and help. G.C. acknowledges support from the European Research Council Consolidator Grant funding scheme (project ASTEROCHRONOMETRY, G.A. n. 772293, http://www.asterochronometry.eu)., With funding from the Spanish government through the Severo Ochoa Centre of Excellence accreditation SEV-2017-0709.

Due to their volatile nature, when sulfur and zinc are observed in external galaxies, their determined abundances represent the gas-phase abundances in the interstellar medium. This implies that they can be used as tracers of the chemical enrichment of matter in the Universe at high redshift. Comparable observations in stars are more difficult and, until recently, plagued by small number statistics. We wish to exploit the Gaia ESO Survey (GES) data to study the behaviour of sulfur and zinc abundances of a large number of Galactic stars, in a homogeneous way. By using the UVES spectra of the GES sample, we are able to assemble a sample of 1301 Galactic stars, including stars in open and globular clusters in which both sulfur and zinc were measured. We confirm the results from the literature that sulfur behaves as an alpha-element. We find a large scatter in [Zn/Fe] ratios among giant stars around solar metallicity. The lower ratios are observed in giant stars at Galactocentric distances less than 7.5 kpc. No such effect is observed among dwarf stars, since they do not extend to that radius. Given the sample selection, giants and dwarfs are observed at different Galactic locations, and it is plausible, and compatible with simple calculations, that Zn-poor giants trace a younger population more polluted by SN Ia yields. It is necessary to extend observations in order to observe both giants and dwarfs at the same Galactic location. Further theoretical work on the evolution of zinc is also necessary.

Context. Open clusters are recognised as excellent tracers of Galactic thin-disc properties. At variance with intermediate-age and old open clusters, for which a significant number of studies is now available, clusters younger than ≲150 Myr have been mostly overlooked in terms of their chemical composition until recently (with few exceptions). On the other hand, previous investigations seem to indicate an anomalous behaviour of young clusters, which includes (but is not limited to) slightly sub-solar iron (Fe) abundances and extreme, unexpectedly high barium (Ba) enhancements. Aims. In a series of papers, we plan to expand our understanding of this topic and investigate whether these chemical peculiarities are instead related to abundance analysis techniques. Methods. We present a new determination of the atmospheric parameters for 23 dwarf stars observed by the Gaia-ESO survey in five young open clusters (τ < 150 Myr) and one star-forming region (NGC 2264). We exploit a new method based on titanium (Ti) lines to derive the spectroscopic surface gravity, and most importantly, the microturbulence parameter. A combination of Ti and Fe lines is used to obtain effective temperatures. We also infer the abundances of Fe I, Fe II, Ti I, Ti II, Na I, Mg I, Al I, Si I, Ca I, Cr I, and Ni I. Results. Our findings are in fair agreement with Gaia-ESO iDR5 results for effective temperatures and surface gravities, but suggest that for very young stars, the microturbulence parameter is over-estimated when Fe lines are employed. This affects the derived chemical composition and causes the metal content of very young clusters to be under-estimated. Conclusions. Our clusters display a metallicity [Fe/H] between +0.04 ± 0.01 and +0.12 ± 0.02; they are not more metal poor than the Sun. Although based on a relatively small sample size, our explorative study suggests that we may not need to call for ad hoc explanations to reconcile the chemical composition of young open clusters with Galactic chemical evolution models.

