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CONTEXT:The detailed chemical abundances of extremely metal-poor (EMP) stars are key guides to understanding the early chemical evolution of the Galaxy. Most existing data are, however, for giant stars which may have experienced internal mixing later. AIMS: We aim to compare the results for giants with new, accurate abundances for all observable elements in 18 EMP turnoff stars. METHODS:VLT/UVES spectra at R ~45,000 and S/N~ 130 per pixel (330-1000 nm) are analysed with OSMARCS model atmospheres and the TURBOSPECTRUM code to derive abundances for C, Mg, Si, Ca, Sc, Ti, Cr, Mn, Co, Ni, Zn, Sr, and Ba. RESULTS: For Ca, Ni, Sr, and Ba, we find excellent consistency with our earlier sample of EMP giants, at all metallicities. However, our abundances of C, Sc, Ti, Cr, Mn and Co are ~0.2 dex larger than in giants of similar metallicity. Mg and Si abundances are ~0.2 dex lower (the giant [Mg/Fe] values are slightly revised), while Zn is again ~0.4 dex higher than in giants of similar [Fe/H] (6 stars only). CONCLUSIONS:For C, the dwarf/giant discrepancy could possibly have an astrophysical cause, but for the other elements it must arise from shortcomings in the analysis. Approximate computations of granulation (3D) effects yield smaller corrections for giants than for dwarfs, but suggest that this is an unlikely explanation, except perhaps for C, Cr, and Mn. NLTE computations for Na and Al provide consistent abundances between dwarfs and giants, unlike the LTE results, and would be highly desirable for the other discrepant elements as well. Meanwhile, we recommend using the giant abundances as reference data for Galactic chemical evolution models., Comment: A&A, Received 16 July 2008/ Accepted 15 March 2009

Several astronomical instruments including early spyglasses are depicted in at least five paintings that Jan Brueghel the Elder completed between 1608 and 1625. This rather unique circumstance is due to the fact that Jan Brueghel was court painter of Archduke Albert VII of Habsburg, whose love for art and science, he celebrated in his paintings. An optical tube that appears in the Extensive Landscape with View of the Castle of Mariemont, dated 1608-1612 represents the first painting of a telescope whatsoever. Some documents are collected showing that Albert VII could have obtained very early spyglasses directly from Lipperhey or Sacharias Janssen, who are two possible inventors of the telescope. Thus the painting could reproduce one of the first telescopes ever made by mankind. Two more instruments appear prominently in two Allegories of Sight made in the years 1617 and 1618. These are precious instruments made possibly in silver, composed by several draw-tubes, which look much more sophisticated than other instruments of same epoch. Rather surprisingly, the structure and, in particular the eyepiece, suggest that they may represent the first examples of Keplerian telescopes about two decades before they replaced the Dutch mounting.

The Single Ion Differential alpha Measurement (SIDAM) method for measuring fine stucture variations (daa)and its figures of merit are illustrated together with the results produced by means of FeII absorption lines of QSO intervening systems. The method provides daa ~= -0.12(+/- 1.79) ppm (parts-per-million) at zabs = 1.15 towards HE 0515--4414 and daa = 5.66(+/-2.67) ppm at zabs= 1.84 towards Q 1101--264, which are so far the most accurate measurements for single systems. SIDAM analysis for 3 systems from the Chand et al. (2004) sample provides inconsistent results which we interpret as due to calibration errors of the Chand et al. data at the level of about 10 ppm. In one system evidence for photo-ionization Doppler shift between MgII and FeII lines is found. This evidence has important bearings on the Many Multiplet method where the signal for daa variability is carried mainly by systems involving MgII absorbers. Some correlations are also found in the Murphy et al. sample which suggest larger errors than previously reported. Thus, we consider unlikely that both the Chand et al. and Murphy et al. datasets could provide an estimate of daa with an accuracy at the level of 1 ppm. A new spectrograph like the ESPRESSO project will be crucial to make progress in the astronomical determination of daa., Talk given at ACFC 2007 "Atomic Clocks and Fundamental Constants" conference, Bad Honnef, June 2007, Savely Karshenboim and Ekkehard Peik editors

Aims. We reconstruct the spectral shape of the quasar ionizing radiation in the extreme-UV range (1 Ryd ≤ E 4R yd which is attributed to the He ii Lyman continuum opacity (τ He II c ∼ 1). A most likely source of this opacity is a quasar accretion disk wind. The corresponding column density of H i in the wind is estimated as a few times 10 16 cm −2 . This amount of neutral hydrogen should cause a weak continuum depression at λ 4 Ryd with the depth of this break depending on the angle with the rotational axis of the accretion disk (the larger the angle the deeper the break). The QSO spectra with a discontinuity at 4 Ryd can influence the rate of He ii reionization in the intergalactic medium and partly explain the inhomogeneous (patchy) ionization structure of the intergalactic He ii observed at z ∼ 3.

High resolution observations of the asteroids Iris and Juno have been performed by means of the UVES spectrograph at the ESO VLT to obtain the effective accurac y of the spectrograph's radial velocity. The knowledge of this quantity has impo rtant bearings on studies searching for a variability of the fine structure cons tant carried on with this instrument. Asteroids provide a precise radial velocit y reference at the level of 1 m/s which allows instrumental calibration and the recognition of small instrumental drifts and calibration systematics. In particu lar, radial velocity drifts due to non uniform slit illumination and slit optica l misalignment in the two UVES spectrograph arms can be investigated. The positi on of the solar spectrum reflected by the asteroids are compared with the solar wavelength positions or with that of asteroid observations at other epochs or wi th the twilight to asses UVES instrumental accuracy . Radial velocities offsets in the range 10--50 m/s are generally observed likely due to a non uniform slit illumination. However, no radial velocity patterns with wavelength are detected and the two UVES arms provide consistent radial velocities. These results suggest that the detected alpha variability by Levshakov et al. (2007) deduced from a drift of -180 (+/- 85) m/s at z =1.84, between two sets of FeII lines falling in the two UVES arms may be real or induced by other kinds of systematics than those investigated here. The proposed technique allows real time quality check of the spectrograph and should be followed for very accurate measurements., Comment: Accepted A&A

