Search

We present deep Chandra observations of A3411-12, a remarkable merging cluster that hosts the most compelling evidence for electron re-acceleration at cluster shocks to date. Using the $Y_X-M$ scaling relation, we find $r_{500} \sim 1.3$ Mpc, $M_{500} = (7.1 \pm 0.7) \times 10^{14} \ M_{\rm{\odot}}$, $kT=6.5\pm 0.1$ keV, and a gas mass of $M_{\rm g,500} = (9.7 \pm 0.1) \times 10^{13} M_\odot$. The gas mass fraction within $r_{500}$ is $f_{\rm g} = 0.14 \pm 0.01$. We compute the shock strength using density jumps to conclude that the Mach number of the merging subcluster is small ($M \leq 1.15_{-0.09}^{+0.14}$). We also present pseudo-density, projected temperature, pseudo-pressure, and pseudo-entropy maps. Based on the pseudo-entropy map we conclude that the cluster is undergoing a mild merger, consistent with the small Mach number. On the other hand, radio relics extend over Mpc scale in the A3411-12 system, which strongly suggests that a population of energetic electrons already existed over extended regions of the cluster., Comment: 23 pages, 17 figures, 4 tables. Accepted for publication in ApJ

We present an analysis of the relative age distribution of the Milky Way halo, based on samples of blue horizontal-branch (BHB) stars obtained from the Panoramic Survey Telescope and Rapid Response System and \textit{Galaxy Evolution Explorer} photometry, as well a Sloan Digital Sky Survey spectroscopic sample. A machine-learning approach to the selection of BHB stars is developed, using support vector classification, with which we produce chronographic age maps of the Milky Way halo out to 40\,kpc from the Galactic center. We identify a characteristic break in the relative age profiles of our BHB samples, corresponding to a Galactocentric radius of $R_{\rm{GC}} \sim 14$\,kpc. Within the break radius, we find an age gradient of $-63.4 \pm 8.2$ Myr kpc$^{-1}$, which is significantly steeper than obtained by previous studies that did not discern between the inner- and outer-halo regions. The gradient in the relative age profile and the break radius signatures persist after correcting for the influence of metallicity on our spectroscopic calibration sample. We conclude that neither are due to the previously recognized metallicity gradient in the halo, as one passes from the inner-halo to the outer-halo region. Our results are consistent with a dissipational formation of the inner-halo population, involving a few relatively massive progenitor satellites, such as those proposed to account for the assembly of \textit{Gaia}-Enceladus, which then merged with the inner halo of the Milky Way., Comment: 13 figures

In this work, we study the chemical compositions and kinematic properties of six metal-poor stars with [Fe/H] $< -2.5$ in the Galactic halo. From high-resolution (R $\sim$~110,000) spectroscopic observations obtained with the Lick/APF, we determined individual abundances for up to 23 elements, to quantitatively evaluate our sample. We identify two carbon-enhanced metal-poor stars (J1630+0953 and J2216+0246) without enhancement in neutron-capture elements (CEMP-no stars), while the rest of our sample stars are carbon-intermediate. By comparing the light-element abundances of the CEMP stars with predicted yields from non-rotating zero-metallicity massive-star models, we find that possible the progenitors of J1630+0953 and J2216+0246 could be in the 13-25 M$_{\odot}$ mass range, with explosion energies 0.3-1.8$ \times 10^{51}$ erg. In addition, the detectable abundance ratios of light and heavy elements suggest that our sample stars are likely formed from a well-mixed gas cloud, which is consistent with previous studies. We also present a kinematic analysis, which suggests that most of our program stars likely belong to the inner-halo population, with orbits passing as close as $\sim$ 2.9 kpc from the Galactic center. We discuss the implications of these results on the critical constraints on the origin and evolution of CEMP stars, as well as the nature of the Population III progenitors of the lowest metallicity stars in our Galaxy.

We report on the discovery of five carbon-enhanced metal-poor (CEMP) stars in the metallicity range of $-3.3<$ [Fe/H] $<-2.4$. These stars were selected from the LAMOST DR3 low-resolution (R$ \sim$ 2,000) spectroscopic database as metal-poor candidates and followed-up with high-resolution spectroscopy (R$ \sim$110,000) with the LICK/APF. Stellar parameters and individual abundances for 25 chemical elements (from Li to Eu) are presented for the first time. These stars exhibit chemical abundance patterns that are similar to those reported in other literature studies of very and extremely metal-poor stars. One of our targets, J2114$-$0616, shows high enhancement in carbon ([C/Fe]=1.37), nitrogen ([N/Fe]= 1.88), barium ([Ba/Fe]=1.00), and europium ([Eu/Fe]=0.84). Such chemical abundance pattern suggests that J2114$-$0616 can be classified as CEMP-r/s star. In addition, the star J1054+0528 can be classified as a CEMP-rI star, with [Eu/Fe]=0.44 and [Ba/Fe]=$-$0.52. The other stars in our sample show no enhancements in neutron-capture elements and can be classified as CEMP-no stars. We also performed a kinematic and dynamical analysis of the sample stars based on Gaia DR2 data. The kinematic parameters, orbits, and binding energy of these stars, show that J2114$-$0616 is member of the outer halo population, while the remaining stars belong to the inner halo population but with an accreted origin. Collectively, these results add important constraints on the origin and evolution of CEMP stars as well as on their possible formation scenarios.

We report the discovery of a unique collection of metal-poor giant-stars, that exhibit anomalously high levels of $^{28}$Si, clearly above typical Galactic levels. Our sample spans a narrow range of metallicities, peaking at $-1.07\pm 0.06$, and exhibit abundance ratios of [Si,Al/Fe] that are as extreme as those observed in Galactic globular clusters (GCs), and Mg is slightly less overabundant. In almost all the sources we used, the elemental abundances were re-determined from high-resolution spectra, which were re-analyzed assuming LTE. Thus, we compiled the main element families, namely the light elements (C, N), $\alpha-$elements (O, Mg, Si), iron-peak element (Fe), $\textit{s}-$process elements (Ce, Nd), and the light odd-Z element (Al). We also provide dynamical evidence that most of these stars lie on tight (inner)halo-like and retrograde orbits passing through the bulge. Such kinds of objects have been found in present-day halo GCs, providing the clearest chemical signature of past accretion events in the (inner) stellar halo of the Galaxy, formed possibly as the result of dissolved halo GCs. Their chemical composition is, in general, similar to that of typical GCs population, although several differences exist., Comment: 11 pages, 5 figures, 2 table; accepted for publication in ApJ Letters

We present observational evidence that an aspherical supernova explosion could have occurred in the First stars in the early universe. Our results are based on the First determination of a Zn abundance in a Hubble Space Telescope/Cosmic Origins Spectrograph high-resolution UV spectrum of a hyper metal-poor (HMP) star, HE1327-2326, with [Fe/H](NLTE) = -5.2. We determine [Zn/Fe] = 0.80$\pm$0.25 from a UV Zn I line at 2138 detected at $3.4\sigma$. Yields of a 25M$_{\odot}$ aspherical supernova model with artificially modified densities exploding with E = 5x10$^{51}$ ergs best match the entire abundance pattern of HE1327-2326. Such high-entropy hypernova explosions are expected to produce bipolar outfows which could facilitate the external enrichment of small neighboring galaxies. This has already been predicted by theoretical studies of the earliest star forming minihalos. Such a scenario would have significant implications for the chemical enrichment across the early universe as HMP Carbon Enhanced Metal-Poor (CEMP) stars such as HE1327-2326 might have formed in such externally enriched environments., Comment: 11 pages, 4 figures, accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journal

