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We discuss the carbon-normal and carbon-rich populations of Galactic halo stars having [Fe/H] ≲ -3.0, utilizing chemical abundances from high-resolution, high signal-to-noise model-atmosphere analyses. The C-rich population represents ∼28% of stars below [Fe/H] = -3.1, with the present C-rich sample comprising 16 CEMP-no stars, and two others with [Fe/H] ∼ -5.5 and uncertain classification. The population is O-rich ([O/Fe] ≳ +1.5); the light elements Na, Mg, and Al are enhanced relative to Fe in half the sample; and for Z > 20 (Ca) there is little evidence for enhancements relative to solar values. These results are best explained in terms of the admixing and processing of material from H-burning and He-burning regions as achieved by nucleosynthesis in zero-heavy-element models in the literature of "mixing and fallback" supernovae (SNe); of rotating, massive, and intermediate-mass stars; and of Type II SNe with relativistic jets. The available (limited) radial velocities offer little support for the C-rich stars with [Fe/H] < -3.1 being binary. More data are required before one could conclude that binarity is key to an understanding of this population. We suggest that the C-rich and C-normal populations result from two different gas cooling channels in the very early universe of material that formed the progenitors of the two populations. The first was cooling by fine-structure line transitions of C II and O I (to form the C-rich population); the second, while not well defined (perhaps dust-induced cooling?), led to the C-normal group. In this scenario, the C-rich population contains the oldest stars currently observed.

We present a homogeneous chemical abundance analysis of 16 elements in 190 metal-poor Galactic halo stars (38 program and 152 literature objects). The sample includes 171 stars with [Fe/H] ≤ -2.5, of which 86 are extremely metal poor, [Fe/H] ≤ -3.0. Our program stars include 10 new objects with [Fe/H] ≤ -3.5. We identify a sample of "normal" metal-poor stars and measure the trends between [X/Fe] and [Fe/H], as well as the dispersion about the mean trend for this sample. Using this mean trend, we identify objects that are chemically peculiar relative to "normal" stars at the same metallicity. These chemically unusual stars include CEMP-no objects, one star with high [Si/Fe], another with high [Ba/Sr], and one with unusually low [X/Fe] for all elements heavier than Na. The Sr and Ba abundances indicate that there may be two nucleosynthetic processes at lowest metallicity that are distinct from the main r-process. Finally, for many elements, we find a significant trend between [X/Fe] versus T eff, which likely reflects non-LTE and/or three-dimensional effects. Such trends demonstrate that care must be exercised when using abundance measurements in metal-poor stars to constrain chemical evolution and/or nucleosynthesis predictions.

We examine the metallicity distribution function (MDF) and fraction of carbon-enhanced metal-poor (CEMP) stars in a sample that includes 86 stars with [Fe/H] <= -3.0, based on high-resolution, high signal-to-noise spectroscopy, of which some 32 objects lie below [Fe/H] = -3.5. After accounting for the completeness function, the "corrected" MDF does not exhibit the sudden drop at [Fe/H] = -3.6 that was found in recent samples of dwarfs and giants from the Hamburg/ESO survey. Rather, the MDF decreases smoothly down to [Fe/H] = -4.1. Similar results are obtained from the "raw" MDF. We find that the fraction of CEMP objects below [Fe/H] = -3.0 is 23% +/- 6% and 32% +/- 8% when adopting the Beers & Christlieb and Aoki et al. CEMP definitions, respectively. The former value is in fair agreement with some previous measurements, which adopt the Beers & Christlieb criterion.

We report the discovery of 34 stars in the Hamburg/ESO Survey for metal-poor stars and the Sloan Digital Sky Survey that have [Fe/H] ≲ -3.0. Their median and minimum abundances are [Fe/H] = -3.1 and -4.1, respectively, while 10 stars have [Fe/H] < -3.5.

We discuss the carbon-normal and carbon-rich populations of Galactic halo stars having [Fe/H] ≲ -3.0, utilizing chemical abundances from high-resolution, high signal-to-noise model-atmosphere analyses. The C-rich population represents ∼28% of stars be

We present a homogeneous chemical abundance analysis of 16 elements in 190 metal-poor Galactic halo stars (38 program and 152 literature objects). The sample includes 171 stars with [Fe/H] ≤ -2.5, of which 86 are extremely metal poor, [Fe/H] ≤ -3.0. O

In preparation for future, large-scale, multi-object, high-resolution spectroscopic surveys of the Galaxy, we present a series of tests of the precision in radial velocity and chemical abundances that any such project can achieve at a 4m class telescope. We briefly discuss a number of science cases that aim at studying the chemo-dynamical history of the major Galactic components (bulge, thin and thick disks, and halo) - either as a follow-up to the Gaia mission or on their own merits. Based on a large grid of synthetic spectra that cover the full range in stellar parameters of typical survey targets, we devise an optimal wavelength range and argue for a moderately high-resolution spectrograph. As a result, the kinematic precision is not limited by any of these factors, but will practically only suffer from systematic effects, easily reaching uncertainties

The metal-weak tail of the metallicity distribution function (MDF) of the Galactic Halo stars contains crucial information on the formation mode of the first generation of stars. To determine this observationally, it is necessary to observe large numbers of extremely metal-poor stars. We present here the Turn-Off Primordial Stars survey (TOPoS) that is conducted as an ESO Large Programme at the VLT. This project has {four} main goals: (i) to understand the formation of low-mass stars in a low-metallicity gas: determine the metal-weak tail of the halo MDF below [M/H]=-3.5. In particular, we aim at determining the critical metallicity, that is the lowest metallicity sufficient for the formation of low-mass stars; (ii) to determine the relative abundance of the elements in extremely metal-poor stars, which are the signature of the massive first stars; (iii) to determine the trend of the lithium abundance at the time when the Galaxy formed; and (iv) to derive the fraction of C-enhanced extremely metal-poor stars with respect to normal extremely metal-poor stars. The large number of stars observed in the SDSS provides a good sample of candidates of stars at extremely low metallicity. Candidates with turn-off colours down to magnitude g=20 were selected from the low-resolution spectra of SDSS by means of an automated procedure. X-Shooter has the potential of performing the necessary follow-up spectroscopy, providing accurate metallicities and abundance ratios for several key elements for these stars. We here present the stellar parameters of the first set of stars. The nineteen stars range in iron abundance between -4.1 and -2.9 dex relative to the Sun. Two stars have a high radial velocity and, according to our estimate of their kinematics, appear to be marginally bound to the Galaxy and are possibly accreted from another galaxy.

