Search

We aim to constrain the chemo-dynamical properties of the Sagittarius (Sgr) dwarf galaxy using carbon abundances. At low metal- licities in particular, these properties reveal the early chemical evolution of a system, tracing the contributing supernovae (SNe) and how much of their ejecta eventually made it into the next stellar generation. Our sample from the Pristine Inner Galaxy Survey (PIGS) includes ~350 metal-poor ([Fe/H] < −1.5) stars in the main body of Sgr with good quality spectroscopic observations. Our metal-poor Sgr population has a larger velocity dispersion than metal-rich Sgr from the literature, which could be explained by outside-in star formation, extreme Galactic tidal perturbations, and/or the presence of a metal-rich disc and bar + metal-poor halo. The average carbon abundance [C/Fe] in Sgr is similar to that of other classical dwarf galaxies (DGs) and consistently lower than in the Milky Way by ~0.2–0.3 dex at low metallicities. The interstellar medium in DGs, including Sgr, may have retained yields from more energetic Population III and II supernovae (SNe), thereby reducing the average [C/Fe]. Additionally, SNe Ia producing more Fe than C would start to contribute at lower metallicity in DGs/Sgr than in the Galaxy. The presence of a [C/Fe] gradient for Sgr stars with [Fe/H] ≳ −2.0 (~6.8 × 10−4 dex arcmin−1) suggests that SNe la contributed to the system at those metallicities, especially in its inner regions. There is a low frequency of carbon-enhanced metal-poor (CEMP) stars in our Sgr sample. At higher metallicities and carbon abundances (i.e. mostly CEMPs), this may be due to photometric selection effects, but those are less likely to affect non-CEMP stars. Given the lower average [C/Fe] in DGs, we propose using the same CEMP definition ([C/Fe] > +0.7) as that applied to the Galaxy at large ends up underpredicting the number of CEMP stars in DGs. Burthermore, for Sgr, a cut at [C/Fe] ∽ +0.35 may be more appropriate, which brings the frequency of CEMP stars in agreement with that of the whole Galaxy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pristine_183.6849 + 04.8619 (P1836849) is an extremely metal-poor ([Fe/H] = −3.3 ± 0.1) star on a prograde orbit confined to the Galactic disc. Such stars are rare and may have their origins in protogalactic fragments that formed the early Milky Way, in low-mass satellites accreted later, or forming in situ in the Galactic plane. Here, we present a chemo-dynamical analysis of the spectral features between 3700−11 000 Å from a high-resolution spectrum taken during Science Verification of the new Gemini High-resolution Optical SpecTrograph. Spectral features for many chemical elements are analysed (Mg, Al, Si, Ca, Sc, Ti, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni), and valuable upper limits are determined for others (C, Na, Sr, Ba). This main sequence star exhibits several rare chemical signatures, including (i) extremely low metallicity for a star in the Galactic disc, (ii) very low abundances of the light α-elements (Na, Mg, Si) compared to other metal-poor stars, and (iii) unusually large abundances of Cr and Mn, where [Cr, Mn/Fe]NLTE > +0.5. A comparison to theoretical yields from supernova models suggests that two low-mass Population III objects (one 10 M⊙ supernova and one 17 M⊙ hypernova) can reproduce the abundance pattern well (reduced χ2 < 1). When this star is compared to other extremely metal-poor stars on quasi-circular, prograde planar orbits, differences in both chemistry and kinematics imply there is little evidence for a common origin. The unique chemistry of P1836849 is discussed in terms of the earliest stages in the formation of the Milky Way. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stellar candidates in the Ursa Minor (UMi) dwarf galaxy have been found using a new Bayesian algorithm applied to Gaia EDR3 data. Five of these targets are located in the extreme outskirts of UMi, from ∼5 to 12 elliptical half-light radii (r h), where r h(UMi) = 17.32 ± 0.11 arcmin, and have been observed with the high-resolution Gemini Remote Access to CFHT ESPaDOnS Spectrograph at the Gemini North telescope. Precise radial velocities (σRV < 2 km s−1) and metallicities (⁠|$\sigma _{\rm {{\rm [Fe/H]}}}\ \lt\ 0.2$| dex) confirm their memberships of UMi. Detailed analysis of the brightest and outermost star (Target 1, at ∼12 r h), yields precision chemical abundances for the α (Mg, Ca, and Ti), odd-Z (Na, K, and Sc), Fe-peak (Fe, Ni, and Cr), and