A new moderately r-process-enhanced metal-poor star, RAVE J093730.5-062655, has been identified in the Milky Way halo as part of an ongoing survey by the R-Process Alliance. The temperature and surface gravity indicate that J0937-0626 is likely a horizontal branch star. At [Fe/H] = -1.86, J0937-0626 is found to have subsolar [X/Fe] ratios for nearly every light, alpha, and Fe-peak element. The low [alpha/Fe] ratios can be explained by an ~0.6 dex excess of Fe; J0937-0626 is therefore similar to the subclass of "iron-enhanced" metal-poor stars. A comparison with Milky Way field stars at [Fe/H] = -2.5 suggests that J0937-0626 was enriched in material from an event, possibly a Type Ia supernova, that created a significant amount of Cr, Mn, Fe, and Ni and smaller amounts of Ca, Sc, Ti, and Zn. The r-process enhancement of J0937-0626 is likely due to a separate event, which suggests that its birth environment was highly enriched in r-process elements. The kinematics of J0937-0626, based on Gaia DR2 data, indicate a retrograde orbit in the Milky Way halo; J0937-0626 was therefore likely accreted from a dwarf galaxy that had significant r-process enrichment., Comment: Accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journal

We report the serendipitous discovery of a nitrogen-rich, mildly metal-poor ([Fe/H]=-1.08) giant star in a single-lined spectroscopic binary system found in the SDSS-IV Apache Point Observatory Galactic Evolution Experiment (APOGEE-2) survey, Data Release 14 (DR14). Previous work has assumed that the two percent of halo giants with unusual elemental abundances have been evaporated from globular clusters, but other origins for their abundance signatures, including binary mass transfer, must also be explored. We present the results of an abundance re-analysis of the APOGEE-2 high-resolution near-infrared spectrum of 2M12451043+1217401 with the Brussels Automatic Stellar Parameter (BACCHUS) automated spectral analysis code, and re-derive manually the main element families, namely the light elements (C, N), elements (O, Mg, Si), iron-peak element (Fe), \textit{s}-process element (Ce), and the light odd-Z element (Al). Our analysis confirm the N-rich nature of 2M12451043+1217401, which has a [N/Fe] ratio of $+0.69$, and shows that the abundances of C and Al are slightly discrepant from that of a typical mildly metal-poor RGB star, but exhibit Mg, Si, O and \textit{s}-process abundances (Ce) of typical field stars. We also detect a particularly large variability in its radial velocity over the period of the APOGEE-2 observations, and the most likely orbit fit to the radial velocity data has a period of $730.89\pm106.86$ days, a velocity semi-amplitude of $9.92 \pm 0.14$ km s$^{-1}$, and an eccentricity of $\sim 0.1276 \pm0.1174$, which support the hypothesis of a binary companion, and that has probably been polluted by a now-extinct AGB star., Comment: Accepted for publication in A&A, 13 pages, 8 figures, 7 tables

Carbon-enhanced metal-poor (CEMP) stars span a wide range of stellar populations, from bona fide second-generation stars to later forming stars that provide excellent probes of, e.g., binary mass transfer. Here we analyse 11 metal-poor stars of which 10 are CEMP stars. Based on high signal-to-noise (SNR) X-Shooter spectra, we derive abundances of 20 elements (C, N, O, Na, Mg, Ca, Sc, Ti, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Sr, Y, Ba, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Eu). From the high SNR spectra, we trace the chemical contribution of the rare earth elements (REE) from various production sites, finding a preference for metal-poor low-mass AGB stars of 1.5Mo in CEMP-s stars, while CEMP-r/s stars may indicate a more massive AGB contribution (2-5Mo). A contribution from the r-process - possibly from neutron star mergers (NSM), is also detectable in the REE abundances, especially in the CEMP-r/s. Combining spectra with Gaia DR2 astrometric data indicates that all but one star in our sample (and most literature stars) belong to the Galactic halo. They exhibit a median orbital eccentricity of 0.7, and are found on both pro- and retrograde orbits. The orbital parameters of CEMP-no and CEMP4s stars are remarkably similar in the 98 stars we study. A special CEMP-no star, with very low Sr and Ba content, possesses the most eccentric orbit among the stars in our sample, passing close to the Galactic centre. Finally, we propose an improved scheme to sub-classify the CEMP stars, making use of the Sr$/$Ba ratio, which can also be used to separate very metal-poor stars from CEMP stars in 93 stars in the metallicity range $-4.2<$[Fe/H]$<-2$. The Sr/Ba ratio can also be used for distinguishing CEMP-s,-r/s and -no stars. The Sr/Ba ratio is also a powerful astro-nuclear indicator, as AGB stars exhibit very different Sr/Ba ratios, compared to fast rotating massive stars and NSM, and it is fairly unbiased by NLTE and 3D corrections.(abridged), Comment: 15 pages, 4 pages appendix, 11 figures, accepted for publication in A&A

We present results from an observing campaign to identify low-metallicity stars in the Best & Brightest Survey. From medium-resolution (R ~ 1, 200 - 2, 000) spectroscopy of 857 candidates, we estimate the stellar atmospheric parameters (Teff, log g, and [Fe/H]), as well as carbon and alpha-element abundances. We find that 69% of the observed stars have [Fe/H] <= -1.0, 39% have [Fe/H] <= -2.0, and 2% have [Fe/H] <= -3.0. There are also 133 carbon-enhanced metal-poor (CEMP) stars in this sample, with 97 CEMP Group I and 36 CEMP Group II stars identified in the A(C) versus [Fe/H] diagram. A subset of the confirmed low-metallicity stars were followed-up with high-resolution spectroscopy, as part of the R-process Alliance, with the goal of identifying new highly and moderately r-process-enhanced stars. Comparison between the stellar atmospheric parameters estimated in this work and from high-resolution spectroscopy exhibit good agreement, confirming our expectation that medium-resolution observing campaigns are an effective way of selecting interesting stars for further, more targeted, efforts., Comment: 57 pages, accepted for publication in ApJ

This paper presents the detailed abundances and r-process classifications of 126 newly identified metal-poor stars as part of an ongoing collaboration, the R-Process Alliance. The stars were identified as metal-poor candidates from the RAdial Velocity Experiment (RAVE) and were followed-up at high spectral resolution (R~31,500) with the 3.5~m telescope at Apache Point Observatory. The atmospheric parameters were determined spectroscopically from Fe I lines, taking into account <3D> non-LTE corrections and using differential abundances with respect to a set of standards. Of the 126 new stars, 124 have [Fe/H]<-1.5, 105 have [Fe/H]<-2.0, and 4 have [Fe/H]<-3.0. Nine new carbon-enhanced metal-poor stars have been discovered, 3 of which are enhanced in r-process elements. Abundances of neutron-capture elements reveal 60 new r-I stars (with +0.3<=[Eu/Fe]<=+1.0 and [Ba/Eu]<0) and 4 new r-II stars (with [Eu/Fe]>+1.0). Nineteen stars are found to exhibit a `limited-r' signature ([Sr/Ba]>+0.5, [Ba/Eu]<0). For the r-II stars, the second- and third-peak main r-process patterns are consistent with the r-process signature in other metal-poor stars and the Sun. The abundances of the light, alpha, and Fe-peak elements match those of typical Milky Way halo stars, except for one r-I star which has high Na and low Mg, characteristic of globular cluster stars. Parallaxes and proper motions from the second Gaia data release yield UVW space velocities for these stars which are consistent with membership in the Milky Way halo. Intriguingly, all r-II and the majority of r-I stars have retrograde orbits, which may indicate an accretion origin., Comment: Accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journal