We discuss the carbon-normal and carbon-rich populations of Galactic halo stars having [Fe/H] [< over ~] –3.0, utilizing chemical abundances from high-resolution, high signal-to-noise model-atmosphere analyses. The C-rich population represents ~28% of stars below [Fe/H] = –3.1, with the present C-rich sample comprising 16 CEMP-no stars, and two others with [Fe/H] ~ –5.5 and uncertain classification. The population is O-rich ([O/Fe] [> over ~] +1.5); the light elements Na, Mg, and Al are enhanced relative to Fe in half the sample; and for Z > 20 (Ca) there is little evidence for enhancements relative to solar values. These results are best explained in terms of the admixing and processing of material from H-burning and He-burning regions as achieved by nucleosynthesis in zero-heavy-element models in the literature of "mixing and fallback" supernovae (SNe); of rotating, massive, and intermediate-mass stars; and of Type II SNe with relativistic jets. The available (limited) radial velocities offer little support for the C-rich stars with [Fe/H] < –3.1 being binary. More data are required before one could conclude that binarity is key to an understanding of this population. We suggest that the C-rich and C-normal populations result from two different gas cooling channels in the very early universe of material that formed the progenitors of the two populations. The first was cooling by fine-structure line transitions of C II and O I (to form the C-rich population); the second, while not well defined (perhaps dust-induced cooling?), led to the C-normal group. In this scenario, the C-rich population contains the oldest stars currently observed.

We present a homogeneous chemical abundance analysis of 16 elements in 190 metal-poor Galactic halo stars (38 program and 152 literature objects). The sample includes 171 stars with [Fe/H] ≤ –2.5, of which 86 are extremely metal poor, [Fe/H] ≤ –3.0. Our program stars include 10 new objects with [Fe/H] ≤ –3.5. We identify a sample of "normal" metal-poor stars and measure the trends between [X/Fe] and [Fe/H], as well as the dispersion about the mean trend for this sample. Using this mean trend, we identify objects that are chemically peculiar relative to "normal" stars at the same metallicity. These chemically unusual stars include CEMP-no objects, one star with high [Si/Fe], another with high [Ba/Sr], and one with unusually low [X/Fe] for all elements heavier than Na. The Sr and Ba abundances indicate that there may be two nucleosynthetic processes at lowest metallicity that are distinct from the main r-process. Finally, for many elements, we find a significant trend between [X/Fe] versus T eff, which likely reflects non-LTE and/or three-dimensional effects. Such trends demonstrate that care must be exercised when using abundance measurements in metal-poor stars to constrain chemical evolution and/or nucleosynthesis predictions.

We examine the metallicity distribution function (MDF) and fraction of carbon-enhanced metal-poor (CEMP) stars in a sample that includes 86 stars with [Fe/H] ≤ –3.0, based on high-resolution, high signal-to-noise spectroscopy, of which some 32 objects lie below [Fe/H] = –3.5. After accounting for the completeness function, the "corrected" MDF does not exhibit the sudden drop at [Fe/H] = –3.6 that was found in recent samples of dwarfs and giants from the Hamburg/ESO survey. Rather, the MDF decreases smoothly down to [Fe/H] = –4.1. Similar results are obtained from the "raw" MDF. We find that the fraction of CEMP objects below [Fe/H] = –3.0 is 23% ± 6% and 32% ± 8% when adopting the Beers & Christlieb and Aoki et al. CEMP definitions, respectively. The former value is in fair agreement with some previous measurements, which adopt the Beers & Christlieb criterion.

We present a high-resolution ultraviolet (UV) spectrum of the ultra-metal-poor (UMP) carbon-enhanced red giant HE 0557-4840 (T-eff/log g/[Fe/H] = 4900/2.2/-4.8). Combining these data with earlier observations, the radial velocity is 212.0 +/- 0.4 km s(-1), with no evidence of variability during 2006 February to 2007 December. One-dimensional (1D) LTE model-atmosphere analysis of UV Fe and CH lines confirms the iron and carbon abundances obtained previously ([Fe/H] = -4.8 and [C/Fe](1D) = +1.7), and places a more stringent limit on nitrogen abundance of [N/Fe](1D) < +1.0. Analysis of the UV OH lines yields [O/Fe](1D) = +2.3 +/- 0.4. When corrections are made for three-dimensional (3D) effects we obtain [C/Fe](3D) = +1.1, [N/Fe](3D) < +0.1, and [O/Fe](3D) = +1.4. Comparison of the abundances of HE 0557-4840 with those of supernova models of Nomoto et al. and Joggerst et al. suggests that none is able to explain fully the observed abundance pattern. For HE 0557-4840, the Frebel et al. transition discriminant D-trans(= log(10([C/H]) + 0.3 x 10([O/H])) = -3.4 +/- 0.2, consistent with fine-structure transitions of C II and O I being a major cooling mechanism of star-forming regions at the earliest times. Of the four stars known to have [Fe/H] less than or similar to -4.3, three are strongly carbon and oxygen enhanced. If the suggestion by Caffau et al. that SDSS J102915+172927 ([Fe/H] = -4.7) does not belong to the class of C-rich, O-rich, UMP stars is supported by future similar discoveries, one will need to consider multiple channels for the production of stars having [Fe/H] less than or similar to -4.3.

