Chemical composition of clump stars in the open cluster NGC 6134

TL;DR

This study analyzes high-resolution spectra of six clump stars in NGC 6134 to determine their detailed chemical compositions, revealing specific elemental abundance patterns and isotope ratios compared to the Sun and Galactic disk stars.

Contribution

It provides the first detailed chemical abundance analysis of multiple elements, including C, N, O, and isotopic ratios, in clump stars of NGC 6134, expanding understanding of stellar evolution in open clusters.

Findings

Carbon is depleted by about 0.2 dex

Nitrogen is overabundant by about 0.3 dex

Oxygen is underabundant by about 0.1 dex

Abstract

We present an analysis of high-resolution spectra of six core-helium-burning "clump" stars in the open cluster NGC 6134. Atmospheric parameters T_eff, log_g, v_t, and [Fe/H] were determined in our previous study by Carretta et al. (2004). In this study we present abundances of C, N, O and up to 24 other chemical elements. Abundances of carbon were derived using the C_2 Swan (0,1) band head at 5635.5 A (FEROS spectra) and the C_2 Swan (1,0) band head at 4737 A (UVES spectra). The wavelength interval 7980-8130 A, with strong CN features, was analysed in order to determine nitrogen abundances and 12^C/13^C isotope ratios. The oxygen abundances were determined from the [O I] line at 6300 A. Compared with the Sun and other dwarf stars of the Galactic disk, mean abundances in the investigated clump stars suggest that carbon is depleted by about 0.2 dex, nitrogen is overabundant by about 0.3 dex and oxygen is underabundant by about 0.1 dex. This has the effect of lowering the mean C/N ratio to 1.2 +- 0.2. The mean 12^C/13^C ratios are lowered to 9 +-2.5. Concerning other chemical elements, the analysis of sodium and magnesium lines (in NLTE), lines of other alpha-elements, iron-group and heavier chemical elements gave abundance ratios close to the solar ones.