We present a detailed abundance analysis of the bright (V = 9.02), metal-poor ([Fe/H] = -1.47 +/- 0.08) field red horizontal-branch star HD 222925, which was observed as part of an ongoing survey by the R-Process Alliance. We calculate stellar parameters and derive abundances for 46 elements based on 901 lines examined in a high-resolution optical spectrum obtained using the Magellan Inamori Kyocera Echelle spectrograph. We detect 28 elements with 38 <= Z <= 90; their abundance pattern is a close match to the Solar r-process component. The distinguishing characteristic of HD 222925 is an extreme enhancement of r-process elements ([Eu/Fe] = +1.33 +/- 0.08, [Ba/Eu] = -0.78 +/- 0.10) in a moderately metal-poor star, so the abundance of r-process elements is the highest ([Eu/H] = -0.14 +/- 0.09) in any known r-process-enhanced star. The abundance ratios among lighter (Z <= 30) elements are typical for metal-poor stars, indicating that production of these elements was dominated by normal Type II supernovae, with no discernible contributions from Type Ia supernovae or asymptotic giant branch stars. The chemical and kinematic properties of HD 222925 suggest it formed in a low-mass dwarf galaxy, which was enriched by a high-yield r-process event before being disrupted by interaction with the Milky Way., Comment: Accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journal (17 pages, 4 figures, 3 tables)

We present detailed chemical abundances of three new bright (V ~ 11), extremely metal-poor ([Fe/H] ~ -3.0), r-process-enhanced halo red giants based on high-resolution, high-S/N Magellan/MIKE spectra. We measured abundances for 20-25 neutron-capture elements in each of our stars. J1432-4125 is among the most r-process rich r-II stars, with [Eu/Fe]= +1.44+-0.11. J2005-3057 is an r-I star with [Eu/Fe] = +0.94+-0.07. J0858-0809 has [Eu/Fe] = +0.23+-0.05 and exhibits a carbon abundance corrected for evolutionary status of [C/Fe]_corr = +0.76, thus adding to the small number of known carbon-enhanced r-process stars. All three stars show remarkable agreement with the scaled solar r-process pattern for elements above Ba, consistent with enrichment of the birth gas cloud by a neutron star merger. The abundances for Sr, Y, and Zr, however, deviate from the scaled solar pattern. This indicates that more than one distinct r-process site might be responsible for the observed neutron-capture element abundance pattern. Thorium was detected in J1432-4125 and J2005-3057. Age estimates for J1432-4125 and J2005-3057 were adopted from one of two sets of initial production ratios each by assuming the stars are old. This yielded individual ages of 12+-6 Gyr and 10+-6 Gyr, respectively., Comment: 30 pages, includes a long table, 5 figures

Understanding the evolution of carbon and iron in the Milky Way's halo is of importance because these two elements play crucial roles constraining star formation, Galactic assembly, and chemical evolution in the early Universe. Here, we explore the spatial distributions of carbonicity, [C/Fe], and metallicity, [Fe/H], of the halo system based on medium-resolution ($R \sim$ 1,300) spectroscopy of $\sim$58,000 stars in the Southern Hemisphere from the AAOmega Evolution of Galactic Structure (AEGIS) survey. The AEGIS carbonicity map exhibits a positive gradient with distance, as similarly found for the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) carbonicity map of Lee et al. The metallicity map confirms that [Fe/H] decreases with distance, from the inner halo to the outer halo. We also explore the formation and chemical-evolution history of the halo by considering the populations of carbon-enhanced metal-poor (CEMP) stars present in the AEGIS sample. The cumulative and differential frequencies of CEMP-no stars (as classified by their characteristically lower levels of absolute carbon abundance, $A$(C) $\leq$ 7.1 for sub-giants and giants) increases with decreasing metallicity, and is \textit{substantially higher than previous determinations} for CEMP stars as a whole. In contrast, that of CEMP-$s$ stars (with higher $A$(C)), remains almost flat, at a value $\sim$10\%, in the range $-\,4.0 \lesssim$ [Fe/H] $\lesssim-$2.0. The distinctly different behaviors of the CEMP-no and CEMP-$s$ stars relieve the tension with population-synthesis models assuming a binary mass-transfer origin, which previously struggled to account for the higher reported frequencies of CEMP stars, taken as a whole, at low metallicity., Comment: 21 pages including Appendix and 11 Figures; Accepted to the Astrophysical Journal

We present a high-resolution (R~35,000), high signal-to-noise (S/N>200) Magellan/MIKE spectrum of the star RAVE J094921.8-161722, a bright (V=11.3) metal-poor red giant star with [Fe/H] = -2.2, identified as a carbon-enhanced metal-poor (CEMP) star from the RAVE survey. We report its detailed chemical abundance signature of light fusion elements and heavy neutron-capture elements. We find J0949-1617 to be a CEMP star with s-process enhancement that must have formed from gas enriched by a prior r-process event. Light neutron-capture elements follow a low-metallicity s-process pattern, while the heavier neutron-capture elements above Eu follow an r-process pattern. The Pb abundance is high, in line with an s-process origin. Thorium is also detected, as expected from an r-process origin, as Th is not produced in the s-process. We employ nucleosynthesis model predictions that take an initial r-process enhancement into account, and then determine the mass transfer of carbon and s-process material from a putative more massive companion onto the observed star. The resulting abundances agree well with the observed pattern. We conclude that J0949-1617 is the first bonafide CEMP-r+s star identified. This class of objects has previously been suggested to explain stars with neutron-capture element patterns that originate from neither the r- or s-process alone. We speculate that J0949-1617 formed in an environment similar to those of ultra-faint dwarf galaxies like Tucana III and Reticulum II, which were enriched in r-process elements by one or multiple neutron star mergers at the earliest times.a, Comment: accepted for publication in ApJ

We report the discovery of a new actinide-boost star, 2MASS J09544277+5246414, originally identified as a very bright (V = 10.1), extremely metal-poor ([Fe/H] = -2.99) K giant in the LAMOST survey, and found to be highly r-process-enhanced (r-II; [Eu/Fe]= +1.28]), during the snapshot phase of the R-Process Alliance (RPA). Based on a high S/N, high-resolution spectrum obtained with the Harlan J. Smith 2.7-m telescope, this star is the first confirmed actinide-boost star found by RPA efforts. With an enhancement of [Th/Eu] = +0.37, 2MASS J09544277+5246414 is also the most actinide-enhanced r-II star yet discovered, and only the sixth metal-poor star with a measured uranium abundance ([U/Fe] = +1.40). Using the Th/U chronometer, we estimate an age of 13.0+/-4.7 Gyr for this star. The unambiguous actinide-boost signature of this extremely metal-poor star, combined with additional r-process-enhanced and actinide-boost stars identified by the RPA, will provide strong constraints on the nature and origin of the r-process at early times., Comment: 8 pages, 3 figures, 2 tables

