Old open clusters in the outer Galactic disk

TL;DR

This study analyzes the chemical composition and metallicity of distant open clusters in the outer Galactic disk, revealing a shallower radial metallicity gradient and suggesting these clusters are likely part of the Milky Way rather than an extragalactic population.

Contribution

It provides detailed high-resolution spectroscopic data for five distant open clusters, confirming a shallower metallicity gradient and assessing their origin as Galactic or extragalactic.

Findings

Outer disk clusters have a mean [Fe/H] of approximately -0.35.

The radial metallicity gradient in the outer disk is shallower than expected.

Clusters exhibit solar or slightly enhanced alpha-element ratios.

Abstract

The outer parts of the Milky Way disk are believed to be one of the main arenas where the accretion of external material in the form of dwarf galaxies and subsequent formation of streams is taking place. The Monoceros stream and the Canis Major and Argo over-densities are notorious examples. VLT high resolution spectra have been acquired for five distant open clusters. We derive accurate radial velocities to distinguish field interlopers and cluster members. For the latter we perform a detailed abundance analysis and derive the iron abundance [Fe/H] and the abundance ratios of several $\alpha$ elements. Our analysis confirms previous indications that the radial abundance gradient in the outer Galactic disk does not follow the expectations extrapolated from the solar vicinity, but exhibits a shallower slope. By combining the metallicity of the five program clusters with eight more clusters for which high resolution spectroscopy is available, we find that the mean metallicity in the outer disk between 12 and 21 kpc from the Galactic center is [Fe/H] $\approx -0.35$, with only marginal indications for a radial variation. In addition, all the program clusters exhibit solar scaled or slightly enhanced $\alpha$ elements, similar to open clusters in the solar vicinity and thin disk stars. We investigate whether this outer disk cluster sample might belong to an extra-galactic population, like the Monoceros ring. However, close scrutiny of their properties - location, kinematics and chemistry - does not convincingly favor this hypothesis. On the contrary, they appear more likely genuine Galactic disk clusters. We finally stress the importance to obtain proper motion measurements for these clusters to constrain their orbits.