Context. Young open clusters (ages of less than 200 Myr) have been observed to exhibit several peculiarities in their chemical compositions. These anomalies include a slightly sub-solar iron content, super-solar abundances of some atomic species (e.g. ionised chromium), and atypical enhancements of [Ba/Fe], with values up to ~0.7 dex. Regarding the behaviour of the other s-process elements like yttrium, zirconium, lanthanum, and cerium, there is general disagreement in the literature: some authors claim that they follow the same trend as barium, while others find solar abundances at all ages. Aims. In this work we expand upon our previous analysis of a sample of five young open clusters (IC 2391, IC 2602, IC 4665, NGC 2516, and NGC 2547) and one star-forming region (NGC 2264), with the aim of determining abundances of different neutron-capture elements, mainly Cu I, Sr I, Sr II, Y II, Zr II, Ba II, La II, and Ce II. For NGC 2264 and NGC 2547 we present the measurements of these elements for the first time. Methods. We analysed high-resolution, high signal-to-noise spectra of 23 solar-type stars observed within the Gaia-ESO survey. After a careful selection, we derived abundances of isolated and clean lines via spectral synthesis computations and in a strictly differential way with respect to the Sun. Results. We find that our clusters have solar [Cu/Fe] within the uncertainties, while we confirm that [Ba/Fe] is super-solar, with values ranging from +0.22 to +0.64 dex. Our analysis also points to a mild enhancement of Y, with [Y/Fe] ratios covering values between 0 and +0.3 dex. For the other s-process elements we find that [X/Fe] ratios are solar at all ages. Conclusions. It is not possible to reconcile the anomalous behaviour of Ba and Y at young ages with standard stellar yields and Galactic chemical evolution model predictions. We explore different possible scenarios related to the behaviour of spectral lines, from the dependence on the different ionisation stages and the sensitivity to the presence of magnetic fields (through the Landé factor) to the first ionisation potential effect. We also investigate the possibility that they may arise from alterations of the structure of the stellar photosphere due to the increased levels of stellar activity that affect the spectral line formation, and consequently the derived abundances. These effects seem to be stronger in stars at ages of less than ~ 100 Myr. However, we are still unable to explain these enhancements, and the Ba puzzle remains unsolved. With the present study we suggest that other elements, for example Sr, Zr, La, and Ce, might be more reliable tracer of the s-process at young ages, and we strongly encourage further critical observations.

Context. It has recently been suggested that all giant stars with masses below 2 M⊙ suffer an episode of surface lithium enrichment between the tip of the red giant branch (RGB) and the red clump (RC). Aims. We test if the above result can be confirmed in a sample of RC and RGB stars that are members of open clusters. Methods. We discuss Li abundances in six open clusters with ages between 1.5 and 4.9 Gyr (turn-off masses between 1.1 and 1.7 M⊙). We compare these observations with the predictions of different models that include rotation-induced mixing, thermohaline instability, mixing induced by the first He flash, and energy losses by neutrino magnetic moment. Results. In six clusters, we find close to 35% of RC stars have Li abundances that are similar or higher than those of upper RGB stars. This can be a sign of fresh Li production. Because of the extra-mixing episode connected to the luminosity bump, the expectation has been for RC stars to have systematically lower surface Li abundances. However, we cannot confirm that this possible Li production is ubiquitous. For about 65% of RC giants, we can only determine upper limits in abundances that could be hiding very low Li content. Conclusions. Our results indicate the possibility that Li is being produced in the RC, at levels that would not typically permit the classification of these the stars as Li rich. The determination of their carbon isotopic ratio would help to confirm that the RC giants have suffered extra mixing followed by subsequent Li enrichment. The Li abundances of the RC stars can be qualitatively explained by the models including an additional mixing episode close to the He flash.

Context. Recent metallicity determinations in young open clusters and star-forming regions suggest that the latter may be characterized by a slightly lower metallicity than the Sun and older clusters in the solar vicinity. However, these results are based on small statistics and inhomogeneous analyses. The Gaia-ESO Survey is observing and homogeneously analyzing large samples of stars in several young clusters and star-forming regions, hence allowing us to further investigate this issue. Aims. We present a new metallicity determination of the Chamaeleon I star-forming region, based on the products distributed in the first internal release of the Gaia-ESO Survey. Methods. 48 candidate members of Chamaeleon I have been observed with the high-resolution spectrograph UVES. We use the surface gravity, lithium line equivalent width and position in the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram to confirm the cluster members and we use the iron abundance to derive the mean metallicity of the region. Results. Out of the 48 targets, we confirm 15 high probability members. Considering the metallicity measurements for 9 of them, we find that the iron abundance of Chamaeleon I is slightly subsolar with a mean value [Fe/H]=-0.08+/-0.04 dex. This result is in agreement with the metallicity determination of other nearby star-forming regions and suggests that the chemical pattern of the youngest stars in the solar neighborhood is indeed more metal-poor than the Sun. We argue that this evidence may be related to the chemical distribution of the Gould Belt that contains most of the nearby star-forming regions and young clusters., Comment: 13 pages, 11 figures, 3 tables, Accepted for publication in Astronomy & Astrophysics