Aims. To obtain limits on the variation of the fine-structure constant alpha and the electron-to-proton mass ratio mu over different cosmological epochs. Methods. A new approach based on the comparison of redshifts of far infrared (FIR) fine-structure lines and low-lying rotational transitions in CO is proposed which is in principle more sensitive by a factor of 10 compared to QSO metal absorption lines. Results. Estimations of the quotient F = alpha^2/mu obtained for two distant quasars J1148+5251 (z = 6.42) and BR1202-0725 (z = 4.69) provide Delta F/F = (0.1+/-1.0)10^{-4} and (1.4+/-1.5)10^{-4}, respectively. The obtained limits are consistent with no variation of physical constants at the level of 0.01% over a period of 13 Gyr. Conclusions. Upcoming observations of quasars and distant galaxies in FIR fine-structure lines of different species and in CO low rotational lines at the SOFIA, HSO, and ALMA are expected to improve the current limit by, at least, an order of magnitude., 5 pages, to appear in A&A main journal

Our aim is to measure accurate, homogeneous neutron-capture element abundances for the sample of 32 EMP giant stars studied earlier in this series, including 22 stars with [Fe/H] $< -$3.0. Based on high-resolution, high S/N spectra from the ESO VLT/UVES, 1D, LTE model atmospheres, and synthetic spectrum fits, we determine abundances or upper limits for the 16 elements Sr, Y, Zr, Ba, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, and Yb in all stars. As found earlier, [Sr/Fe], [Y/Fe], [Zr/Fe] and [Ba/Fe] are below Solar in the EMP stars, with very large scatter. However, we find a tight anti-correlation of [Sr/Ba], [Y/Ba], and [Zr/Ba] with [Ba/H] for $-4.5, Comment: 19 pages, 16 figures, A&A accepted

aims: Our aim is to determine Li abundances in TO stars of the Globular Cluster 47 Tuc and test theories about Li variations among TO stars. method: We make use of high resolution (R~ 43000), high signal-to-noise ratio (S/N=50--70) spectra of 4 turn off (TO) stars obtained with the UVES spectrograph at the 8.2m VLT Kueyen telescope. results: The four stars observed, span the range 1.6, Comment: recommended for publication in A&A by the managing associate Editor

Lithium abundance derived in metal-poor main sequence stars is about three times lower than the value of primordial Li predicted by the standard Big Bang nucleosynthesis when the baryon density is taken from the CMB or the deuterium measurements. This disagreement is generally referred as the lithium problem. We here reconsider the stellar Li evolution from the pre-main sequence to the end of the main sequence phase by introducing the effects of convective overshooting and residual mass accretion. We show that $^7$Li could be significantly depleted by convective overshooting in the pre-main sequence phase and then partially restored in the stellar atmosphere by a tail of matter accretion which follows the Li depletion phase and that could be regulated by EUV photo-evaporation. By considering the conventional nuclear burning and microscopic diffusion along the main sequence we can reproduce the Spite plateau for stars with initial mass $m_0=0.62 - 0.80 M_{\odot}$, and the Li declining branch for lower mass dwarfs, e.g, $m_0=0.57 - 0.60 M_{\odot}$, for a wide range of metallicities (Z=0.00001 to Z=0.0005), starting from an initial Li abundance $A({\rm Li}) =2.72$. This environmental Li evolution model also offers the possibility to interpret the decrease of Li abundance in extremely metal-poor stars, the Li disparities in spectroscopic binaries and the low Li abundance in planet hosting stars., 11 pages, 10 figures, accepted by MNRAS

Binary stars hosting exoplanets are a unique laboratory where chemical tagging can be performed to measure with high accuracy the elemental abundances of both stellar components, with the aim to investigate the formation of planets and their subsequent evolution. Here, we present a high-precision differential abundance analysis of the XO-2 wide stellar binary based on high resolution HARPS-N@TNG spectra. Both components are very similar K-dwarfs and host planets. Since they formed presumably within the same molecular cloud, we expect they should possess the same initial elemental abundances. We investigate if the presence of planets can cause some chemical imprints in the stellar atmospheric abundances. We measure abundances of 25 elements for both stars with a range of condensation temperature $T_{\rm C}=40-1741$ K, achieving typical precisions of $\sim 0.07$ dex. The North component shows abundances in all elements higher by $+0.067 \pm 0.032$ dex on average, with a mean difference of +0.078 dex for elements with $T_{\rm C} > 800$ K. The significance of the XO-2N abundance difference relative to XO-2S is at the $2\sigma$ level for almost all elements. We discuss the possibility that this result could be interpreted as the signature of the ingestion of material by XO-2N or depletion in XO-2S due to locking of heavy elements by the planetary companions. We estimate a mass of several tens of $M_{\oplus}$ in heavy elements. The difference in abundances between XO-2N and XO-2S shows a positive correlation with the condensation temperatures of the elements, with a slope of $(4.7 \pm 0.9) \times 10^{-5}$ dex K$^{-1}$, which could mean that both components have not formed terrestrial planets, but that first experienced the accretion of rocky core interior to the subsequent giant planets., Comment: 10 pages, 5 figures, accepted by Astronomy & Astrophysics. Numbering of the series changed

In the course of the TOPoS (Turn Off Primordial Stars) survey, aimed at discovering the lowest metallicity stars, we have found several carbon-enhanced metal-poor (CEMP) stars. We here present our analysis of six CEMP stars. Calcium and carbon are the only elements that can be measured in all six stars. The range is -5.0, to be published on A&A

Aims. We observed the $\tau$ Boo system with the HARPS-N spectrograph to test a new observational strategy aimed at jointly studying asteroseismology, the planetary orbit, and star-planet magnetic interaction. Methods. We collected high-cadence observations on 11 nearly consecutive nights and for each night averaged the raw FITS files using a dedicated software. In this way we obtained spectra with a high signal-to-noise ratio, used to study the variation of the CaII H&K lines and to have radial velocity values free from stellar oscillations, without losing the oscillations information. We developed a dedicated software to build a new custom mask that we used to refine the radial velocity determination with the HARPS-N pipeline and perform the spectroscopic analysis. Results. We updated the planetary ephemeris and showed the acceleration caused by the stellar binary companion. Our results on the stellar activity variation suggest the presence of a high-latitude plage during the time span of our observations. The correlation between the chromospheric activity and the planetary orbital phase remains unclear. Solar-like oscillations are detected in the radial velocity time series: we estimated asteroseismic quantities and found that they agree well with theoretical predictions. Our stellar model yields an age of $0.9\pm0.5$ Gyr for $\tau$ Boo and further constrains the value of the stellar mass to $1.38\pm0.05$ M$_\odot$., Comment: 14 pages, accepted for publication in Astronomy and Astrophysics

As part of a study of the detailed abundance patterns in extremely metal-poor stars, we have compared our samples of giants and dwarfs with two samples of dwarfs measured by dieren t teams. For most elements the abundances are in good agreement, but for C, Na, and Al we show that the atmospheric abundances are dieren t in dwarfs and in giants. For C the dierence could be explained by "atmospheric eects" or by the inuence of the rst dredge-up, but for Na and Al deep mixing inside the stars must be invoked. Until now, such deep mixing has not been observed in metal-poor eld stars. An excess scatter in (Mg/Fe) in giants remains unexplained.