We report thorium abundances for 77 metal-poor stars in the metallicity range of -3.5 < [Fe/H] < -1.0, based on "snapshot" spectra obtained with VLT-UT2/UVES during the HERES Survey. We were able to determine the thorium abundances with better than 1 sigma confidence for 17 stars, while for 60 stars we derived upper limits. For five stars common with previous studies, our results were in good agreement with the literature results. The thorium abundances span a wide range of about 4.0 dex, and scatter exists in the distribution of log (Th/Eu) ratios for lower metallicity stars, supporting previous studies suggesting the r-process is not universal. We derived ages from the log (Th/Eu) ratios for 12 stars, resulting in large scattered ages, and two stars with significant enhancement of Th relative to Eu are found, indicating the "actinide boost" does not seem to be a rare phenomenon and thus highlighting the risk in using log (Th/Eu) to derive stellar ages.

Context. The rapid neutron-capture process, which created about half of the heaviest elements in the solar system, is believed to have been unique. Many recent studies have shown that this uniqueness is not true for the formation of lighter elements, in particular those in the atomic number range 38 < Z < 48. Among these, palladium (Pd) and especially silver (Ag) are expected to be key indicators of a possible second r-process, but until recently they have been studied only in a few stars. We therefore target Pd and Ag in a large sample of stars and compare these abundances to those of Sr, Y, Zr, Ba, and Eu produced by the slow (s-) and rapid (r-) neutron-capture processes. Hereby we investigate the nature of the formation process of Ag and Pd. Aims. We study the abundances of seven elements (Sr, Y, Zr, Pd, Ag, Ba, and Eu) to gain insight into the formation process of the elements and explore in depth the nature of the second r-process. Methods. By adopting a homogeneous one-dimensional local thermodynamic equilibrium (1D LTE) analysis of 71 stars, we derive stellar abundances using the spectral synthesis code MOOG, and the MARCS model atmospheres. We calculate abundance ratio trends and compare the derived abundances to site-dependent yield predictions (low-mass O-Ne-Mg core-collapse supernovae and parametrised high-entropy winds), to extract characteristics of the second r-process. Results. The seven elements are tracers of different (neutron-capture) processes, which in turn allows us to constrain the formation process(es) of Pd and Ag. The abundance ratios of the heavy elements are found to be correlated and anti-correlated. These trends lead to clear indications that a second/weak r-process, is responsible for the formation of Pd and Ag. On the basis of the comparison to the model predictions, we find that the conditions under which this process takes place differ from those for the main r-process in needing lower neutron number densities, lower neutron-t

The 4MOST consortium is currently halfway through a Conceptual Design study for ESO with the aim to develop a wide-field (>3 square degree, goal >5 square degree), high-multiplex (>1500 fibres, goal 3000 fibres) spectroscopic survey facility for an ESO 4m-class telescope (VISTA). 4MOST will run permanently on the telescope to perform a 5 year public survey yielding more than 20 million spectra at resolution R∼5000 (λ=390-1000 nm) and more than 2 million spectra at R∼20,000 (395-456.5 nm & 587-673 nm). The 4MOST design is especially intended to complement three key all-sky, space-based observatories of prime European interest: Gaia, eROSITA and Euclid. Initial design and performance estimates for the wide-field corrector concepts are presented. Two fibre positioner concepts are being considered for 4MOST. The first one is a Phi-Theta system similar to ones used on existing and planned facilities. The second one is a new R-Theta concept with large patrol area. Both positioner concepts effectively address the issues of fibre focus and pupil pointing. The 4MOST spectrographs are fixed configuration two-arm spectrographs, with dedicated spectrographs for the high- and low-resolution fibres. A full facility simulator is being developed to guide trade-off decisions regarding the optimal field-of-view, number of fibres needed, and the relative fraction of high-to-low resolution fibres. The simulator takes mock catalogues with template spectra from Design Reference Surveys as starting point, calculates the output spectra based on a throughput simulator, assigns targets to fibres based on the capabilities of the fibre positioner designs, and calculates the required survey time by tiling the fields on the sky. The 4MOST consortium aims to deliver the full 4MOST facility by the end of 2018 and start delivering high-level data products for both consortium and ESO community targets a year later with yearly increments., Sponsors: The Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE)

We discuss the carbon-normal and carbon-rich populations of Galactic halo stars having [Fe/H] < -3.0, utilizing chemical abundances from high-resolution, high-S/N model-atmosphere analyses. The C-rich population represents ~28% of stars below [Fe/H] = -3.1, with the present C-rich sample comprising 16 CEMP-no stars, and two others with [Fe/H] ~ -5.5 and uncertain classification. The population is O-rich ([O/Fe] > +1.5); the light elements Na, Mg, and Al are enhanced relative to Fe in half the sample; and for Z > 20 (Ca) there is little evidence for enhancements relative to solar values. These results are best explained in terms of the admixing and processing of material from H-burning and He-burning regions as achieved by nucleosynthesis in zero-heavy-element models in the literature of "mixing and fallback" supernovae (SNe); of rotating, massive and intermediate mass stars; and of Type II SNe with relativistic jets. The available (limited) radial velocities offer little support for the C-rich stars with [Fe/H] < -3.1 being binary. More data are required before one could conclude that binarity is key to an understanding of this population. We suggest that the C-rich and C-normal populations result from two different gas cooling channels in the very early Universe, of material that formed the progenitors of the two populations. The first was cooling by fine-structure line transitions of CII and OI (to form the C-rich population); the second, while not well-defined (perhaps dust-induced cooling?), led to the C-normal group. In this scenario, the C-rich population contains the oldest stars currently observed., Comment: Accepted for publication in ApJ