neutron-capture (Ba) elements. With data from the literature and APOGEE data release 17, we find the chemical patterns in UMi are consistent with an outside-in star-formation history that includes yields from core-collapse supernovae, asymptotic giant branch stars, and Type Ia supernovae. Evidence for a knee in the [α/Fe] ratios near [Fe/H] ∼ −2.1 indicates a low star-formation efficiency similar to that in other dwarf galaxies. Detailed analysis of the surface number density profile shows evidence that UMi's outskirts have been populated by tidal effects, likely as a result of completing multiple orbits around the Galaxy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The formation of 'stellar haloes' in dwarf galaxies have been discussed in terms of early mergers or Galactic tides, although fluctuations in the gravitational potential due to stellar feedback is also a possible candidate mechanism. A Bayesian algorithm is used to find new candidate members in the extreme outskirts of the Sculptor dwarf galaxy. Precise metallicities and radial velocities (RVs) for two distant stars are measured from their spectra taken with the Gemini South GMOS spectrograph. The radial velocity, proper motion, and metallicity of these targets are consistent with Sculptor membership. As a result, the known boundary of the Sculptor dwarf extends now out to an elliptical distance of ∼10 r h (half-light radii), which corresponds to a projected physical distance of ∼3 kpc. As reported in earlier work, the overall distribution of RVs and metallicities indicate the presence of a more spatially and kinematically dispersed metal-poor population that surrounds the more concentrated and colder metal-rich stars. Sculptor's density profile shows a 'kink' in its logarithmic slope at a projected distance of ∼25 arcmin (620 pc), which we interpret as evidence that Galactic tides have helped to populate the distant outskirts of the dwarf. We discuss further ways to test and validate this tidal interpretation for the origin of these distant stars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we study high-resolution spectra of 19 stars that have metallicity estimates below –3.5 using at least two metallicity-sensitive photometric indices based on Pristine photometry. The purpose is to understand what kind of stars populate this parameter space, together with extremely metal-poor stars. This because we plan to extensively use the Pristine photometry to provide extremely metal-poor targets to the WEAVE spectroscopic survey and wish to understand the nature of possible contaminants. We find that this extreme sample of stars is heavily contaminated by variable stars, in particular short period eclipsing binaries. We thus found, serendipitously, eight double-lined spectroscopic eclipsing binaries that could be followed-up in future studies to provide reliable masses and distances for these systems. We also found two stars that have metallicity below –3.0, one of which may belong to the Gaia-Sausage-Enceladus structure. The lesson to be learned from this investigation is that to select truly metal-poor stars one should be able to remove all photometrically variable stars, which requires complementary information beyond the Pristine photometry. We show how the Gaia photometry can be used to remove about 85  per cent of the photometrically variable stars. Our investigation also shows that there is a clear potential for Pristine photometry to find double-lined spectroscopic binaries among short period eclipsing binaries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gaia EDR3 data were used to identify potential members in the outskirts of three ultra-faint dwarf (UFD) galaxies: Coma Berenices (>2 Rh), Ursa Major I (∼4 Rh), and Boötes I (∼4 Rh), as well as a new member in the central region of Ursa Major I. These targets were observed with the Gemini GRACES spectrograph, which was used to determine precision radial velocities and metallicities that confirm their associations with the UFD galaxies. The spectra were also used to measure absorption lines for 10 elements (Na, Mg, K, Ca, Sc, Ti, Cr, Fe, Ni, and Ba), which confirm that the chemical abundances of the outermost stars are in good agreement with stars in the central regions. The abundance ratios and chemical patterns of the stars in Coma Berenices are consistent with contributions from SN Ia, which is unusual for its star formation history and in conflict with previous suggestions that this system evolved chemically from a single core collapse supernova event. The chemistries for all three galaxies are consistent with the outermost stars forming in the central regions, then moving to their current locations through tidal stripping and/or supernova feedback. In Boötes I, however, the lower metallicity and lack of strong carbon enrichment of its outermost stars could also be evidence of a dwarf galaxy merger. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the current era of stellar spectroscopic surveys, synthetic spectral libraries are the basis for the derivation of stellar parameters and chemical abundances. In this paper, we compare the stellar parameters determined using five popular synthetic spectral grids (INTRIGOSS, FERRE, AMBRE, PHOENIX, and MPIA/1DNLTE) with our convolutional neural network (CNN, StarNet). The stellar parameters are determined for six physical properties (effective temperature, surface gravity, metallicity, [ α /Fe], radial velocity, and rotational velocity) given the spectral resolution, signal-to-noise ratio, and wavelength range of optical FLAMES-UVES spectra from the Gaia-ESO Survey. Both CNN modelling and epistemic uncertainties are incorporated through training an ensemble of networks. StarNet training was also adapted to mitigate differences between the synthetic grids and observed spectra by augmenting with realistic observational signatures (i.e. resolution matching, wavelength sampling, Gaussian noise, zeroing flux values, rotational and radial velocities, continuum removal, and masking telluric regions). Using the FLAMES-UVES spectra for FGK-type dwarfs and giants as a test set, we quantify the accuracy and precision of the stellar label predictions from StarNet. We find excellent results over a wide range of parameters when StarNet is trained on the MPIA/1DNLTE synthetic grid, and acceptable results over smaller parameter ranges when trained on the 1DLTE grids. These tests also show that our CNN pipeline is highly adaptable to multiple simulation grids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The low-metallicity, kinematically interesting dwarf stars studied by Stephens & Boesgaard (2002 , SB02) are re-examined using Gaia DR2 astrometry, and updated model atmospheres and atomic line data. New stellar parameters are determined based on the Gaia DR2 parallactic distances and Dartmouth Stellar Evolution Database isochrones. These are in excellent agreement with spectroscopically determined stellar parameters for stars with [Fe/H] > −2; however, large disagreements are found for stars with [Fe/H] ≤ −2, with offsets as large as Δ T eff ∼ +500 K and Δlog  g ∼ +1.0. A subset of six stars (test cases) are analysed ab initio using high-resolution spectra with Keck HIRES and Gemini GRACES. This sub-sample is found to include two α-challenged dwarf stars, suggestive of origins in a low-mass, accreted dwarf galaxy. The orbital parameters for the entire SB02 sample are re-determined using Gaia DR2 data. We find 11 stars that are dynamically coincident with the Gaia -Sausage accretion event and another 17 with the Gaia -Sequoia event in action space. Both associations include low-mass, metal-poor stars with isochrone ages older than 10 Gyr. Two dynamical subsets are identified within Gaia -Sequoia. When these subsets are examined separately, a common knee in [α/Fe] is found for the Gaia -Sausage and low orbital energy Gaia -Sequoia stars. A lower metallicity knee is tentatively identified in the Gaia -Sequoia high orbital energy stars. If the metal-poor dwarf stars in these samples are true members of the Gaia -Sausage and Gaia -Sequoia events, then they present a unique opportunity to probe the earlier star formation histories of these systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A chemo-dynamical analysis of 115 metal-poor candidate stars selected from the narrow-band Pristine photometric survey is presented based on CFHT high-resolution ESPaDOnS spectroscopy. We have discovered 28 new bright (V < 15) stars with [Fe/H] < −2.5 and 5 with [Fe/H] < −3.0 for success rates of 40 (28/70) and 19 per cent (5/27), respectively. A detailed model atmosphere analysis is carried out for the 28 new metal-poor stars. Stellar parameters were determined from SDSS photometric colours, Gaia DR2 parallaxes, MESA/MIST stellar isochrones, and the initial Pristine survey metallicities, following a Bayesian inference method. Chemical abundances are determined for 10 elements (Na, Mg, Ca, Sc, Ti, Cr, Fe, Ni, Y, and