The combination of the collecting power of an ELT with an ultra-stable high resolution spectrograph opens up the possibility to measure for the first time directly the dynamical effect of the acceleration of the Universe. CODEX will also provide unique opportunities for advance in many other branches of astrophysics. The CODEX design is based on an array of several identical spectrographs. It is highly modular and can be easily adapted to a large range of sky apertures and telescope diameters. CODEX is designed to work as a seeing limited instrument. The requirements for the telescope are moderate and clearly identified.

We have studied the lithium abundance in 18 extremely metal-poor main-sequence turnoff stars of as a function of [Fe/H] and Teff , using high-quality VLT/UVES spectra. The sample covers the range −3.3 6 [Fe/H] 6 −2.5, with half of the stars below [Fe/H] = −3.0. Teff is determined from Hα line profiles as well as from B-V, V-K, J-H and J-K colours. The behaviour of A(Li) as a function of metallicity is markedly different when different temperature scales are adopted. However, even when applying standard depletion corrections, it is a robust result that the Li abundance in extremely metal poor dwarfs is far below the prediction of standard big bang nucleosynthesis using a baryonic density consistent with the WMAP data.

The Damped Ly-alpha (DLA) absorber at redshift z_abs=4.383 observed toward QSO BRI 1202-0725 is studied by means of high resolution (FWHM ~ 7 km/s) VLT-UVES spectra. We refine a previously determined Si abundance and derive with confidence abundances for C, N and O which are poorly known in DLAs. The [O/Fe] ratio is ~0.6, but we cannot establish if iron is partially locked into dust grains. The [C/Fe]=0.08 \pm 0.13 and [Si/C]=0.31 \pm 0.07. [N/O] and [N/Si] are about -1, which is consistent with the majority of DLAs. This value is much larger than the one observed for the DLA toward QSO J0307-4945 at z_abs= 4.466. The current interpretation of the bimodal distribution of N abundances in DLAs implies that large [N/alpha] values correspond to relatively old systems. Adopting a scale time of 500 Myrs for full N production by intermediate mass stars, the onset of star formation in our DLA took place already at redshift z> 6.

We present an abundance analysis of the very metal-poor, carbon-enhanced star CS 29497-030. Our results indicate that this unusually hot turnoff star (Teff = 6650K, log g = 3.5) has a metallicity [Fe/H] = -2.8, and exhibits large overabundances of carbon ([C/Fe] = +2.38), nitrogen ([N/Fe]= +1.88), and oxygen ([O/Fe]= +1.67). This star also exhibits a large enhancement in its neutron-capture elements; the pattern follows that expected to arise from the s-process. In particular, the Pb abundance is found to be very high with respect to iron ([Pb/Fe]= +3.5), and also with respect to the second peak s-process elements (e.g., Ba, La, Ce, Nd), which fits into the newly introduced classification of lead (Pb) stars. The known spectroscopic binary status of this star, along with the observed s-process abundance pattern, suggest that it has accreted matter from a companion, which formerly was an Asymptotic Giant-Branch(AGB) star. In a preliminary analysis, we have also identified broad absorption lines of metallic species that suggest a large axial rotational velocity for this star, which may be the result of spin-up associated with the accretion of material from its previous AGB companion. In addition, this star is clearly depleted in the light element Li. When considered along with its rather high inferred temperature, these observations are consistent with the expected properties of a very low metallicity halo blue straggler., A&A accepted

We report on detailed Monte Carlo inversion analysis of the Lyman limit system observed at z a b s = 2.917 in the VLT/UVES spectrum of the quasar HE 0940-1050. Metal absorption lines of carbon and silicon in three ionization stages and numerous atomic hydrogen lines have been analyzed simultaneously. It is found that in order to match the observations, the shape of the ultraviolet background ionizing spectrum of Haardt & Madau (1996) should be modified: a spectrum with a higher intensity of the emission feature at 3 Ryd is required. It is also found that synthetic galactic spectra (or different mixtures of them with power law spectra) cannot reproduce the observations, indicating that the stellar contribution to the ionizing background is negligible at z ∼ 3. For the first time a very low carbon abundance of [C/H] = -2.93 ′ 0.13 and the abundance ratio [Si/C] = 0.35 ′ 0.15 are directly measured in the Lyman limit system with N(HI) = 3.2 x 10 1 7 cm - 2 . If the absorber at z a b s = 2.917 provides an example of a pristine gas enriched by the nucleosynthetic products of early generations of stars, then the measured value of [Si/C] seems to indicate that the initial mass functions for these stellar populations are constrained to intermediate masses, M u p ≤ 25 M O ..

From the analysis of the CII fine-structure population ratio in the damped Ly_alpha system at z = 3.025 toward the quasar Q0347--3819 we derive an upper bound of 14.6 (+/- 0.2) K on the cosmic microwave background temperature regardless the presence of other different excitation mechanisms. The analysis of the ground state rotational level populations of H_2 detected in the system reveals a Galactic-type UV radiation field ruling out UV pumping as an important excitation mechanism for CII. The low dust content estimated from the Cr/Zn ratio indicates that the IR dust emission can also be neglected. When the collisional excitation is considered, we measure a temperature for the cosmic background radiation of T = 12.1 (+1.7, -3.2) K. The results are in agreement with the T = 10.968 (+/-) 0.004 K predicted by the hot Big Bang cosmology at z = 3.025.