We exploit the unique characteristics of a sample of open clusters (OCs) and field stars for which high-precision 7Li abundances and stellar parameters are homogeneously derived by the Gaia-ESO Survey (GES). We derive possibly undepleted 7Li abundances for 26 OCs and star forming regions with ages from young to old spanning a large range of Galactocentric distances, which allows us to reconstruct the local late Galactic evolution of lithium as well as its current abundance gradient along the disc. Field stars are added to look further back in time and to constrain 7Li evolution in other Galactic components. The data are then compared to theoretical tracks from chemical evolution models that implement different 7Li forges. We find that the upper envelope of the 7Li abundances measured in field stars of nearly solar metallicities traces very well the level of lithium enrichment attained by the ISM as inferred from observations of cluster stars. We confirm previous findings that the abundance of 7Li in the solar neighbourhood does not decrease at supersolar metallicity. The comparison of the data with the chemical evolution model predictions favours a scenario in which the majority of the 7Li abundance in meteorites comes from novae. Current data also seem to suggest that the nova rate flattens out at later times. This requirement might have implications for the masses of the white dwarf nova progenitors and deserves further investigation. Neutrino-induced reactions taking place in core-collapse supernovae also produce some fresh lithium. This likely makes a negligible contribution to the meteoritic abundance, but could be responsible for a mild increase of the 7Li abundance in the ISM of low-metallicity systems that would counterbalance the astration processes., 17 pages, 10 figures, 3 tables (full tables 1 and 3 only available at the CDS), accepted for publication in Astronomy and Astrophysics. Version 2 includes corrections from language editor

The Gaia-ESO Survey is obtaining high-quality spectroscopic data for about 10^5 stars using FLAMES at the VLT. UVES high-resolution spectra are being collected for about 5000 FGK-type stars. These UVES spectra are analyzed in parallel by several state-of-the-art methodologies. Our aim is to present how these analyses were implemented, to discuss their results, and to describe how a final recommended parameter scale is defined. We also discuss the precision (method-to-method dispersion) and accuracy (biases with respect to the reference values) of the final parameters. These results are part of the Gaia-ESO 2nd internal release and will be part of its 1st public release of advanced data products. The final parameter scale is tied to the one defined by the Gaia benchmark stars, a set of stars with fundamental atmospheric parameters. A set of open and globular clusters is used to evaluate the physical soundness of the results. Each methodology is judged against the benchmark stars to define weights in three different regions of the parameter space. The final recommended results are the weighted-medians of those from the individual methods. The recommended results successfully reproduce the benchmark stars atmospheric parameters and the expected Teff-log g relation of the calibrating clusters. Atmospheric parameters and abundances have been determined for 1301 FGK-type stars observed with UVES. The median of the method-to-method dispersion of the atmospheric parameters is 55 K for Teff, 0.13 dex for log g, and 0.07 dex for [Fe/H]. Systematic biases are estimated to be between 50-100 K for Teff, 0.10-0.25 dex for log g, and 0.05-0.10 dex for [Fe/H]. Abundances for 24 elements were derived: C, N, O, Na, Mg, Al, Si, Ca, Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Y, Zr, Mo, Ba, Nd, and Eu. The typical method-to-method dispersion of the abundances varies between 0.10 and 0.20 dex., Comment: 39 pages, A&A accepted

It is well known that newly formed planetary systems undergo processes of orbital reconfiguration and planetary migration. As a result, planets or protoplanetary objects may accrete onto the central star, being fused and mixed into its external layers. If the accreted mass is sufficiently high and the star has a sufficiently thin convective envelope, such events may result in a modification of the chemical composition of the stellar photosphere in an observable way, enhancing it with elements that were abundant in the accreted mass. The recent Gaia-ESO Survey observations of the 10-20 Myr old Gamma Velorum cluster have enabled identifying a star that is significantly enriched in iron with respect to other cluster members. In this Letter we further investigate the abundance pattern of this star, showing that its abundance anomaly is not limited to iron, but is also present in the refractory elements, whose overabundances are correlated with the condensation temperature. This finding strongly supports the hypothesis of a recent accretion of rocky material., Comment: Accepted for publication