Ba). Most stars show chemical abundance patterns that are similar to the normal metal-poor stars in the Galactic halo; however, we also report the discoveries of a new r-process-rich star, a new CEMP-s candidate with [Y/Ba] > 0, and a metal-poor star with very low [Mg/Fe]. The kinematics and orbits for all of the highly probable metal-poor candidates are determined by combining our precision radial velocities with Gaia DR2 proper motions. Some stars show unusual kinematics for their chemistries, including planar orbits, unbound orbits, and highly elliptical orbits that plunge deeply into the Galactic bulge (R peri < 0.5 kpc); also, eight stars have orbital energies and actions consistent with the Gaia-Enceladus accretion event. This paper contributes to our understanding of the complex chemo-dynamics of the metal-poor Galaxy, and increases the number of known bright metal-poor stars available for detailed nucleosynthetic studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The early Universe presented a star formation environment that was almost devoid of heavy elements. The lowest metallicity stars thus provide a unique window into the earliest Galactic stages, but are exceedingly rare and difficult to find. Here, we present the discovery of an ultra-metal-poor star, Pristine_221.8781+9.7844, using narrow-band Ca H&K photometry from the Pristine survey. Follow-up medium- and high-resolution spectroscopy confirms the ultra-metal-poor nature of Pristine_221.8781+9.7844 ([Fe/H] = −4.66 ± 0.13 in 1D LTE) with an enhancement of 0.3–0.4 dex in α-elements relative to Fe, and an unusually low carbon abundance. We derive an upper limit of A(C) = 5.6, well below typical A(C) values for such ultra-metal-poor stars. This makes Pristine_221.8781+9.7844 one of the most metal-poor stars; in fact, it is very similar to the most metal-poor star known (SDSS J102915+172927). The existence of a class of ultra-metal-poor stars with low(er) carbon abundances suggest that there must have been several formation channels in the early Universe through which long-lived, low-mass stars were formed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using our sample of the most metal-rich damped Lyman a systems (DLAs) at zabs ~ 2, and two literature compilations of chemical abundances in 341 DLAs and 2818 stars, we present an analysis of the chemical composition of DLAs in the context of the Local Group. The metal-rich sample of DLAs at zabs ~ 2 probes metallicities as high as the Galactic disc and the most metal-rich dwarf spheroidals (dSphs), permitting an analysis of many elements typically observed in DLAs (Fe, Zn, Cr, Mn, Si, and S) in comparison to stellar abundances observed in the Galaxy and its satellites (in particular dSphs). Our main conclusions are: (1) non-solar [Zn/Fe] abundances in metal-poor Galactic stars and in dSphs over the full metallicity range probed by DLAs, suggest that Zn is not a simple proxy for Fe in DLAs and therefore not a suitable indicator of dust depletion. After correcting for dust depletion, the majority of DLAs have subsolar [Zn/Fe] similar to dSphs; (2) at [Fe/H] ~ -0.5, a constant [Mn/Fe]~-0.5 and near-solar [a/Fe] (requiring an assumption about dust depletion) are in better agreement with dwarf galaxies than Galactic disc stars; (3) [a/Zn] is usually solar or subsolar in DLAs. However, although low ratios of [a/Fe] are usually considered more 'dwarf-like' than 'Milky Way-like', subsolar [Zn/Fe] in Local Group dwarfs leads to supersolar [a/Zn] in the dSphs, in contrast with the DLAs. Therefore, whilst DLAs exhibit some similarities with the Local Group dwarf population, there are also notable differences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The chemical composition of 91 stars in the Sculptor dwarf spheroidal galaxy is presented as determined from spectra taken with the FLAMES multiobject spectrograph in the Medusa mode. The analysis methods are outlined. The [±/Fe] ratios are shown for Mg, Ca, and Ti, and compared with those of Galactic stars. Heavy element abundance ratios (Y, Ba, and Eu) are also presented. Since the Sculptor dwarf galaxy has had a significantly different star formation history and chemical evolution than the Galaxy, then comparison of Sculptor's metal-poor (old) stars to similar metallicity stars in the Galaxy can be used to discuss galaxy formation scenarios, as well as test some of our fundamental assumptions in stellar nucleosynthesis. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]