In preparation for future, large-scale, multi-object, high-resolution spectroscopic surveys of the Galaxy, we present a series of tests of the precision in radial velocity and chemical abundances that any such project can achieve at a 4m class telescope. We briefly discuss a number of science cases that aim at studying the chemo-dynamical history of the major Galactic components (bulge, thin and thick disks, and halo) - either as a follow-up to the Gaia mission or on their own merits. Based on a large grid of synthetic spectra that cover the full range in stellar parameters of typical survey targets, we devise an optimal wavelength range and argue for a moderately high-resolution spectrograph. As a result, the kinematic precision is not limited by any of these factors, but will practically only suffer from systematic effects, easily reaching uncertainties <1 km/s. Under realistic survey conditions (namely, considering stars brighter than r=16 mag with reasonable exposure times) we prefer an ideal resolving power of R~20000 on average, for an overall wavelength range (with a common two-arm spectrograph design) of [395;456.5] nm and [587;673] nm. We show for the first time on a general basis that it is possible to measure chemical abundance ratios to better than 0.1 dex for many species (Fe, Mg, Si, Ca, Ti, Na, Al, V, Cr, Mn, Co, Ni, Y, Ba, Nd, Eu) and to an accuracy of about 0.2 dex for other species such as Zr, La, and Sr. While our feasibility study was explicitly carried out for the 4MOST facility, the results can be readily applied to and used for any other conceptual design study for high-resolution spectrographs., Comment: 20 pages, 5 figures, accepted for publication in Astronomische Nachrichten

We examine the metallicity distribution function (MDF) and fraction of carbon-enhanced metal-poor (CEMP) stars in a sample that includes 86 stars with [Fe/H] < -3.0, based on high-resolution, high-S/N spectroscopy, of which some 32 objects lie below [Fe/H] = -3.5. After accounting for the completeness function, the "corrected" MDF does not exhibit the sudden drop at [Fe/H] = -3.6 that was found in recent samples of dwarfs and giants from the Hamburg/ESO survey. Rather, the MDF decreases smoothly down to [Fe/H] = -4.1. Similar results are obtained from the "raw" MDF. We find the fraction of CEMP objects below [Fe/H] = -3.0 is 23 +/- 6% and 32 +/- 8% when adopting the Beers et al. and Aoki et al. CEMP definitions, respectively. The former value is in fair agreement with some previous measurements, which adopt the Beers et al. criterion., Comment: Accepted for publication in ApJ

We present a homogeneous chemical abundance analysis of 16 elements in 190 metal-poor Galactic halo stars (38 program and 152 literature objects). The sample includes 171 stars with [Fe/H] < -2.5, of which 86 are extremely metal poor, [Fe/H] < -3.0. Our program stars include ten new objects with [Fe/H] < -3.5. We identify a sample of "normal" metal-poor stars and measure the trends between [X/Fe] and [Fe/H], as well as the dispersion about the mean trend for this sample. Using this mean trend, we identify objects that are chemically peculiar relative to "normal" stars at the same metallicity. These chemically unusual stars include CEMP-no objects, one star with high [Si/Fe], another with high [Ba/Sr], and one with unusually low [X/Fe] for all elements heavier than Na. The Sr and Ba abundances indicate that there may be two nucleosynthetic processes at lowest metallicity that are distinct from the main r-process. Finally, for many elements, we find a significant trend between [X/Fe] versus Teff which likely reflects non-LTE and/or 3D effects. Such trends demonstrate that care must be exercised when using abundance measurements in metal-poor stars to constrain chemical evolution and/or nucleosynthesis predictions., Comment: Accepted for publication in ApJ

We report the discovery of 34 stars in the Hamburg/ESO Survey for metal-poor stars and the Sloan Digital Sky Survey that have [Fe/H] < -3.0. Their median and minimum abundances are [Fe/H] = -3.1 and -4.1, respectively, while 10 stars have [Fe/H] < -3.5. High-resolution, high-S/N spectroscopic data - equivalent widths and radial velocities - are presented for these stars, together with an additional four objects previously reported or currently being investigated elsewhere. We have determined the atmospheric parameters, effective temperature (Teff) and surface gravity (logg), which are critical in the determination of the chemical abundances and the evolutionary status of these stars. Three techniques were used to derive these parameters. Spectrophotometric fits to model atmosphere fluxes were used to derive Teff, logg, and an estimate of E(B-V); Halpha, Hbeta, and Hgamma profile fitting to model atmosphere results provided the second determination of Teff and logg; and finally, we used an empirical Teff-calibrated Hdelta index, for the third, independent Teff determination. The three values of Teff are in good agreement, although the profile fitting may yield systematically cooler Teff values, by ~100K. This collective data set will be analyzed in future papers in the present series to utilize the most metal-poor stars as probes of conditions in the early Universe., Comment: Accepted for publication in ApJ

We report on a pilot study on identifying metal-poor stars pre-enriched by Pair-Instability Supernovae (PISNe). Very massive, first generation (Population III) stars (140M\odot \leq M \leq 260M\odot) end their lives as PISNe, which have been predicted by theories, but no relics of PISNe have been observed yet. Among the distinct characteristics of the yields of PISN, as predicted by theoretical calculations, are a strong odd-even effect, and a strong overabundance of Ca with respect to iron and the Solar ratio. We use the latter characteristic to identify metal-poor stars in the Galactic halo that have been pre-enriched by PISN, by comparing metallicites derived from strong, co-added Fe lines detected in low-resolution (i.e., R \sim 2000) spectra of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS), with metallicities determined by the SDSS Stellar Parameters Pipeline (SSPP). The latter are based on the strength of the Ca II K line and assumptions on the Ca/Fe abundance ratio. Stars are selected as candidates if their metallicity derived from Fe lines is significantly lower than the SSPP metallicities. In a sample of 12,300 stars for which SDSS spectroscopy is available, we have identified 18 candidate stars. Higher resolution and signal-to-noise ratio spectra of these candidates are being obtained with the Very Large Telescope of the European Southern Observatory and the XSHOOTER spectrograph, to determine their abundance patterns, and to verify our selection method. We plan to apply our method to the data base of several million stellar spectra to be acquired with the LAMOST telescope in the next five years., Comment: Accepted by RAA