We present results from a medium-resolution (R ~ 2, 000) spectroscopic follow-up campaign of 1,694 bright (V < 13.5), very metal-poor star candidates from the RAdial Velocity Experiment (RAVE). Initial selection of the low-metallicity targets was based on the stellar parameters published in RAVE Data Releases 4 and 5. Follow-up was accomplished with the Gemini-N and Gemini-S, the ESO/NTT, the KPNO/Mayall, and the SOAR telescopes. The wavelength coverage for most of the observed spectra allows for the determination of carbon and {\alpha}-element abundances, which are crucial for con- sidering the nature and frequency of the carbon-enhanced metal-poor (CEMP) stars in this sample. We find that 88% of the observed stars have [Fe/H] <= -1.0, 61% have [Fe/H] <= -2.0, and 3% have [Fe/H] <= -3.0 (with four stars at [Fe/H] <= -3.5). There are 306 CEMP star candidates in this sample, and we identify 169 CEMP Group I, 131 CEMP Group II, and 6 CEMP Group III stars from the A(C) vs. [Fe/H] diagram. Inspection of the [alpha/C] abundance ratios reveals that five of the CEMP Group II stars can be classified as "mono-enriched second-generation" stars. Gaia DR1 matches were found for 734 stars, and we show that transverse velocities can be used as a confirmatory selection criteria for low-metallicity candidates. Selected stars from our validated list are being followed-up with high-resolution spectroscopy, to reveal their full chemical abundance patterns for further studies., Comment: 134 pages, accepted for publication in AJ

We present a search for new members of the 300 km s$^{-1}$ stream (300S) near the dwarf galaxy Segue 1 using wide-field survey data. We identify 11 previously unknown bright stream members in the APOGEE-2 and SEGUE-1 and 2 spectroscopic surveys. Based on the spatial distribution of the high-velocity stars, we confirm for the first time that this kinematic structure is associated with a 24$^{\circ}$-long stream seen in SDSS and Pan-STARRS imaging data. The 300S stars display a metallicity range of $-2.17 < {\rm [Fe/H]} < -1.24$, with an intrinsic dispersion of 0.21$_{-0.09}^{+0.12}$ dex. They also have chemical abundance patterns similar to those of Local Group dwarf galaxies, as well as that of the Milky Way halo. Using the open-source code galpy to model the orbit of the stream, we find that the progenitor of the stream passed perigalacticon about 70 Myr ago, with a closest approach to the Galactic Center of about 4.1 kpc. Using Pan-STARRS DR1 data, we obtain an integrated stream luminosity of $4 \times 10^3$ L$_{\odot}$. We conclude that the progenitor of the stream was a dwarf galaxy that is probably similar to the satellites that were accreted to build the present-day Milky Way halo., Comment: 20 pages, 13 figures, accepted to ApJ. Updated with discussion on possible association of 300S with the Virgo Overdensity. Corrected RA range in Fig 2

The recent detection of a binary neutron star merger and the clear evidence for the decay of radioactive material observed in this event have, after sixty years of effort, provided an astrophysical site for the rapid neutron-capture ($r$-) process which is responsible for the production of the heaviest elements in our Universe. However, observations of metal-poor stars with highly-enhanced $r$-process elements have revealed abundance patterns suggesting that multiple sites may be involved. To address this issue, and to advance our understanding of the $r$-process, we have initiated an extensive search for bright ($V < 13.5$), very metal-poor ($\mathrm{[Fe/H]} < -2$) stars in the Milky Way halo exhibiting strongly-enhanced $r$-process signatures. This paper presents the first sample collected in the Southern Hemisphere, using the echelle spectrograph on du Pont 2.5m telescope at Las Campanas Observatory. We have observed and analyzed 107 stars with $-3.13 < \mathrm{[Fe/H]} < -0.79$. Of those, 12 stars are strongly enhanced in heavy $r$-process elements ($r$-II), 42 stars show moderate enhancements of heavy $r$-process material ($r$-I), and 20 stars exhibit low abundances of the heavy $r$-process elements and higher abundances of the light $r$-process elements relative to the heavy ones (limited-$r$). This search is more successful at finding $r$-process-enhanced stars compared to previous searches, primarily due to a refined target selection procedure that focuses on red giants., Comment: 23 pages, 8 figures, 7 tables, accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journal

The Apache Point Observatory Galactic Evolution Experiment (APOGEE) provides the opportunity to measure elemental abundances for C, N, O, Na, Mg, Al, Si, P, K, Ca, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, and Ni in vast numbers of stars. We analyze the chemical abundance patterns of these elements for 158 red giant stars belonging to the Sagittarius dwarf galaxy (Sgr). This is the largest sample of Sgr stars with detailed chemical abundances and the first time C, N, P, K, V, Cr, Co, and Ni have been studied at high-resolution in this galaxy. We find that the Sgr stars with [Fe/H] $\gtrsim$ -0.8 are deficient in all elemental abundance ratios (expressed as [X/Fe]) relative to the Milky Way, suggesting that Sgr stars observed today were formed from gas that was less enriched by Type II SNe than stars formed in the Milky Way. By examining the relative deficiencies of the hydrostatic (O, Na, Mg, and Al) and explosive (Si, P, K, and Mn) elements, our analysis supports the argument that previous generations of Sgr stars were formed with a top-light IMF, one lacking the most massive stars that would normally pollute the ISM with the hydrostatic elements. We use a simple chemical evolution model, flexCE to further backup our claim and conclude that recent stellar generations of Fornax and the LMC could also have formed according to a top-light IMF., Comment: 14 pages, 12 figures, accepted for publication in ApJ

We identify six new CEMP stars ([C/Fe]>+0.7 and [Fe/H]< -1.8) and another seven likely candidates within the APOGEE database following Data Release 12. These stars have chemical compositions typical of metal-poor halo stars, e.g., mean [$\alpha$/Fe] = +0.24$\pm$0.24, based on the ASPCAP pipeline results. A lack of heavy element spectral lines impedes further sub-classification of these CEMP stars, however, based on radial velocity scatter, we predict most are not CEMP-s stars which are typically found in binary systems. Only one object, 2M15312547+4220551, may be in a binary since it exhibits a scatter in its radial velocity of 1.7 $\pm$0.6 km s$^{-1}$ based on three visits over a 25.98 day baseline. Optical observations are now necessary to confirm the stellar parameters and low metallicities of these stars, to determine the heavy-element abundance ratios and improve the precision in the derived abundances, and to examine their CEMP sub-classifications., Comment: 20 pages, 9 tables, 9 figures: Accepted for publication in MNRAS

We report the discovery of RAVE J203843.2-002333, a bright (V = 12.73), very metal-poor ([Fe/H] = -2.91), r-process-enhanced ([Eu/Fe] = +1.64 and [Ba/Eu] = -0.81) star selected from the RAVE survey. This star was identified as a metal-poor candidate based on its medium-resolution (R ~ 1,600) spectrum obtained with the KPNO/Mayall Telescope, and followed-up with high-resolution (R ~ 66,000) spectroscopy with the Magellan/Clay Telescope, allowing for the determination of elemental abundances for 24 neutron-capture elements, including thorium and uranium. RAVE J2038-0023 is only the fourth metal-poor star with a clearly measured U abundance. The derived chemical-abundance pattern exhibits good agreement with those of other known highly r-process-enhanced stars, and evidence in hand suggests that it is not an actinide-boost star. Age estimates were calculated using Th/X and U/X abundance ratios, yielding a mean age of 13.0 +/- 1.1 Gyr., Comment: 25 pages, 6 figures; accepted for publication in ApJ