ESPRESSO is a high-resolution-ultra-stable spectrograph for the Very Large Telescope (VLT), whose commissioning will start in 2017. One of its key science goals is to test the stability of nature’s fundamental couplings with unprecedented accuracy and control of possible systematics. A total of 27 nights of the ESPRESSO Consortium’s guaranteed time observations (GTO) will be spent on testing the stability of the fine-structure constant and other fundamental couplings. A set of 14 priority optimal targets have been selected for the GTO period. In this work, we discuss the criteria underlying this selection, describe the selected targets, and present some forecasts of the impact of these measurements on fundamental physics and cosmology, focusing on dark energy constraints and using future supernova type Ia surveys as a comparison point. This report is a summary of the results reported in Phys. Rev. D 2016, 94, 123512, to which we refer the reader for further details.

Large statistical samples of quasar spectra have previously indicated possible cosmological variations in the fine-structure constant, . A smaller sample of higher signal-to-noise ratio spectra, with dedicated calibration, would allow a detailed test of this evidence. Towards that end, we observed equatorial quasar HS 1549+1919 with three telescopes: the Very Large Telescope, Keck and, for the first time in such analyses, Subaru. By directly comparing these spectra to each other, and by ‘supercalibrating’ them using asteroid and iodine-cell tests, we detected and removed long-range distortions of the quasar spectra’s wavelength scales which would have caused significant systematic errors in our measurements. For each telescope we measure the relative deviation in from the current laboratory value, = , in 3 absorption systems at redshifts zabs = 1:143, 1.342, and 1.802. The nine measurements of = are all consistent with zero at the 2- level, with 1- statistical (systematic) uncertainties 5.6‐ 24 (1.8‐7.0) parts per million (ppm). They are also consistent with each other at the 1level, allowing us to form a combined value for each telescope and, finally, a single value for this line of sight: = = 5:4 3:3stat 1:5sys ppm, consistent with both zero and previous, large samples. We also average all Large Programme results measuring = = 0:6 1:9stat 0:9sys ppm. Our results demonstrate the robustness and reliability at the 3 ppm level afforded by supercalibration techniques and direct comparison of spectra from different telescopes.

We present the first high-resolution (6.2 to 7.7 km s^(-1) FWHM) spectra of the APM BR J0307-4945 quasar at z_(em) = 4.73 obtained with UVES on the 8.2 m VLT Kueyen telescope. We focus our analysis on a damped Lyɑ (DLA) system at z_(abs) = 4.466 with a neutral hydrogen column density N(HI) = (4.68 ± 0.97) 10^(20) cm^(-2). It is the most distant DLA system known to the present date, observed when the age of the universe was only 1.3 Gyr. It shows complex low- and high-ionization line profiles spanning ≈240 and 300 km s^(-1) in velocity space respectively. We derive accurate abundances for N, O, Al, Si and Fe, and place a lower limit on C and an upper limit on Ni: [N/H] =-3.07 ± 0.15, [O/H] =-1.63 ± 0.19, [Al/H] =-1.79 ± 0.11, [Si/H] =-1.54 ± 0.11, [Fe/H] =-1.97 ± 0.19, [C/H] > -1.63 and [Ni/H] < -2.35. The derived high metallicity, ~1/90 solar, shows that this very young absorber (≤ 1.3 Gyr) has already experienced a significant metal enrichment. The [O/Si] ratio is nearly solar suggesting a limited amount of dust, the relative [Si, O/Fe] abundance ratios show a similar enhancement as observed in the Milky Way stars with comparable metallicities, and the [N/O] ratio is very low. All these results point to an enrichment pattern dominated by type II supernovae which suggests a Milky Way type evolutionary model.

Oxygen abundances in a sample of ultra-metal-poor subdwarfs have been derived from measurements of the oxygen triplet at 7771--5 A and OH lines in the near UV performed in high-resolution and high signal-to-noise spectra obtained with WHT/UES, KeckI/HIRES, and VLT/UVES. Our Fe abundances were derived in LTE and then corrected for NLTE effects following Thevenin and Idiart (1999). The new oxygen abundances confirm previous findings for a progressive linear rise in the oxygen-to-iron ratio with a slope -0.33+-0.02 from solar metallicity to [Fe/H] -3. A slightly higher slope would be obtained if the Fe NLTE corrections were not considered. Below [Fe/H]= -2.5 our stars show [O/Fe] ratios as high as ~ 1.17 (G64-12), which can be interpreted as evidence for oxygen overproduction in the very early epoch of the formation of the halo, possibly associated with supernova events with very massive progenitor stars. We show that the arguments against this linear trend given by Fulbright and Kraft (1999), based on the LTE Fe analysis of two metal-poor stars cannot be sustained when an NLTE analysis is performed. Using 1-D models our analysis of three oxygen indicators available for BD +23 3130 gives consistent abundances within 0.16 dex and average [O/Fe] ratio of 0.91., 45 pages, 11 figures, accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journal

High dispersion spectra (R>40,000) for a quite large number of stars at the main sequence turn-off and at the base of the subgiant branch in NGC6397 and NGC6752 were obtained with the UVES on Kueyen (VLT UT2). The [Fe/H] values we found are -2.03+/-0.02+/-0.04 and -1.42+/-0.02+/-0.04 for NGC6397 and NGC6752 respectively, where the first error bars refer to internal errors and the second ones to systematic errors. In both clusters the [Fe/H] obtained for TO-stars agree perfectly (within a few per cents) with that obtained for stars at the base of the RGB. The [O/Fe]=0.21+/-0.05 value we obtain for NGC6397 is quite low, but it agrees with previous results obtained for giants in this cluster; also, the star-to-star scatter in both O and Fe is very small, indicating that this small mass cluster is chemically very homogenous. On the other side, our results show clearly and for the first time that the O-Na anticorrelation (up to now seen only for stars on the red giant branches of globular clusters) is present among unevolved stars in the globular cluster NGC6752, a more massive cluster than NGC6397. A similar anticorrelation is present also for Mg and Al, and C and N. It is very difficult to explain the observed Na-O, and Mg-Al anticorrelation in NGC6752 stars by a deep mixing scenario; we think it requires some non internal mechanism., 20 pages, A&A Latex, including 7 .ps figures, tex-macro aa.cls, uses psfig.tex. submitted to Astronomy & Astrophysics

We present the first D/H measurement in a damped Ly-alpha system at z_abs = 3.025 towards QSO 0347-3819 obtained from the UVES-VLT spectra. The DLA absorber has a metallicity of [Zn/H] = -1.25 and a relatively simple velocity structure, with two dominating components detected in several metal lines. The hydrogen Lyman series can be followed down to Ly12 thanks to the high UV-Blue efficiency of UVES. The best fit of the Lyman series lines, and in particular of Ly5, Ly8, Ly10 and Ly12, relatively free of local contamination, is obtained when the DI absorption is included in the two main components. The measured deuterium column density yields D/H = (2.24+/-0.67) 10^{-5} close to other low D/H values from Lyman limit systems. The corresponding values for the baryon to photon ratio and the baryon density derived from D/H are eta = 6 10^{-10} and Omega_b h^2 = 0.023 respectively.