Carbon-enhanced metal-poor (CEMP) stars are believed to show the chemical imprints of more massive stars (M > 0.8 Msun) that are now extinct. In particular, it is expected that the observed abundance of Li should deviate in these stars from the standard Spite lithium plateau. We study here a sample of 11 metal-poor stars and a double-lined spectroscopic binary with -1.8 <[Fe/H]< -3.3 observed with VLT/UVES spectrograph. Among these 12 metal-poor stars, there are 8 CEMP stars for which we measure or constrain the Li abundance. In contrast to previous arguments, we demonstrate that an appropriate regime of dilution permits the existence of "Li-Spite plateau and C-rich" stars, whereas some of the "Li-depleted and C-rich" stars call for an unidentified additional depletion mechanism that cannot be explained by dilution alone. We find evidence that rotation is related to the Li depletion in some CEMP stars. Additionally, we report on a newly recognized double-lined spectroscopic binary star in our sample. For this star, we develop a new technique from which estimates of stellar parameters and luminosity ratios can be derived based on a high-resolution spectrum alone, without the need for input from evolutionary models., Comment: 62 pages, 16 figures, accepted for publication in ApJ

Carbon-enhanced metal-poor (CEMP) stars are believed to show the chemical imprints of more massive stars (M ≳ 0.8 M ) that are now extinct. In particular, it is expected that the observed abundance of Li should deviate in these stars from the standard S

We present a high-resolution ultraviolet (UV) spectrum of the ultra-metal-poor (UMP) carbon-enhanced red giant HE 0557-4840 (Teff/log g/[Fe/H] = 4900/2.2/-4.8). Combining these data with earlier observations, the radial velocity is 212.0 ± 0.4kms-1, with

The present work is based on the spectra of 253 HERES stars. The sample selection and observations are described in Christlieb et al. (2004A\ampA...428.1027C). For the convenience of the reader, we repeat here that the spectra were obtained with the Ultraviolet-Visual Echelle Spectrograph (UVES) mounted on the 8m Unit Telescope 2 (Kueyen) of the Very Large Telescope (VLT). (1 data file).

Aims. To obtain detailed silicon abundances of metal-poor stars, we aim to explore the correlation between the abundance ratios and the stellar parameters and the chemical enrichment of the interstellar medium (ISM). Methods. We determined the silicon abundances of 253 metal-poor stars in the metallicity range -4 < [Fe/H] < -1.5, based on non-local thermodynamic equilibrium (NLTE) line formation calculations of neutral silicon and high-resolution spectra obtained with VLT-UT2/UVES. Results. The T-eff dependence of [Si/Fe] noticed in previous investigations is diminished in our abundance analysis owing to the inclusion of NLTE effects. An increasing slope of [Si/Fe] towards decreasing metallicity is present in our results, in agreement with Galactic chemical evolution models. Intrinsic scatter of [Si/Fe] in our sample is small. We identified two dwarfs with [Si/Fe] similar to + 1.0: HE 0131-3953, and HE 1430-1123. These main-sequence turnoff stars are also carbon-enhanced. They may have been pre-enriched by sub-luminous supernovae. Conclusions. The small intrinsic scatter of [Si/Fe] in our sample may imply that these stars formed in a region where the yields of type II supernovae were mixed into a large volume, or that the formation of these stars was strongly clustered, even if the ISM was enriched by single SNa II in a small mixing volume.

We determine the elemental abundances of nine red giant stars belonging to Palomar 14 (Pal 14). Pal 14 is an outer halo globular cluster (GC) at a distance of \sim 70 kpc. Our abundance analysis is based on high-resolution spectra and one-dimensional stellar model atmospheres.We derived the abundances for the iron peak elements Sc, V, Cr, Mn, Co, Ni, the {\alpha}-elements O, Mg, Si, Ca, Ti, the light odd element Na, and the neutron-capture elements Y, Zr, Ba, La, Ce, Nd, Eu, Dy, and Cu. Our data do not permit us to investigate light element (i.e., O to Mg) abundance variations. The neutron-capture elements show an r-process signature. We compare our measurements with the abundance ratios of inner and other outer halo GCs, halo field stars, GCs of recognized extragalactic origin, and stars in dwarf spheroidal galaxies (dSphs). The abundance pattern of Pal 14 is almost identical to those of Pal 3 and Pal 4, the next distant members of the outer halo GC population after Pal 14. The abundance pattern of Pal 14 is also similar to those of the inner halo GCs, halo field stars, and GCs of recognized extragalactic origin, but differs from what is customarily found in dSphs field stars. The abundance properties of Pal 14 as well as those of the other outer halo GCs are thus compatible with an accretion origin from dSphs. Whether or not GC accretion played a role, it seems that the formation conditions of outer halo GCs and GCs in dSphs were similar., Comment: 19 pages, 15 figures. Accepted by A&A

Aims. We present a detailed abundance analysis of a strongly r-process enhanced giant star discovered in the HERES project, HE 2327-5642, for which [Fe/H] = -2.78, [r/Fe] = +0.99. Methods. We determined the stellar parameters and element abundances by analyzing the high-quality VLT/UVES spectra. The surface gravity was calculated from the non-local thermodynamic equilibrium (NLTE) ionization balance between Fe I and Fe II, and Ca I and Ca II. Results. Accurate abundances for a total of 40 elements and for 23 neutron-capture elements beyond Sr and up to Th were determined in HE 2327-5642. For every chemical species, the dispersion in the single line measurements around the mean does not exceed 0.11 dex. The heavy element abundance pattern of HE 2327-5642 is in excellent agreement with those previously derived for other strongly r-process enhanced stars, such as CS 22892-052, CS 31082-001, and HE 1219-0312. Elements in the range from Ba to Hf match the scaled Solar r-process pattern very well. No firm conclusion can be drawn about the relationship between the fisrt neutron-capture peak elements, Sr to Pd, in HE 2327-5642 and the Solar r-process, due to the uncertainty in the Solar r-process. A clear distinction in Sr/Eu abundance ratios was found between the halo stars of different europium enhancement. The strongly r-process enhanced stars contain a low Sr/Eu abundance ratio at [Sr/Eu] = -0.92 +/- 0.13, while the stars with 0 < [Eu/Fe] < 1 and [Eu/Fe] < 0 have 0.36 dex and 0.93 dex higher Sr/Eu values, respectively. Radioactive dating for HE 2327-5642 with the observed thorium and rare-earth element abundance pairs results in an average age of 13.3 Gyr, when based on the high-entropy wind calculations, and 5.9 Gyr, when using the Solar r-residuals. We propose that HE 2327-5642 is a radial-velocity variable based on our high-resolution spectra covering similar to 4.3 years.

