New Abundance Determinations of Cadmium, Lutetium, and Osmium in the r-process Enriched Star BD+173248

TL;DR

This study reports the first detection of multiple neutron-capture elements in a metal-poor, r-process enriched star, providing the most comprehensive neutron-capture abundance pattern to date and insights into nucleosynthesis.

Contribution

It presents new ultraviolet and optical spectroscopic measurements of neutron-capture elements in a metal-poor star, expanding the known abundance pattern and comparing it with Solar system r-process predictions.

Findings

Detected Cd I, Lu II, Os II in the star BD+173248.

Most complete neutron-capture element pattern in a metal-poor star.

Observed discrepancies in Hf II abundance from UV and optical spectra.

Abstract

We report the detection of Cd I (Z = 48), Lu II (Z = 71), and Os II (Z = 76) in the metal-poor star BD+173248. These abundances are derived from an ultraviolet spectrum obtained with the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph on the Hubble Space Telescope. This is the first detection of these neutron-capture species in a metal-poor star enriched by the r-process. We supplement these measurements with new abundances of Mo I, Ru I, and Rh I derived from an optical spectrum obtained with the High Resolution Echelle Spectrograph on Keck. Combined with previous abundance derivations, 32 neutron-capture elements have been detected in BD+173248, the most complete neutron-capture abundance pattern in any metal-poor star to date. The light neutron-capture elements (38 <= Z <= 48) show a more pronounced even-odd effect than expected from current Solar system r-process abundance predictions. The age for BD+173248 derived from the Th II/Os II chronometer is in better agreement with the age derived from other chronometers than the age derived from Th II/Os I. New Hf II abundance derivations from transitions in the ultraviolet are lower than those derived from transitions in the optical, and the lower Hf abundance is in better agreement with the scaled Solar system r-process distribution.