In this paper we present the first results of the analysis of intermediate resolution (Δλ ∼ 3.5 A) spectra of giants of the Sagittarius dwarf galaxy acquired using the ESO NTT telescope. From the deep CCD photometry of Marconi et al. (1998a) we have selected a sample of giants representative of the metallicity spread suggested by the comparison of the colour-magnitude diagram of Sagittarius with those of galactic globular clusters. The spectra have been used to measure radial velocities, to confirm the membership to Sagittarius, and to provide a metallicity estimate by using spectral synthesis techniques. The analyzed stars show a spread in metallicities in the range −1.0≤ [Fe/H]≤ +0.7, some 0.5 dex more metal-rich than the photometric estimates.

Nitrogen lines of the N I λ1134 and λ1200 multiplets in the damped Lyα (DLA) galaxies at zabs = 2.309, 2.827, and 3.025 toward the QSOs 0100+1300, 1425+6039, and 0347-3819, respectively, have been detected by means of high-resolution spectra (R ~ 2 × 104) obtained with 4 m class telescopes at ESO (La Silla, Chile) and the Observatorio del Roque de los Muchachos (La Palma, Spain). The two N I multiplets offer a considerable range in oscillator strengths and the possibility of disentangling Lyα interlopers. The derived nitrogen abundances for the three damped systems are [N/H] = -2.68 ± 0.11, -1.57 ± 0.09, -2.07 ± 0.13, respectively. The behavior of nitrogen relative to iron-peak and α elements has been investigated by considering all the extant N I determinations for a total of nine DLA galaxies. We have estimated the fraction of iron locked into dust grains to convert the observed [N/Fe] ratios into overall (dust plus gas) relative abundances, [N/Fe]corr. The ratios [N/α] have been mostly determined by using sulphur as a tracer of α elements that is unaffected by dust. The [N/Fe] and [N/α] ratios show high dispersions, of 1 order of magnitude or more, which have no equivalent in other element-to-element ratios in DLAs. The lowest values of the [N/Fe]corr and [N/α] ratios are at variance with the values measured in Galactic halo stars of similar metallicity, suggesting that part of the DLA galaxies do not follow the chemical evolution of the Milky Way. The DLA nitrogen abundances and their dispersion show some similarities with those observed in dwarf galaxies. Comparison with chemical evolution models shows that the lowest [N/Fe]corr and [N/α] DLA values are close to what would be expected for a pure secondary origin of nitrogen, whereas higher values are mostly consistent with a primary component. The behavior of nitrogen abundance ratios can be ascribed, in general, to the delayed release of nitrogen in the course of evolution. However it is difficult to conciliate this interpretation with the lowest [N/α] values measured, since an expected enhancement of α elements with respect to the iron-peak elements is not observed simultaneously in these DLA galaxies. In two cases, relatively high [N/α] values are observed that require also a more complex chemical evolution to be explained.

Lithium abundance derived in metal-poor main sequence stars is about three times lower than the primordial value of the standard Big Bang nucleosynthesis prediction. This disagreement is referred to as the lithium problem. We reconsider the stellar Li evolution from the pre-main sequence to the end of main sequence phase by introducing the effects of overshooting and residual mass accretion. We show that 7Li could be significantly depleted by convective overshooting in the pre-main sequence phase and then partially restored in the stellar atmosphere by residual accretion which follows the Li depletion phase and could be regulated by EUV photo-evaporation. By considering the conventional nuclear burning and diffusion along the main sequence we can reproduce the Spite plateau for stars with initial mass m0=0.62–0.80 M⊙, and the Li declining branch for lower mass dwarfs, e.g, m0=0.57–0.60 M⊙, for a wide range of metallicities (Z=0.00001 to Z=0.0005), starting from an initial Li abundance A(Li) = 2.72.

We present a study of the [α/Fe-peak] and [N/α] abundance ratios in Damped Lyα (DLA) systems. By using ratios of undepleted elements ([S/Zn] and [N/S]) or when abundances of refractory elements are corrected by dust depletion ([Si/Fe]corr), the resulting ratios do not resemble those observed in the Galactic metal-poor stars, showing instead similarities with those ratios observed in dwarf galaxies. These results challenge the idea that these absorbers are the progenitors of the present-day spiral galaxies, and suggest an origin in low-mass galaxies for the systems up to now investigated.

This article summarizes the latest results on the proton-to-electron mass ratio $\mu$ derived from H$_2$ observations at high redshift in the light of possible variations of fundamental physical constants. The focus lies on UVES observations of the past years as enormous progress was achieved since the first positive results on $\Delta\mu/\mu$ were published. With the better understanding of systematics, dedicated observation runs, and numerous approaches to improve wavelength calibration accuracy, all current findings are in reasonable good agreement with no variation and provide an upper limit of $\Delta\mu/\mu < 1\times 10^{-5}$ for the redshift range of $2, Comment: 6 pages, 5 figures. To appear in Proceedings of the Sesto Conference on Varying fundamental constants and dynamical dark energy (Sesto, Italy, July 8-13, 2013)

