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http://hdl.handle.net/2248/2135
Title: | The Chemical Compositions of the Type II Cepheids-The BL Herculis and W Virginis Variables |
Authors: | Maas, T Giridhar, S Lambert, D. L |
Keywords: | stars: abundances—stars: variables |
Issue Date: | Sep-2007 |
Publisher: | University of Chicago Press |
Citation: | The Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 666, pp. 378 – 392 |
Abstract: | Abundance analyses from high-resolution optical spectra are presented for 19 type II Cepheids in the Galactic field. The sample includes both short-period (BL Her) and long-period (W Vir) stars. This is the first extensive abundance analysis of these variables. The C, N, and O abundances with similar spreads for the BL Her and W Vir show evidence for an atmosphere contaminated with 3α process and CN-cycling products. A notable anomaly of the BL Her stars is an overabundance of Na by a factor of about 5 relative to their presumed initial abundances. This overabundance is not seen in the W Vir stars. The abundance anomalies running from mild to extreme in W Vir stars but not seen in the BL Her stars are attributed to dust-gas separation that provides an atmosphere deficient in elements of high condensation temperature, notably, Al, Ca, Sc, Ti, and s-process elements. Such anomalies have previously been seen among RV Tau stars which represent a long-period extension of the variability enjoyed by the type II Cepheids. Comments are offered on how the contrasting abundance anomalies of BL Her and W Vir stars may be explained in terms of the stars’ evolution from the blue horizontal branch. |
URI: | http://hdl.handle.net/2248/2135 |
Appears in Collections: | IIAP Publications |
Files in This Item:
File | Description | Size | Format | |
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Giridhar.pdf | 525.66 kB | Adobe PDF | ![]() View/Open |
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