Full list of authors: Duffau, S.; Caffau, E.; Sbordone, L.; Bonifacio, P.; Andrievsky, S.; Korotin, S.; Babusiaux, C.; Salvadori, S.; Monaco, L.; François, P.; Skúladóttir, Á.; Bragaglia, A.; Donati, P.; Spina, L.; Gallagher, A. J.; Ludwig, H. -G.; Christlieb, N.; Hansen, C. J.; Mott, A.; Steffen, M. Zaggia, S.; Blanco-Cuaresma, S.; Calura, F.; Friel, E.; Jiménez-Esteban, F. M.; Koch, A.; Magrini, L.; Pancino, E.; Tang, B.; Tautvaišienė, G.; Vallenari, A.; Hawkins, K.; Gilmore, G.; Randich, S.; Feltzing, S.; Bensby, T.; Flaccomio, E.; Smiljanic, R.; Bayo, A.; Carraro, G.; Casey, A. R.; Costado, M. T.; Damiani, F.; Franciosini, E.; Hourihane, A.; Jofré, P.; Lardo, C.; Lewis, J.; Morbidelli, L.; Sousa, S. G.; Worley, C. C., Context. Due to their volatile nature, when sulphur and zinc are observed in external galaxies, their determined abundances represent the gas-phase abundances in the interstellar medium. This implies that they can be used as tracers of the chemical enrichment of matter in the Universe at high redshift. Comparable observations in stars are more difficult and, until recently, plagued by small number statistics. Aims. We wish to exploit the Gaia-ESO Survey (GES) data to study the behaviour of sulphur and zinc abundances of a large number of Galactic stars, in a homogeneous way. Methods. By using the UVES spectra of the GES sample, we are able to assemble a sample of 1301 Galactic stars, including stars in open and globular clusters in which both sulphur and zinc were measured. Results. We confirm the results from the literature that sulphur behaves as an α-element. We find a large scatter in [Zn/Fe] ratios among giant stars around solar metallicity. The lower ratios are observed in giant stars at Galactocentric distances less than 7.5 kpc. No such effect is observed among dwarf stars, since they do not extend to that radius. Conclusions. Given the sample selection, giants and dwarfs are observed at different Galactic locations, and it is plausible, and compatible with simple calculations, that Zn-poor giants trace a younger population more polluted by SN Ia yields. It is necessary to extend observations in order to observe both giants and dwarfs at the same Galactic location. Further theoretical work on the evolution of zinc is also necessary. © 2017 ESO., This work was based on data products from observations made with ESO Telescopes at the La Silla Paranal Observatory under programme ID 188.B-3002. These data products have been processed by the Cambridge Astronomy Survey Unit (CASU) at the Institute of Astronomy, University of Cambridge, and by the FLAMES/UVES reduction team at INAF/Osservatorio Astrofisico di Arcetri. These data have been obtained from the Gaia-ESO Survey Data Archive, prepared and hosted by the Wide Field Astronomy Unit, Institute for Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, which is funded by the UK Science and Technology Facilities Council. This work was partly supported by the European Union FP7 programme through ERC grant number 320360 and by the Leverhulme Trust through grant RPG-2012-541. We acknowledge the support from INAF and Ministero dell' Istruzione, dell' Universita e della Ricerca (MIUR) in the form of the grant "Premiale VLT 2012 and PRIN-INAF 2014". The results presented here benefit from discussions held during the Gaia-ESO workshops and conferences supported by the ESF (European Science Foundation) through the GREAT Research Network Programme. Support for S. D. and L. Sbordone was provided by Chile's Ministry of Economy, Development, and Tourism's Millennium Science Initiative through grant IC120009, awarded to The Millennium Institute of Astrophysics, MAS. The project was funded by FONDATION MERAC. S. S. is supported by the European Commission through a Marie Sklodowska-Curie Fellowship, project PRIMORDIAL, grant agreement: 700907. S.M.A. and S.A.K. acknowledge the SCOPES grant No. IZ73Z0-152485 for financial support. L.M. acknowledges support from "Proyecto interno" #803 of the Universidad Andres Bello. M.T.C. acknowledges the financial support from the Spanish Ministerio de Economia y Competitividad, through grant AYA2013-40611-P. T.B. and S.F. were funded by the project grant "The New Milky Way" from Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation. S.G.S. acknowledges the support by Fundacao para a Ciencia e Tecnologia (FCT) through national funds and a research grant (project ref. UID/FIS/04434/2013, and PTDC/FIS-AST/7073/2014). S.G.S. also acknowledges the support from FCT through Investigador FCT contract of reference IF/00028/2014 and POPH/FSE (EC) by FEDER funding through the program Programa Operacional de Factores de Competitividade - COMPETE. L. Spina acknowledges the support from FAPESP (2014/15706-9). R.S. acknowledges support the Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education.