We present the results of observations taken with the X-shooter spectrograph devoted to the study of quasars at z ~ 6. This paper focuses on the properties of metals at high redshift traced, in particular, by the C IV doublet absorption systems. Six objects were observed with resolutions ~27 and 34 km/s in the visual, and 37.5 and 53.5 km/s in the near infrared. We detected 102 C IV lines in the range: 4.35 < z < 6.2 of which 27 are above z ~ 5. Thanks to the characteristics of resolution and spectral coverage of X-shooter, we could also detect 25 Si IV doublets associated with the C IV at z>5. The column density distribution function of the C IV line sample is observed to evolve in redshift for z>~ 5.3, with respect to the normalization defined by low redshift (1.5 < z ~ 5.3. Considering only the stronger C IV lines (13.8 < log N(CIV) < 15), Omega_CIV gently rises by a factor of ~10 between z ~ 6.2 and z~ 1.5 with a possible flattening toward z ~ 0. The increase is well fitted by a power law: Omega_CIV = (2+-1)x10^{-8} [(1+z)/4]^{-3.1+-0.1}. An insight into the properties of the C IV absorbers and their evolution with redshift is obtained by comparing the observed column densities of associated C IV, Si IV and C II absorptions with the output of a set of CLOUDY photo-ionization models. As already claimed by cosmological simulations, we find that C IV is a good tracer of the metallicity in the low-density intergalacitc medium gas at z ~ 5-6 while at z ~ 3 it arises in gas with over density delta ~100., Accepted for publication in MNRAS. Minor changes with respect to previous version (typos, references)

ESPRESSO is the next European exoplanets hunter. It will combine the efficiency of modern echelle spectrograph with extreme radial-velocity precision. It will be installed at Paranal's VLT in order to achieve two magnitudes gain with respect to its predecessor HARPS, and the instrumental radial-velocity precision will be improved to reach 10 cm/s level. We have constituted a Consortium of astronomical research institutes to fund, design and build ESPRESSO on behalf of and in collaboration with ESO, the European Southern Observatory. The project has passed the final design review in May 2013. The spectrograph will be installed at the Combined Coude Laboratory of the VLT, it will be linked to the four 8.2 meters Unit Telescopes through four optical "Coude trains" and will be operated either with a single telescope or with up to four UTs, enabling an additional 1.5 magnitude gain. Thanks to its characteristics and ability of combining incoherently the light of 4 large telescopes, ESPRESSO will offer new possibilities in many fields of astronomy. Our main scientific objectives are, however, the search and characterization of rocky exoplanets in the habitable zone of quiet, near-by G to M-dwarfs, and the analysis of the variability of fundamental physical constants. In this paper, we will present the scientific objectives, the capabilities of ESPRESSO, the technical solutions for the system and its subsystems, enlightening the main differences between ESPRESSO and its predecessors. The project aspects of this facility are also described, from the consortium and partnership structure to the planning phases and milestones.

We present an accurate analysis of the H2 absorption lines from the zabs ~ 2.4018 damped Ly{\alpha} system towards HE 0027-1836 observed with the Very Large Telescope Ultraviolet and Visual Echelle Spectrograph (VLT/UVES) as a part of the European Southern Observatory Large Programme "The UVES large programme for testing fundamental physics" to constrain the variation of proton-to-electron mass ratio, {\mu} = mp/me. We perform cross-correlation analysis between 19 individual exposures taken over three years and the combined spectrum to check the wavelength calibration stability. We notice the presence of a possible wavelength dependent velocity drift especially in the data taken in 2012. We use available asteroids spectra taken with UVES close to our observations to confirm and quantify this effect. We consider single and two component Voigt profiles to model the observed H2 absorption profiles. We use both linear regression analysis and Voigt profile fitting where {\Delta}{\mu}/{\mu} is explicitly considered as an additional fitting parameter. The two component model is marginally favored by the statistical indicators and we get {\Delta}{\mu}/{\mu} = (-2.5 +/- 8.1(stat) +/- 6.2(sys)) ppm. When we apply the correction to the wavelength dependent velocity drift we find {\Delta}{\mu}/{\mu} = (-7.6 +/- 8.1(stat) +/- 6.3(sys)) ppm. It will be important to check the extent to which the velocity drift we notice in this study is present in UVES data used for previous {\Delta}{\mu}/{\mu} measurements., Comment: Accepted for publication in MNRAS

On 21 March 2013 high-resolution slit spectrographs of comet C/2011 L4 (Panstarrs), at the heliocentric distance r = 0.46 Astronomical Units (AU), were obtained at the Osservatorio Astronomico Campo dei Fiori, Italy. Emission lines of sodium were the strongest in the spectrum as is common in comets, but also potassium lines were detected. These have been rarely observed in comets since the apparition of brightest comet C/1965 S1 (Ikeya-Seki). Lithium was not detected, and stringent upper limits of its abundance compared to other alkali were derived. We obtain abundance ratios Na/K = 54 +/-14 and Na/Li > 8000. As well as in Mercury exosphere (Leblanc & Douressoundiram 2011)}, we show that photoionization at the beginning of the alkali tails may increase the solar ratio Na/K = 15.5 (Asplund et al 2009) by a factor 3, close to that required to match the observed value. In the same tail position the Na/Li ratio increases by a factor 2 only, very far from the factor > 8 required to match an original meteoritic ratio. We apply the same model to similar alkali data (Preston 1967) of comet C/1965 S1 (Ikeya-Seki), obtaining consistent results. An original solar Na/K ratio fits the observed value at the beginning of the alkali tails within the slit size, whereas Li is depleted by a factor > 8., 15 pages, 4 figures. ApJL 2013

Absorption line systems detected in quasar spectra can be used to compare the value of the fine-structure constant, {\alpha}, measured today on Earth with its value in distant galaxies. In recent years, some evidence has emerged of small temporal and also spatial variations of {\alpha} on cosmological scales which may reach a fractional level of ~ 10 ppm (parts per million). To test these claims we are conducting a Large Program with the VLT UVES . We are obtaining high-resolution (R ~ 60000 and high signal-to-noise ratio (S/N ~ 100) UVES spectra calibrated specifically for this purpose. Here we analyse the first complete quasar spectrum from this Program, that of HE 2217-2818. We apply the Many Multiplet method to measure {\alpha} in 5 absorption systems towards this quasar: zabs = 0.7866, 0.9424, 1.5558, 1.6279 and 1.6919. The most precise result is obtained for the absorber at zabs = 1.6919 where 3 Fe II transitions and Al II {\lambda}1670 have high S/N and provide a wide range of sensitivities to {\alpha}. The absorption profile is complex, with several very narrow features, and requires 32 velocity components to be fitted to the data. Our final result for the relative variation in {\alpha} in this system is Delta{\alpha}/{\alpha} = +1.3 +/- 2.4stat +/- 1.0sys ppm. This is one of the tightest current bounds on {\alpha} variation from an individual absorber. The absorbers towards quasar HE 2217-2818 reveal no evidence for variation in {\alpha} at the 3 ppm precision level (1{\sigma} confidence). If the recently reported 10 ppm dipolar variation of {\alpha} across the sky were correct, the expectation at this sky position is (3.2-5.4) +/-1.7 ppm depending on dipole model used . Our constraint of Delta{\alpha}/{\alpha}=+1.3+/-2.4stat +/-1.0sys ppm is not inconsistent with this expectation., Comment: 17 pages, 8 figures, accepted Astronomy Astrophysics 2013