On the largest scales, the Universe consists of voids and filaments making up the cosmic web. Galaxy clusters are located at the knots in this web, at the intersection of filaments. Clusters grow through accretion from these large-scale filaments and by mergers with other clusters and groups. In a growing number of galaxy clusters, elongated Mpc-size radio sources have been found, so-called radio relics. These relics are thought to trace relativistic electrons in the intracluster plasma accelerated by low-Mach number collisionless shocks generated by cluster-cluster merger events. A long-standing problem is how low-Mach number shocks can accelerate electrons so efficiently to explain the observed radio relics. Here we report on the discovery of a direct connection between a radio relic and a radio galaxy in the merging galaxy cluster Abell 3411-3412. This discovery indicates that fossil relativistic electrons from active galactic nuclei are re-accelerated at cluster shocks. It also implies that radio galaxies play an important role in governing the non-thermal component of the intracluster medium in merging clusters., Comment: Published in Nature Astronomy on Jan 4, 2017

We obtain estimates of stellar atmospheric parameters for a previously published sample of 1777 relatively bright (9 < B < 14) metal-poor candidates from the Hamburg/ESO Survey. The original Frebel et al. analysis of these stars was only able to derive estimates of [Fe/H] and [C/Fe] for a subset of the sample, due to limitations in the methodology then available. A new spectroscopic analysis pipeline has been used to obtain estimates of Teff, log g, [Fe/H], and [C/Fe] for almost the entire dataset. This sample is very local - about 90% of the stars are located within 0.5 kpc of the Sun. We consider the chemodynamical properties of these stars in concert with a similarly local sample of stars from a recent analysis of the Bidelman & MacConnell 'weak-metal' candidates by Beers et al. We use this combined sample to identify possible members of the suggested halo stream of stars by Helmi et al. and Chiba & Beers, as well as stars that may be associated with stripped debris from the putative parent dwarf of the globular cluster Omega Centauri, suggested to exist by previous authors. We identify a clear increase in the cumulative frequency of carbon-enhanced metal-poor (CEMP) stars with declining metallicity, as well as an increase in the fraction of CEMP stars with distance from the Galactic plane, consistent with previous results. We also identify a relatively large number of CEMP stars with kinematics consistent with the metal-weak thick-disk population, with possible implications for its origin., Comment: 23 pages, 16 figures; accepted for publication in ApJ

We report on the first high-resolution spectroscopic analysis of HE0020-1741, a bright (V=12.9), ultra metal-poor ([Fe/H] = -4.1), carbon-enhanced ([C/Fe] = +1.7) star selected from the Hamburg/ESO Survey. This star exhibits low abundances of neutron-capture elements ([Ba/Fe] = -1.1), and an absolute carbon abundance A(C) = 6.1; based on either criterion, HE0020-1741 is sub-classified as a CEMP-no star. We show that the light-element abundance pattern of HE0020-1741 is consistent with predicted yields from a massive (M = 21.5 Mo), primordial composition, supernova (SN) progenitor. We also compare the abundance patterns of other ultra metal-poor stars from the literature with available measures of C, N, Na, Mg, and Fe abundances with an extensive grid of SN models (covering the mass range 10 Mo - 100 Mo), in order to probe the nature of their likely stellar progenitors. Our results suggest that at least two classes of progenitors are required at [Fe/H] < -4.0, as the abundance patterns for more than half of the sample studied in this work (7 out of 12 stars) cannot be easily reproduced by the predicted yields., Comment: 14 pages, 5 figures; accepted for publication in ApJ

We present new high-resolution chemical-abundance analyses for the well-known high proper-motion subdwarfs G64-12 and G64-37, based on very high signal-to-noise spectra (S/N ~ 700/1) with resolving power R ~ 95,000. These high-quality data enable the first reliable determination of the carbon abundances for these two stars; we classify them as carbon-enhanced metal-poor (CEMP) stars based on their carbonicities, which both exceed [C/Fe] = +1.0. They are sub-classified as CEMP- no Group-II stars, based on their location in the Yoon-Beers diagram of absolute carbon abundance, A(C) vs. [Fe/H], as well as on the conventional diagnostic [Ba/Fe]. The relatively low absolute carbon abundances of CEMP-no stars, in combination with the high effective temperatures of these two stars (Teff ~ 6500 K) weakens their CH molecular features to the point that accurate carbon abundances can only be estimated from spectra with very high S/N. A comparison of the observed abundance patterns with the predicted yields from massive, metal-free supernova models reduces the inferred progenitor masses by factors of ~ 2-3, and explosion energies by factors of ~ 10-15, compared to those derived using previously claimed carbon abundance estimates. There are certainly many more warm CEMP-no stars near the halo main-sequence turnoff that have been overlooked in past studies, directly impacting the derived frequencies of CEMP-no stars as a function of metallicity, a probe that provides important constraints on Galactic chemical evolution models, the initial mass function in the early Universe, and first-star nucleosynthesis., Comment: 6 pages, 3 figures; accepted for publication in ApJ Letters. Corrected Ni abundances in Table 1

We investigate anew the distribution of absolute carbon abundance, $A$(C) $= \log\,\epsilon $(C), for carbon-enhanced metal-poor (CEMP) stars in the halo of the Milky Way, based on high-resolution spectroscopic data for a total sample of 305 CEMP stars. The sample includes 147 CEMP-$s$ (and CEMP-r/s) stars, 127 CEMP-no stars, and 31 CEMP stars that are unclassified, based on the currently employed [Ba/Fe] criterion. We confirm previous claims that the distribution of $A$(C) for CEMP stars is (at least) bimodal, with newly determined peaks centered on $A$(C)$=7.96$ (the high-C region) and $A$(C)$ =6.28$ (the low-C region). A very high fraction of CEMP-$s$ (and CEMP-r/s) stars belong to the high-C region, while the great majority of CEMP-no stars reside in the low-C region. However, there exists complexity in the morphology of the $A$(C)-[Fe/H] space for the CEMP-no stars, a first indication that more than one class of first-generation stellar progenitors may be required to account for their observed abundances. The two groups of CEMP-no stars we identify exhibit clearly different locations in the $A$(Na)-$A$(C) and $A$(Mg)-$A$(C) spaces, also suggesting multiple progenitors. The clear distinction in $A$(C) between the CEMP-$s$ (and CEMP-$r/s$) stars and the CEMP-no stars appears to be $as\ successful$, and $likely\ more\ astrophysically\ fundamental$, for the separation of these sub-classes as the previously recommended criterion based on [Ba/Fe] (and [Ba/Eu]) abundance ratios. This result opens the window for its application to present and future large-scale low- and medium-resolution spectroscopic surveys., Comment: 26pages, 7 figures, and 3 Tables ; Accepted for publication in ApJ; added more data and corrected minor inconsistencies existed in the compiled data of the previous studies

The carbon-enhanced metal-poor star BD+44 493 ([Fe/H]=-3.9) has been proposed as a candidate second-generation star enriched by metals from a single Pop III star. We report the first detections of P and S and the second detection of Zn in any extremely metal-poor carbon-enhanced star, using new spectra of BD+44 493 collected by the Cosmic Origins Spectrograph on the Hubble Space Telescope. We derive [P/Fe]=-0.34 +/- 0.21, [S/Fe]=+0.07 +/- 0.41, and [Zn/Fe]=-0.10 +/- 0.24. We increase by ten-fold the number of Si I lines detected in BD+44 493, yielding [Si/Fe]=+0.15 +/- 0.22. The solar [S/Fe] and [Zn/Fe] ratios exclude the hypothesis that the abundance pattern in BD+44 493 results from depletion of refractory elements onto dust grains. Comparison with zero-metallicity supernova models suggests that the stellar progenitor that enriched BD+44 493 was massive and ejected much less than 0.07 Msun of Ni-56, characteristic of a faint supernova., Comment: Accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journal Letters (4 pages, 2 figures)