We determine the metallicity distribution function (MDF) of the Galactic halo based on metal-poor main-sequence turnoff-stars (MSTO) which were selected from the Hamburg/ESO objective-prism survey (HES) database. Corresponding follow-up moderateresolution observations (R ~ 2000) of some 682 stars (among which 617 were accepted program stars) were carried out with the 2.3m telescope at the Siding Spring Observatory (SSO). Corrections for the survey volume covered by the sample stars were quantitatively estimated and applied to the observed MDF. The corrections are quite small, when compared with those for a previously studied sample of metal-poor giants. The corrected observational MDF of the turnoff sample was then compared with that of the giants, as well as with a number of theoretical predictions of Galactic chemical evolution, including the mass-loss modified Simple Model. Although the survey-volume corrected MDFs of the metal-poor turnoff and the halo giants notably differ in the region of [Fe/H] > -2.0, below [Fe/H] ~ -2.0, (the region we scientifically focus on most) both MDFs show a sharp drop at [Fe/H] ~ -3.6 and present rather similar distributions in the low-metallicity tail. Theoretical models can fit some parts of the observed MDF, but none is found to simultaneously reproduce the peak as well as the features in the metal-poor region with [Fe/H] between -2.0 to -3.6. Among the tested models only the GAMETE model, when normalized to the tail of the observed MDF below [Fe/H] ~ -3.0, and with Z_{cr} = 10^{-3.4}Z_{\odot}, is able to predict the sharp drop at [Fe/H] ~ -3.6., Comment: 10 pages, 11 figures, accepted for publication in A&A

We determined the silicon abundances of 253 metal-poor stars in the metallicity range $-4<\mathrm{[Fe/H]} <-1.5$, based on non-local thermodynamic equilibrium (NLTE) line formation calculations of neutral silicon and high-resolution spectra obtained with VLT-UT2/UVES. The $T_{\mathrm{eff}}$ dependence of [Si/Fe] noticed in previous investigation is diminished in our abundance analysis due to the inclusion of NLTE effects. An increasing slope of [Si/Fe] towards decreasing metallicity is present in our results, in agreement with Galactic chemical evolution models. The small intrinsic scatter of [Si/Fe] in our sample may imply that these stars formed in a region where the yields of type II supernovae were mixed into a large volume, or that the formation of these stars was strongly clustered, even if the ISM was enriched by single SNa II in a small mixing volume. We identified two dwarfs with $\mathrm{[Si/Fe]}\sim +1.0$: HE 0131$-$3953, and HE 1430$-$1123. These main-sequence turnoff stars are also carbon-enhanced. They might have been pre-enriched by sub-luminous supernovae., Comment: 12 pages, 9 figures, 1 electronical table. Accepted by A & A

We present VLT-UVES Li abundances for 28 halo dwarf stars between [Fe/H]=-2.5 and -3.5, 10 of which have [Fe/H]<-3. Four different T_eff scales have been used. Direct Infrared Flux Method (IRFM) has been used on the basis of 2MASS infrared photometry. H_alpha wings have been fitted against synthetic grids computed by means of 1D LTE atmosphere models, assuming different self-broadening theories. Finally, a grid of H_alpha profiles has been computed by means of 3D hydrodynamical atmosphere models. The Li I doublet at 670.8 nm has been used to measure A(Li) by means of 3D hydrodynamical NLTE spectral syntheses. An analytical fit of A(Li)(3D, NLTE) as a function of equivalent width, T_eff, log g, and [Fe/H] has been derived and is made available. A(Li) does not exhibit a plateau below [Fe/H]=-3. A strong positive correlation with [Fe/H] appears, not influenced by the choice of the T_eff estimator. From a linear fit, we obtain a strong slope of about 0.30 dex in A(Li) per dex in [Fe/H], significant to 2-3 sigma, and consistent among all the four T_eff estimators. A significant slope is also detected in the A(Li)--T_eff plane, driven mainly by the coolest stars in the sample which appear Li-poor. Removing such stars does not alter the behavior in the A(Li)-[Fe/H] plane. The scatter in A(Li) increases by a factor of 2 towards lower metallicities, while the plateau appears very thin above [Fe/H]=-2.8. The meltdown of the Spite plateau below [Fe/H]\sim-3 is established, but its cause is unclear. If the primordial A(Li) is the one derived from WMAP, it appears difficult to envision a single depletion phenomenon producing a thin, metallicity independent plateau above [Fe/H]=-2.8, and a highly scattered, metallicity dependent distribution below. The fact that no star below [Fe/H]=-3 lies above the plateau suggests that they formed at plateau level and underwent subsequent depletion., Comment: 22 pages, 15 figures, accepted for publication in Astronomy and Astrophysics, replaced with version with final format for table 3, typos corrected in table 4 and in equation B.1

We determine the metallicity distribution function (MDF) of the Galactic halo based on metal-poor main-sequence turnoff-stars (MSTO) which were selected from the Hamburg/ESO objective-prism survey (HES) database. Corresponding follow-up moderate-resolution observations (R∼2000) of 682 stars (among which 617 were accepted program stars) were carried out with the 2.3 m telescope at the Siding Spring Observatory (SSO). Corrections for the survey volume covered by the sample stars were quantitatively estimated and applied to the observed MDF. The corrections are quite small, when compared with those for a previously studied sample of metal-poor giants. The corrected observational MDF of the turnoff sample was then compared with that of the giants, as well as with a number of theoretical predictions of Galactic chemical evolution, including the mass-loss modified simple model. Although the survey-volume corrected MDFs of the metal-poor turnoff and the halo giants notably differ in the region of [Fe/H] > -2.0, below [Fe/H] ∼ -2.0, (the region we scientifically focus on most) both MDFs show a sharp drop at [Fe/H] ∼ -3.6 and present rather similar distributions in the low-metallicity tail. Theoretical models can fit some parts of the observed MDF, but none is found to simultaneously reproduce the peak as well as the features in the metal-poor region with [Fe/H] between -2.0 to -3.6. Among the tested models only the GAMETE model, when normalized to the tail of the observed MDF below [Fe/H] ∼ -3.0, and with Zcr = 10-3.4 Z⊙, is able to predict the sharp drop at [Fe/H]∼-3.6.

