Chemical abundances for 11 bulge stars from high-resolution, near-IR spectra

TL;DR

This study analyzes the chemical abundances of 11 bulge stars using high-resolution near-IR spectra to investigate the bulge's origin, suggesting characteristics of both classical and pseudobulges based on element trends.

Contribution

It provides detailed near-IR abundance measurements for bulge stars, offering new insights into the bulge's formation history and its possible dual nature.

Findings

Alpha elements are enhanced up to [Fe/H]=-0.3, then decline.

Bulge shows rapid early star formation similar to a classical bulge.

No significant scatter in abundance trends beyond observational uncertainties.

Abstract

It is debated whether the Milky Way bulge has the characteristics of a classical bulge sooner than those of a pseudobulge. Detailed abundance studies of bulge stars is a key to investigate the origin, history, and classification of the bulge. The aim is to add to the discussion on the origin of the bulge and to study detailed abundances determined from near-IR spectra for bulge giants already investigated with optical spectra, the latter also providing the stellar parameters which are very significant for the results of the present study. Especially, the important CNO elements are better determined in the near-IR. High-resolution, near-infrared spectra in the H band are recorded using the CRIRES spectrometer on the Very Large Telescope. The CNO abundances can all be determined from the numerous molecular lines in the wavelength range observed. Abundances of the alpha elements are also determined from the near-IR spectra. [O/Fe], [Si/Fe] and [S/Fe] are enhanced up to metallicities of at least [Fe/H]=-0.3, after which they decline. This suggests that the Milky Way bulge experienced a rapid and early star-formation history like that of a classical bulge. However, a similarity between the bulge trend and the trend of the local thick disk seems present. Such a similarity could suggest that the bulge has a pseudobulge origin. Our [C/Fe] trend does not show any increase with [Fe/H] which could have been expected if W-R stars have contributed substantially to the C abundances. No "cosmic scatter" can be traced around our observed abundance trends; the scatter found is expected, given the observational uncertainties.