Context. The most primitive metal-poor stars are important for studying the conditions of the early galaxy and are also relevant to big bang nucleosynthesis. Aims. Our objective is to find the brightest (V<14) most metal-poor stars. Methods. Candidates were selected using a new method, which is based on the mismatch between spectral types derived from colors and observed spectral types. They were observed first at low resolution with EFOSC2 at the NTT/ESO to obtain an initial set of stellar parameters. The most promising candidate, 2MASS J18082002-5104378 (V=11.9), was observed at high resolution (R=50 000) with UVES at the VLT/ESO, and a standard abundance analysis was performed. Results. We found that 2MASS J18082002-5104378 is an ultra metal-poor star with stellar parameters Teff = 5440 K, log g = 3.0 dex, vt = 1.5 km/s, [Fe/H] = -4.1 dex. The star has [C/Fe]<+0.9 in a 1D analysis, or [C/Fe]<=+0.5 if 3D effects are considered; its abundance pattern is typical of normal (non-CEMP) ultra metal-poor stars. Interestingly, the star has a binary companion. Conclusions. 2MASS J1808-5104 is the brightest (V=11.9) metal-poor star of its category, and it could be studied further with even higher S/N spectroscopy to determine additional chemical abundances, thus providing important constraints to the early chemical evolution of our Galaxy., Comment: A&A Letters

We obtain a new determination of the metallicity distribution function (MDF) of stars within $\sim5$-$10$ kpc of the Sun, based on recently improved co-adds of $ugriz$ photometry for Stripe 82 from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. Our new estimate uses the methodology developed previously by An et al. to study in situ halo stars, but is based on a factor of two larger sample than available before, with much-improved photometric errors and zero-points. The newly obtained MDF can be divided into multiple populations of halo stars, with peak metallicities at [Fe/H] $\approx -1.4$ and $-1.9$, which we associate with the inner-halo and outer-halo populations of the Milky Way, respectively. We find that the kinematics of these stars (based on proper-motion measurements at high Galactic latitude) supports the proposed dichotomy of the halo, as stars with retrograde motions in the rest frame of the Galaxy are generally more metal-poor than stars with prograde motions, consistent with previous claims. In addition, we generate mock catalogs of stars from a simulated Milk Way halo system, and demonstrate for the first time that the chemically- and kinematically-distinct properties of the inner- and outer-halo populations are qualitatively in agreement with our observations. The decomposition of the observed MDF and our comparison with the mock catalog results suggest that the outer-halo population contributes on the order of $\sim35\%$-$55\%$ of halo stars in the local volume., Comment: Accepted for publication in the ApJ Letters

We present a detailed abundance analysis of 23 elements for a newly discovered carbon-enhanced metal-poor (CEMP) star, HE 0414-0343, from the Chemical Abundances of Stars in the Halo (CASH) Project. Its spectroscopic stellar parameters are Teff = 4863 K, log g = 1.25, vmic = 2.20 km/s, and [Fe/H] = -2.24. Radial velocity measurements covering seven years indicate HE 0414-0343 to be a binary. HE 0414-0343 has [C/Fe] = 1.44 and is strongly enhanced in neutron-capture elements but its abundances cannot be reproduced by a solar-type s-process pattern alone. Traditionally, it could be classified as "CEMP-r/s" star. Based on abundance comparisons with AGB star nucleosynthesis models, we suggest a new physically-motivated origin and classification scheme for CEMP-s stars and the still poorly-understood CEMP-r/s. The new scheme describes a continuous transition between these two so-far distinctly treated subgroups: CEMP-sA, CEMP-sB, and CEMP-sC. Possible causes for a continuous transition include the number of thermal pulses the AGB companion underwent, the effect of different AGB star masses on their nucleosynthetic yields, and physics that is not well approximated in 1-D stellar models such as proton ingestion episodes and rotation. Based on a set of detailed AGB models, we suggest the abundance signature of HE 0414-0343 to have arisen from a >1.3 Msun mass AGB star and a late-time mass transfer, that transformed HE 0414-0343 into a CEMP-sC star. We also find the [Y/Ba] ratio well parametrizes the classification and can thus be used to easily classify any future such stars., Comment: accepted for publication in ApJ

We present an elemental-abundance analysis, in the near-ultraviolet (NUV) spectral range, for the bright carbon-enhanced metal-poor (CEMP) stars HD196944 (V = 8.40, [Fe/H] = -2.41) and HD201626 (V = 8.16, [Fe/H] = -1.51), based on data acquired with the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS) on the Hubble Space Telescope. Both of these stars belong to the sub-class CEMP-s, and exhibit clear over-abundances of heavy elements associated with production by the slow neutron-capture process. HD196944 has been well-studied in the optical region, but we are able to add abundance results for six species (Ge, Nb, Mo, Lu, Pt, and Au) that are only accessible in the NUV. In addition, we provide the first determination of its orbital period, P=1325 days. HD201626 has only a limited number of abundance results based on previous optical work -- here we add five new species from the NUV, including Pb. We compare these results with models of binary-system evolution and s-process element production in stars on the asymptotic giant branch, aiming to explain their origin and evolution. Our best-fitting models for HD 196944 (M1,i = 0.9Mo, M2,i = 0.86Mo, for [Fe/H]=-2.2), and HD 201626 (M1,i = 0.9Mo , M2,i = 0.76Mo , for [Fe/H]=-2.2; M1,i = 1.6Mo , M2,i = 0.59Mo, for [Fe/H]=-1.5) are consistent with the current accepted scenario for the formation of CEMP-s stars., Comment: 25 pages, 13 figures; accepted for publication in ApJ

We report the discovery of one extremely metal-poor (EMP; [Fe/H]<-3) and one ultra metal-poor (UMP; [Fe/H]<-4) star selected from the SDSS/SEGUE survey. These stars were identified as EMP candidates based on their medium-resolution (R~2,000) spectra, and were followed-up with high-resolution (R~35,000) spectroscopy with the Magellan-Clay Telescope. Their derived chemical abundances exhibit good agreement with those of stars with similar metallicities. We also provide new insights on the formation of the UMP stars, based on comparison with a new set of theoretical models of supernovae nucleosynthesis. The models were matched with 20 UMP stars found in the literature, together with one of the program stars (SDSS J1204+1201), with [Fe/H]=-4.34. From fitting their abundances, we find that the supernovae progenitors, for stars where carbon and nitrogen are measured, had masses ranging from 20.5 M_sun to 28 M_sun and explosion energies from 0.3 to 0.9x10^51 erg. These results are highly sensitive to the carbon and nitrogen abundance determinations, which is one of the main drivers for future high-resolution follow-up of UMP candidates. In addition, we are able to reproduce the different CNO abundance patterns found in UMP stars with a single progenitor type, by varying its mass and explosion energy., Comment: 15 pages, 12 figures; accepted for publication in ApJ