International audience; As a brief revision, the origin of heavy elements and the role of abundances in extremely metal-poor (EMP) stars are presented. Heavy element abundances in the EMP uranium-rich star CS 31082-001 based mainly on near-UV spectra from STIS/HST are presented. These results should be useful for a better characterisation of the neutron exposure(s) that produced the r-process elements in this star, as well as a guide for improving nuclear data and astrophysical site modelling, given that the new element abundances not available in previous works (Ge, Mo, Lu, Ta, W, Re, Pt, Au, and Bi) make CS 31082-001 the most completely well studied r-II object, with a total of 37 detections of n-capture elements.

Lo studio della coda della "Cometa di Pasqua", C2011 L4, ha permesso a un gruppo di astronomi italiani di spiegare una anomalia nel rapporto tra sodio e potassio già osservata in passato nelle comete. Ma la misura della presenza di litio ha aperto un altro mistero, e fa sospettare che la cometa possa essersi formata in un altro sistema solare.

We performed a kinematical analysis of the [CII] line emission of the BR 1202-0725 system at z~4,7 using ALMA observations. The most prominent sources of this system are a quasar and a submillimeter galaxy, separated by a projected distance of about 24 kpc and characterized by very high SFR, higher than 1000 Msun/yr. However, the ALMA observations reveal that these galaxies apparently have undisturbed rotating disks, which is at variance with the commonly accepted scenario in which strong star formation activity is induced by a major merger. We also detected faint components which, after spectral deblending, were spatially resolved from the main QSO and SMG emissions. The relative velocities and positions of these components are compatible with orbital motions within the gravitational potentials generated by the QSO host galaxy and the SMG, suggesting that they are smaller galaxies in interaction or gas clouds in accretion flows of tidal streams. We did not find any clear spectral evidence for outflows caused by AGN or stellar feedback. This suggests that the high star formation rates might be induced by interactions or minor mergers with these companions, which do not affect the large-scale kinematics of the disks, however. Our kinematical analysis also indicates that the QSO and the SMG have similar Mdyn, mostly in the form of molecular gas, and that the QSO host galaxy and the SMG are seen close to face-on with slightly different disk inclinations: the QSO host galaxy is seen almost face-on (i~15), while the SMG is seen at higher inclinations (i~25). Finally, the ratio between the black hole mass of the QSO, obtained from XShooter spectroscopy, and the Mdyn of the host galaxy is similar to value found in very massive local galaxies, suggesting that the evolution of black hole galaxy relations is probably better studied with dynamical than with stellar host galaxy masses., Accepted for publication in Astronomy and Astrophysics

The extremely metal-poor stars are the direct descendants of the first generation stars. They carry the chemical signature of the pristine Universe at the time they formed, shortly after the Big Bang. We aim to derive information about extremely metal-poor stars from their observed spectra. Four extremely metal-poor stars were selected from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) and observed during the guaranteed observing time of X-Shooter. The X-Shooter spectra were analysed using an automatic code, MyGIsFOS, which is based on a traditional analysis method. It makes use of a synthetic grid computed from one-dimensional, plane-parallel, hydrostatic model atmospheres. The low metallicity derived from the SDSS spectra is confirmed here. Two kinds of stars are found. Two stars are confirmed to be extremely metal-poor, with no evidence of any enhancement in carbon. The two other stars are strongly enhanced in carbon. We could not derive iron abundance for one of them, while [Ca/H] is below -4.5. Two of the stars are members of the rare population of extremely metal-poor stars low in alpha elements., Comment: A&A in press

We report the detection of the LiI λ6708 resonance line in the K4V secondary of the black-hole binary Nova Muscae 1991. The LiI feature changes with orbital phase, being stronger (EW ∼ 400 mA) around φ = 0.0 (observing the dark side of the secondary) and weaker (EW ≤ 190 mA) around φ = 0.5 (observing the side facing the compact object). This effect is interpreted as LiI ionization induced by UV/X-ray illumination of the inner hemisphere of the companion star. From the strength of the LiI feature observed around φ = 0.0 we infer a photospheric lithium abundance of logN(Li) ∼ 3. This value should be considered in fact as a lower limit to the true Li abundance because we have not fully corrected for the LiI overionization expected from UV/X-ray illumination. High lithium abundances are becoming a common feature in the secondaries of black hole binaries. After the Li detections in V404 Cyg, A0620-00 and GS2000 + 25, our observations of Nova Muscae not only add a new case to the list, but also demonstrate the impact of irradiation on the formation of the LiI line for the first time. The LiI features observed in the other black hole binaries are probably also affected by irradiation, although not as strongly as in Nova Muscae, and their Li abundances are higher than previously thought. The most attractive scenario for explaining the origin of the high Li abundances in black hole binaries appears to be nucleosynthesis during the explosive accretion events that characterize these objects. We argue that our LiI detection in the secondary of X-ray Nova Muscae 1991, and the transient γ-ray narrow emission feature at 476 keV observed during the 1991 outburst, are both signatures of Li production around the black hole. We propose that the γ-ray emission line was due to 7Be electron capture which yielded excited 7Li atoms. This reaction is able to account for the central energy, narrow width and time scale of the observed γ-ray emission feature. The presence of Li on the surface of the secondary shows that Li atoms created during the outburst can escape and enrich the interstellar medium. Shrinivas Kulkarni

