Chemical element abundances in the outer halo globular cluster M 75

TL;DR

This study provides the first detailed chemical abundance analysis of the outer halo globular cluster M 75, revealing multiple stellar populations and unusual r-process enrichment at high metallicity.

Contribution

It offers new high-resolution spectroscopic data on M 75's stellar populations and compares its chemical properties to similar clusters, suggesting complex formation history.

Findings

Detection of three distinct populations based on light element variations.

Identification of a fourth population with Ba enrichment.

Most stars show an r-process dominant pattern despite high metallicity.

Abstract

We present the first comprehensive abundance study of the massive, outer halo globular cluster (GC) M 75 (NGC 6864). This unique system shows a very extended trimodal horizontal branch (HB), but no other clues for multiple populations have been detected in its colour-magnitude diagram (CMD). Based on high-resolution spectroscopic observations of 16 red giant stars, we derived the abundances of a large variety of alpha, p-capture, iron-peak, and n-capture elements. We found that the cluster is metal-rich ([Fe/H] = -1.16 +/- 0.02 dex, [alpha/Fe] = +0.30 +/- 0.02 dex), and shows a marginal spread in [Fe/H] of 0.07 dex, typical of most GCs of similar luminosity. We detected significant variations of O, Na, and Al among our sample, suggesting three different populations. Additionally, the two most Na-rich stars are also significantly Ba-enhanced, indicating a fourth population of stars. Curiously, most stars in M 75 (excluding the two Ba-rich stars) show a predominant r-process enrichment pattern, which is unusual at the cluster's high metallicity. We compare the abundance properties of M 75 and NGC 1851 (a GC very similar to M 75 in terms of age, metallicity, and HB morphology) and draw conclusions on M 75's possible formation scenarios.