We determine the metallicity distribution function (MDF) of the Galactic halo by means of a sample of 1638 metal-poor stars selected from the Hamburg/ESO objective-prism survey (HES). The sample was corrected for minor biases introduced by the strategy for spectroscopic follow-up observations of the metal-poor candidates, namely "best and brightest stars first". Comparison of the metallicities [Fe/H] of the stars determined from moderate-resolution (i.e., R similar to 2000) follow-up spectra with results derived from abundance analyses based on high-resolution spectra (i.e., R > 20 000) shows that the [Fe/H] estimates used for the determination of the halo MDF are accurate to within 0.3 dex, once highly C-rich stars are eliminated. We determined the selection function of the HES, which must be taken into account for a proper comparison between the HES MDF with MDFs of other stellar populations or those predicted by models of Galactic chemical evolution. The latter show a reasonable agreement with the overall shape of the HES MDF for [Fe/H] > -3.6, but only a model of Salvadori et al. (2007) with a critical metallicity for low-mass star formation of Z(cr) = 10(-3.4) Z(circle dot) reproduces the sharp drop at [Fe/H] similar to -3.6 present in the HES MDF. Although currently about ten stars at [Fe/H] < -3.6 are known, the evidence for the existence of a tail of the halo MDF extending to [Fe/H] similar to -5.5 is weak from the sample considered in this paper, because it only includes two stars [Fe/H] < -3.6. Therefore, a comparison with theoretical models has to await larger statistically complete and unbiased samples. A comparison of the MDF of Galactic globular clusters and of dSph satellites to the Galaxy shows qualitative agreement with the halo MDF, derived from the HES, once the selection function of the latter is included. However, statistical tests show that the differences between these are still highly significant.

We report on a detailed abundance analysis of two strongly r-process enhanced, very metal-poor stars newly discovered in the HERES project, CS 29491-069 ([Fe/H] = -2.51, [r/Fe] = +1.1) and HE 1219-0312 ([Fe/H] = -2.96, [r/Fe] = +1.5). The analysis is based on high-quality VLT/UVES spectra and MARCS model atmospheres. We detect lines of 15 heavy elements in the spectrum of CS 29491-069, and 18 in HE 1219-0312; in both cases including the Th II 4019 angstrom line. The heavy-element abundance patterns of these two stars are mostly well-matched to scaled solar residual abundances not formed by the s-process. We also compare the observed pattern with recent high-entropy wind (HEW) calculations, which assume core-collapse supernovae of massive stars as the astrophysical environment for the r-process, and find good agreement for most lanthanides. The abundance ratios of the lighter elements strontium, yttrium, and zirconium, which are presumably not formed by the main r-process, are reproduced well by the model. Radioactive dating for CS 29491-069 with the observed thorium and rare-earth element abundance pairs results in an average age of 9.5 Gyr, when based on solar r-process residuals, and 17.6 Gyr, when using HEW model predictions. Chronometry seems to fail in the case of HE 1219-0312, resulting in a negative age due to its high thorium abundance. HE 1219-0312 could therefore exhibit an overabundance of the heaviest elements, which is sometimes called an "actinide boost".

The ESO Supernova Ia Progenitor Survey (SPY) took high-resolution spectra of more than 1000 white dwarfs and pre-white dwarfs. About two thirds of the stars observed are hydrogen-dominated DA white dwarfs. Here we present a catalog and detailed spectroscopic analysis of the DA stars in the SPY. Atmospheric parameters effective temperature and surface gravity are determined for normal DAs. Double-degenerate binaries, DAs with magnetic fields or dM companions, are classified and discussed. The spectra are compared with theoretical model atmospheres using a chi^2 fitting technique. Our final sample contains 615 DAs, which show only hydrogen features in their spectra, although some are double-degenerate binaries. 187 are new detections or classifications. We also find 10 magnetic DAs (4 new) and 46 DA+dM pairs (10 new)., Comment: accepted by Astronomy and Astrophysics

We determine the metallicity distribution function (MDF) of the Galactic halo by means of a sample of 1638 metal-poor stars selected from the Hamburg/ESO objective-prism survey (HES). The sample was corrected for minor biases introduced by the strategy for spectroscopic follow-up observations of the metal-poor candidates, namely best and brightest stars first. Comparison of the metallicities [Fe/H] of the stars determined from moderate-resolution (i.e., R ∼ 2000) follow-up spectra with results derived from abundance analyses based on high-resolution spectra (i.e., R > 20 000) shows that the [Fe/H] estimates used for the determination of the halo MDF are accurate to within 0.3 dex, once highly C-rich stars are eliminated. We determined the selection function of the HES, which must be taken into account for a proper comparison between the HES MDF with MDFs of other stellar populations or those predicted by models of Galactic chemical evolution. The latter show a reasonable agreement with the overall shape of the HES MDF for [Fe/H] >-3.6, but only a model of Salvadori et al. (2007) with a critical metallicity for low-mass star formation of Zcr = 10-3.4 Z reproduces the sharp drop at [Fe/H] ∼-3.6 present in the HES MDF. Although currently about ten stars at [Fe/H] <-3.6 are known, the evidence for the existence of a tail of the halo MDF extending to [Fe/H] ∼-5.5 is weak from the sample considered in this paper, because it only includes two stars [Fe/H] <-3.6. Therefore, a comparison with theoretical models has to await larger statistically complete and unbiased samples. A comparison of the MDF of Galactic globular clusters and of dSph satellites to the Galaxy shows qualitative agreement with the halo MDF, derived from the HES, once the selection function of the latter is included. However, statistical tests show that the differences between these are still highly significant.