ESPRESSO, the VLT rocky exoplanets hunter, will combine the efficiency of modern echelle spectrograph with extreme radial-velocity precision. It will be installed at Paranal on ESO's VLT in order to achieve a gain of two magnitudes with respect to its predecessor HARPS, and the instrumental radial-velocity precision will be improved to reach 10 cm/s level. We have constituted a Consortium of astronomical research institutes to fund, design and build ESPRESSO on behalf of and in collaboration with ESO, the European Southern Observatory. The project has passed the preliminary design review in November 2011. The spectrograph will be installed at the so-called "Combined Coude Laboratory" of the VLT, it will be linked to the four 8.2 meters Unit Telescopes (UT) through four optical "Coude trains" and will be operated either with a single telescope or with up to four UTs. In exchange of the major financial and human effort the building Consortium will be awarded with guaranteed observing time (GTO), which will be invested in a common scientific program. Thanks to its characteristics and the ability of combining incoherently the light of 4 large telescopes, ESPRESSO will offer new possibilities in many fields of astronomy. Our main scientific objectives are, however, the search and characterization of rocky exoplanets in the habitable zone of quiet, near-by G to M-dwarfs, and the analysis of the variability of fundamental physical constants. In this paper, we present the ambitious scientific objectives, the capabilities of ESPRESSO, the technical solutions for the system and its subsystems, enlightening the main differences between ESPRESSO and its predecessors. The project aspects of this facility are also described, from the consortium and partnership structure to the planning phases and milestones.

The detection of neutral deuterium in the low-metallicity damped Lyman-{\alpha} system at zabs = 2.621 towards the quasar CTQ247 is reported. Using a high signal-to-noise and high spectral resolution (R = 60000) spectrum from the Very Large Telescope Ultraviolet and Visual Echelle Spectrograph, we precisely measure the deuterium-to-oxygen ratio log N(DI)/N(OI) = 0.74+/-0.04, as well as the overall oxygen abundance, log N(OI)/N(HI)=-5.29+/-0.10 (or equivalently [O/H]=-1.99+/-0.10 with respect to the solar value). Assuming uniform metallicity throughout the system, our measurement translates to (D/H) = (2.8+0.8 -0.6)x10^-5. This ratio is consistent within errors (, Comment: Accepted for publication in A&A Letters

Observing inversion lines of ammonia (NH3), complemented by rotational lines of NH3 and other molecular species, provides stringent constraints on potential variations of the proton-to-electron mass ratio. While a limit of one part per million is derived for a lookback time of 7 billion years, nearby dark clouds might show a statistically significant variation of order 20-30 parts per billion, possibly being related to chameleon fields. The detection of radio-loud quasars with strong molecular absorption lines at redshifts z > 1 as well as the identification of a larger sample of nearby dark clouds with exceptionally narrow lines (

Context: Extremely metal-poor stars (EMP) are very rare objects that hold in their atmospheres the fossil record of the chemical composition of the early phases of Galactic evolution. Finding these objects and determining their chemical composition provides important constraints on these early phases. Aims: Using a carefully designed selection method, we chose a sample of candidate EMP stars from the low resolution spectra of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey and observed them with X-Shooter at the VLT to confirm their metallicities and determine abundances for as many elements as possible. Method: The X-Shooter spectra are analysed by means of one-dimensional, plane-parallel, hydrostatic model atmospheres. Corrections for the granulation effects are computed using CO5BOLD hydrodynamical simulations. Results: All the candidates are confirmed to be EMP stars, proving the efficiency of our selection method within about 0.5 dex. The chemical composition of this sample is compatible with those of brighter samples, suggesting that the stars in the Galactic halo are well mixed. Conclusions These observations show that it is feasible to observe, in a limited amount of time, a large sample of about one hundred stars among EMP candidates selected from the SDSS. Such a size of sample will allow us, in particular, to confirm or refute the existence of a vertical drop in the Galactic Halo metallicity distribution function around [Fe/H] ~ -3.5., To be published on A&A

Sulfur is important: the site of its formation is uncertain, and at very low metallicity the trend of [S/Fe] against [Fe/H] is controversial. Below [Fe/H]=-2.0, [S/Fe] remains constant or it decreases with [Fe/H], depending on the author and the multiplet used in the analysis. Moreover, although sulfur is not significantly bound in dust grains in the ISM, it seems to behave differently in DLAs and in old metal-poor stars. We aim to determine precise S abundance in a sample of extremely metal-poor stars taking into account NLTE and 3D effects. NLTE profiles of the lines of the multiplet 1 of SI have been computed using a new model atom for S. We find sulfur in EMP stars to behave like the other alpha-elements, with [S/Fe] remaining approximately constant for [Fe/H], Comment: 10 pages, accepted for publication in A&A

Astronomical search for a variation of fundamental constants deals with accurate radial velocity measurements and needs reliable astronomical standards to calibrate the spectrographs to assess possible systematics. We show that the sunlight reflected by Asteroids provide a radial velocity standard of high precision. Preliminary we needed to produce a solar Atlas with a higher precision factor of one order of magnitude, i.e. down to about 10 m s − 1at a specific wavelength. The asteroid-based technique is used here to study radial velocity deviations in UVES as claimed recently. Preliminary results suggest the presence of systematics at the level of ≈ 80 m s − 1, i.e. of ≈ 4 ×10 − 6 in δα ∕ α.

The early Universe had a chemical composition consisting of hydrogen, helium and traces of lithium; almost all other elements were subsequently created in stars and supernovae. The mass fraction of elements more massive than helium, Z, is known as 'metallicity'. A number of very metal-poor stars has been found, some of which have a low iron abundance but are rich in carbon, nitrogen and oxygen. For theoretical reasons and because of an observed absence of stars with Z

We present high resolution observations in the starless dense molecular core L1512 performed with the Medicina 32m radio telescope. The resolved hfs components of HC3N and NH3 show no kinematic sub-structure and consist of an apparently symmetric peak profile without broadened line wings or self-absorption features suggesting that they sample the same material. The velocity dispersion is 101( ± 1) m s − 1for NH3 and 85( ± 2) m s − 1 for HC3N. The kinetic temperature of the cloud is estimated at 9.2 ( ± 1.2) K and the turbulence is of 76 m s − 1in a subsonic regime. This places L1512 among the most quiescent dark cores and makes it an ideal laboratory to study variations of the electron-to-proton mass ratio, \(\mu = {m}_{\mathrm{e}}/{m}_{\mathrm{p}}\) by means of observations of inversion lines of NH3 combined with rotational lines of other molecular species.