We present a Magellan/MIKE high-resolution (R ~ 35,000) spectrum of the ancient star SD 1313-0019 which has an iron abundance of [Fe/H] = -5.0, paired with a carbon enhancement of [C/Fe] ~ 3.0. The star was initially identified by Allende Prieto et al. in the BOSS survey. Its medium-resolution spectrum suggested a higher metallicity of [Fe/H] = -4.3 due to the CaII K line blending with a CH feature which is a common issue related to the search for the most iron-poor stars. This star joins several other, similar stars with [Fe/H] < -5.0 that all display a combination of low iron and high carbon abundances. Other elemental abundances of SD 1313-0019 follow that of more metal-rich halo stars. From fitting the abundance pattern with yields of Population III supernova, we conclude that SD 1313-0019 had only one massive progenitor star with 20 - 30 M_sun that must have undergone a mixing and fallback episode. Overall, there are now five stars known with [Fe/H] < -5.0 (1D LTE abundances). This population of second-generation stars strongly suggests massive first stars that almost exclusively produced large amounts of carbon through stellar winds and/or their mixing and fallback supernova explosions. As a consequence, their natal clouds -- presumably some early minihalo structures -- contained ample amounts of carbon and oxygen that likely facilitated the formation of these first low-mass stars., Comment: 7 pages and 3 figures, accepted by ApJL

We present an analysis of a new, large sample of field blue-straggler stars (BSSs) in the thick disk and halo system of the Galaxy, based on stellar spectra obtained during the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) and the Sloan Extension for Galactic Understanding and Exploration (SEGUE). Using estimates of stellar atmospheric parameters obtained from application of the SEGUE Stellar Parameter Pipeline, we obtain a sample of some 8000 BSSs, which are considered along with a previously selected sample of some 4800 blue horizontal-branch (BHB) stars. We derive the ratio of BSSs to BHB stars, F$_{\rm BSS/BHB}$, as a function of Galactocentric distance and distance from the Galactic plane. The maximum value found for F$_{\rm BSS/BHB}$ is $\sim~$4.0 in the thick disk (at 3 kpc $<$ $|$Z$|$ $<$ 4 kpc), declining to on the order of $\sim~1.5-2.0$ in the inner-halo region; this ratio continues to decline to $\sim~$1.0 in the outer-halo region. We associate a minority of field BSSs with a likely extragalactic origin; at least 5$\%$ of the BSS sample exhibit radial velocities, positions, and distances commensurate with membership in the Sagittarius Stream., Comment: 13 pages, 19 figures; accepted for publication in ApJ

We revisit the observed frequencies of Carbon-Enhanced Metal-Poor (CEMP) stars as a function of the metallicity in the Galaxy, using data from the literature with available high-resolution spectroscopy. Our analysis excludes stars exhibiting clear over-abundances of neutron-capture elements, and takes into account the expected depletion of surface carbon abundance that occurs due to CN processing on the upper red-giant branch. This allows for the recovery of the initial carbon abundance of these stars, and thus for an accurate assessment of the frequencies of carbon-enhanced stars. The correction procedure we develope is based on stellar-evolution models, and depends on the surface gravity, log g, of a given star. Our analysis indicates that, for stars with [Fe/H]<=-2.0, 20% exhibit [C/Fe]>=+0.7. This fraction increases to 43% for [Fe/H]<=-3.0 and 81% for [Fe/H]<=-4.0, which is higher than have been previously inferred without taking the carbon-abundance correction into account. These CEMP-star frequencies provide important inputs for Galactic and stellar chemical-evolution models, as they constrain the evolution of carbon at early times and the possible formation channels for the CEMP-no stars. We also have developed a public online tool with which carbon corrections using our procedure can be easily obtained., Comment: 27 pages, 16 figures; accepted for publication in ApJ

A new set of very high signal-to-noise (S/N > 100/1), medium-resolution (R~3000) optical spectra have been obtained for 302 of the candidate "weak-metal" stars selected by Bidelman & MacConnell. We use these data to calibrate the recently developed generalization of the SEGUE Stellar Parameter Pipeline, and obtain estimates of the atmospheric parameters (Teff, log g , and [Fe/H]) for these non-SDSS/SEGUE data; we also obtain estimates of [C/Fe]. The new abundance measurements are shown to be consistent with available high-resolution spectroscopic determinations, and represent a substantial improvement over the accuracies obtained from the previous photometric estimates reported in Paper I of this series. The apparent offset in the photometric abundances of the giants in this sample noted by several authors is confirmed by our new spectroscopy; no such effect is found for the dwarfs. The presence of a metal-weak thick-disk (MWTD) population is clearly supported by these new abundance data. Some 25% of the stars with metallicities -1.8 < [Fe/H] <= -0.8 exhibit orbital eccentricities e < 0.4, yet are clearly separated from members of the inner-halo population with similar metallicities by their location in a Lindblad energy vs. angular momentum diagram. A comparison is made with recent results for a similar-size sample of RAVE stars from Ruchti et al. We conclude, based on both of these samples, that the MWTD is real, and must be accounted for in discussions of the formation and evolution of the disk system of the Milky Way., Comment: 45 pages, 14 figures; accepted for publication in ApJ

We report estimated carbon-abundance ratios, [C/Fe], for seven newly-discovered carbon-enhanced metal-poor (CEMP) RR Lyrae stars. These are well-studied RRab stars that had previously been selected as CEMP candidates based on low-resolution spectra. For this pilot study, we observed eight of these CEMP RR Lyrae candidates with the Wide Field Spectrograph (WiFeS) on the ANU 2.3m telescope. Prior to this study, only two CEMP RR Lyrae stars had been discovered: TY Gru and SDSS J1707+58. We compare our abundances to new theoretical models of the evolution of low-mass stars in binary systems. These simulations evolve the secondary stars, post accretion from an AGB donor, all the way to the RR Lyrae stage. The abundances of CEMP RR Lyrae stars can be used as direct probes of the nature of the donor star, such as its mass, and the amount of material accreted onto the secondary. We find that the majority of the sample of CEMP RR Lyrae stars is consistent with AGB donor masses of around 1.5 - 2.0 solar masses and accretion masses of a few hundredths of a solar mass. Future high-resolution studies of these newly-discovered CEMP RR Lyrae stars will help disentangle the effects of the proposed mixing processes that occur in such objects., Comment: Accepted for publication in ApJ

We report on the discovery of seven low-metallicity stars selected from the Hamburg/ESO Survey, six of which are extremely metal-poor ([Fe/H]<-3.0), with four having [Fe/H]<-3.5. Chemical abundances or upper limits are derived for these stars based on high-resolution (R~35,000) Magellan/MIKE spectroscopy, and are in general agreement with those of other very and extremely metal-poor stars reported in the literature. Accurate metallicities and abundance patterns for stars in this metallicity range are of particular importance for studies of the shape of the metallicity distribution function of the Milky Way's halo system, in particular for probing the nature of its low-metallicity tail. In addition, taking into account suggested evolutionary mixing effects, we find that six of the program stars (with [Fe/H]<-3.35) possess atmospheres that were likely originally enriched in carbon, relative to iron, during their main-sequence phases. These stars do not exhibit over-abundances of their s-process elements, and hence may be additional examples of the so-called CEMP-no class of objects., Comment: 21 pages, 10 figures; accepted for publication in ApJ