We present the quantitative methods used for selecting candidate metal-poor stars in the Hamburg/ESO objective-prism survey (HES). The selection is based on the strength of the Ca II K line, B - V colors (both measured directly from the digital HES spectra), as well as J - K colors from the 2 Micron All Sky Survey. The KP index for Ca II K can be measured from the HES spectra with an accuracy of 1.0 angstrom, and a calibration of the HES B - V colors, using CCD photometry, yields a 1-sigma uncertainty of 0.07 mag for stars in the color range 0.3 < B - V < 1.4. These accuracies make it possible to reliably reject stars with [Fe/H] > -2.0 without sacrificing completeness at the lowest metallicities. A test of the selection using 1121 stars of the HK survey of Beers, Preston, and Shectman present on HES plates suggests that the completeness at [Fe/H] < -3.5 is close to 100% and that, at the same time, the contamination of the candidate sample with false positives is low: 50% of all stars with [Fe/H] > -2.5 and 97% of all stars with [Fe/H] > -2.0 are rejected. The selection was applied to 379 HES fields, covering a nominal area of 8853 deg(2) of the southern high Galactic latitude sky. The candidate sample consists of 20 271 stars in the magnitude range 10 less than or similar to B less than or similar to 18. A comparison of the magnitude distribution with that of the HK survey shows that the magnitude limit of the HES sample is about 2mag fainter. Taking the overlap of the sky areas covered by both surveys into account, it follows that the survey volume for metal-poor stars has been increased by the HES by about a factor of 10 with respect to the HK survey. We have already identified several very rare objects with the HES, including, e. g., the three most heavy-element deficient stars currently known.

A sample of 30 very metal-poor stars from the Hamburg-European Southern Observatory (ESO) objective-prism survey have been observed at high spectral resolution at the Very Large Telescope (VLT) using the Ultraviolet and Visual Echelle Spectrograph (UVES). Two of the observed stars are very interesting not only because of their very low iron content, approximately four orders of magnitude lower than the solar value, but also because we detected the neutral lithium resonance line at 670.8 nm. Hydrogen lines suggest that the two observed stars have effective temperatures around 6000-6250K and according to isochrones, they are either on the main-sequence or on the subgiant branch, in which case they would probably be the most metal-poor dwarfs or warm subgiants with lithium detections known. These detections would allow to determine more accurately the slope of the trend of the lithium abundance with [Fe/H] than was possible with samples of unevolved stars restricted to higher metallicities.

We give an update on our 0Z Survey to find more extremely metal poor (EMP) stars with [Fe/H]<−3 dex through mining the database of the Hamburg/ESO Survey. We present the most extreme such stars we have found from ~1550 moderate resolution follow up spectra. One of these, HE1424–0241, has highly anomalous abundance ratios not seen in any previously known halo giant, with very deficient Si, moderately deficient Ca and Ti, highly enhanced Mn and Co, and low C, all with respect to Fe. We suggest a SNII where the nucleosynthetic yield for explosive α–burning nuclei was very low compared to that for the hydrostatic α–burning element Mg, which is normal in this star relative to Fe. A second, less extreme, outlier star with high [Sc/Fe] has also been found.We examine the extremely metal-poor tail of the HES metallicity distribution function (MDF). We suggest on the basis of comparison of our high resolution detailed abundance analyses with [Fe/H](HES) for stars in our sample that the MDF inferred from follow up spectra of the HES sample of candidate EMP stars is heavily contaminated for [Fe/H](HES) <−3 dex; many of the supposed EMP stars below that metallicity are of substantially higher Fe-metallicity, including most of the very C-rich stars, or are spurious objects.

We determine the metallicity distribution function (MDF) of the Galactic halo by means of a sample of 1638 metal-poor stars selected from the Hamburg/ESO objective-prism survey (HES). The sample was corrected for minor biases introduced by the strategy for spectroscopic follow-up observations of the metal-poor candidates, namely "best and brightest stars first". [...] We determined the selection function of the HES, which must be taken into account for a proper comparison between the HES MDF with MDFs of other stellar populations or those predicted by models of Galactic chemical evolution. The latter show a reasonable agreement with the overall shape of the HES MDF for [Fe/H] > -3.6, but only a model of Salvadori et al. (2007) with a critical metallicity for low-mass star formation of Z_cr = 10^{-3.4} * Z_Sun reproduces the sharp drop at [Fe/H] ~-3.6 present in the HES MDF. [...] A comparison of the MDF of Galactic globular clusters and of dSph satellites to the Galaxy shows qualitative agreement with the halo MDF, derived from the HES, once the selection function of the latter is included. However, statistical tests show that the differences between these are still highly significant. [ABSTRACT ABRIDGED], Comment: Accepted for publication in A&A

A sample of 30 very metal-poor stars from the Hamburg-European Southern Observatory (ESO) objective-prism survey have been observed at high spectral resolution at the Very Large Telescope (VLT) using the Ultraviolet and Visual Echelle Spectrograph (UVES). Two of the observed stars are very interesting not only because of their very low iron content, approximately four orders of magnitude lower than the solar value, but also because we detected the neutral lithium resonance line at 670.8 nm. Hydrogen lines suggest that the two observed stars have effective temperatures around 6000-6250 K and according to isochrones, they are either on the main-sequence or on the subgiant branch, in which case they would probably be the most metal-poor dwarfs or warm subgiants with lithium detections known. These detections would allow to determine more accurately the slope of the trend of the lithium abundance with [Fe/H] than was possible with samples of unevolved stars restricted to higher metallicities.