We describe a method for the determination of stellar [C/Fe] abundance ratios using low-resolution (R = 2000) stellar spectra from the SDSS and SEGUE. By means of a star-by-star comparison with a set of SDSS/SEGUE spectra with available estimates of [C/Fe] based on published high-resolution analyses, we demonstrate that we can measure [C/Fe] from SDSS/SEGUE spectra with S/N > 15 to a precision better than 0.35 dex. Using the measured carbon-to-iron abundance ratios obtained by this technique, we derive the frequency of carbon-enhanced stars ([C/Fe] > +0.7) as a function of [Fe/H], for both the SDSS/SEGUE stars and other samples from the literature. We find that the differential frequency slowly rises from almost zero to about 14% at [Fe/H] ~ -2.4, followed by a sudden increase, by about a factor of three, to 39% from [Fe/H] ~ -2.4 to [Fe/H] ~ -3.7. We also examine how the cumulative frequency of CEMP stars varies across different luminosity classes. The giant sample exhibits a cumulative CEMP frequency of 32% for [Fe/H] < -2.5, 31% for [Fe/H] < -3.0, and 33% for [Fe/H] < -3.5. For the main-sequence turnoff stars, we obtain a lower cumulative CEMP frequency, around 10% for [Fe/H] < -2.5. The dwarf population displays a large change in the cumulative frequency for CEMP stars below [Fe/H] = -2.5, jumping from 15% for [Fe/H] < -2.5 to about 75% for [Fe/H] < -3.0. When we impose a restriction with respect to distance from the Galactic mid-plane (|Z| < 5 kpc), the frequency of the CEMP giants does not increase at low metallicity ([Fe/H] < -2.5), but rather, decreases, due to the dilution of C-rich material in stars that have undergone mixing with CNO-processed material from their interiors. The frequency of CEMP stars near the main-sequence turnoff, which are not expected to have experienced mixing, increases for [Fe/H] < -3.0. [abridged], Comment: 19 pages, 10 figures, 6 tables, accepted for publication in AJ on August 20, 2013

We present a comprehensive abundance analysis of two newly-discovered carbon-enhanced metal-poor (CEMP) stars. HE2138-3336 is a s-process-rich star with [Fe/H] = -2.79, and has the highest [Pb/Fe] abundance ratio measured thus far, if NLTE corrections are included ([Pb/Fe] = +3.84). HE2258-6358, with [Fe/H] = -2.67, exhibits enrichments in both s- and r-process elements. These stars were selected from a sample of candidate metal-poor stars from the Hamburg/ESO objective-prism survey, and followed up with medium-resolution (R ~ 2,000) spectroscopy with GEMINI/GMOS. We report here on derived abundances (or limits) for a total of 34 elements in each star, based on high-resolution (R ~ 30,000) spectroscopy obtained with Magellan-Clay/MIKE. Our results are compared to predictions from new theoretical AGB nucleosynthesis models of 1.3 Mo with [Fe/H] = -2.5 and -2.8, as well as to a set of AGB models of 1.0 to 6.0 Mo at [Fe/H] = -2.3. The agreement with the model predictions suggests that the neutron-capture material in HE2138-3336 originated from mass transfer from a binary companion star that previously went through the AGB phase, whereas for HE2258-6358, an additional process has to be taken into account to explain its abundance pattern. We find that a narrow range of progenitor masses (1.0 < M(Mo) < 1.3) and metallicities (-2.8 < [Fe/H] < -2.5) yield the best agreement with our observed elemental abundance patterns., Comment: Accepted for publication in ApJ

We describe a new method to search for metal-poor candidates from the Hamburg/ESO objective-prism survey (HES) based on identifying stars with apparently strong CH G-band strengths for their colors. The hypothesis we exploit is that large over-abundances of carbon are common among metal-poor stars. The selection was made by considering two line indices in the 4300A region, applied directly to the low-resolution prism spectra. This work also extends a previously published method by adding bright sources to the sample. The spectra of these stars suffer from saturation effects, compromising the index calculations and leading to an undersampling of the brighter candidates. Visual inspection and classification of the spectra from the HES plates yielded a list of 5,288 new metal-poor candidates, which are presently being used as targets for medium-resolution spectroscopic follow-up. Estimates of the stellar atmospheric parameters, as well as carbon abundances, are now available for 117 of the first candidates, based on follow-up medium-resolution spectra obtained with the SOAR 4.1m and Gemini 8m telescopes. We demonstrate that our new method improves the metal-poor star fractions found by our pilot study by up to a factor of three in the same magnitude range, as compared with our pilot study based on only one CH G-band index. Our selection scheme obtained roughly a 40% success rate for identification of stars with [Fe/H] < -1.0; the primary contaminant is late-type stars with near solar abundances and, often, emission line cores that filled in the CaII K line on the prism spectrum. Because the selection is based on carbon, we greatly increase the numbers of known CEMP stars from the HES with intermediate metallicities -2.0 < [Fe/H] < -1.0, which previous survey efforts undersampled. There are eight newly discovered stars with [Fe/H] < -3.0 in our sample, including two with [Fe/H] < -3.5., Comment: 18 pages, 13 figures; accepted for publication in AJ

We report on oxygen abundances determined from medium-resolution near-IR spectroscopy for a sample of 57 carbon-enhanced metal-poor (CEMP) stars selected from the Hamburg/ESO survey. The majority of our program stars exhibit oxygen-to-iron ratios in the range +0.5 < [O/Fe]< +2.0. The [O/Fe] values for this sample are statistically compared to available high-resolution estimates for known CEMP stars, as well as to high-resolution estimates for a set of carbon-normal metal-poor stars. Carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen abundance patterns for a sub-sample of these stars are compared to yield predictions for very metal-poor asymptotic giant-branch abundances in the recent literature. We find that the majority of our sample exhibit patterns that are consistent with previously studied CEMP stars having s-process-element enhancements, and thus have very likely been polluted by carbon- and oxygen-enhanced material transferred from a metal-poor asymptotic giant-branch companion., Comment: 16 pages, 8 figures, accepted by AJ

We have developed a new procedure to search for carbon-enhanced metal-poor (CEMP) stars from the Hamburg/ESO (HES) prism-survey plates. This method employs an extended line index for the CH G-band, which we demonstrate to have superior behavior when compared to the narrower G-band index formerly employed to estimate G-band strengths for these spectra. Although CEMP stars have been found previously among candidate metal-poor stars selected from the HES, the selection on metallicity undersamples the population of intermediate-metallicity CEMP stars (-2.5<=[Fe/H]<=-1.0); such stars are of importance for constraining the onset of the s-process in metal-deficient asymptotic giant-branch stars (thought to be associated with the origin of carbon for roughly 80% of CEMP stars). The new candidates also include substantial numbers of warmer carbon-enhanced stars, which were missed in previous HES searches for carbon stars due to selection criteria that emphasized stars with cooler temperatures. A first subsample, biased towards brighter stars (B<15.5), has been extracted from the scanned HES plates. After visual inspection, a list of 669 previously unidentified candidate CEMP stars was compiled. Follow-up spectroscopy for a pilot sample of 132 candidates was obtained with the Goodman spectrograph on the SOAR 4.1m telescope. Our results show that most of the observed stars lie in the targeted metallicity range, and possess prominent carbon absorption features at 4300A. The success rate for the identification of new CEMP stars is 43% (13 out of 30) for [Fe/H]<-2.0. For stars with [Fe/H]<-2.5, the ratio increases to 80% (4 out of 5 objects), including one star with [Fe/H]<-3.0., Comment: 13 pages, including 12 figures, accepted for publication in AJ