The iron dispersion of the globular cluster M 2, revised

TL;DR

This study revises the understanding of iron dispersion in globular cluster M 2, revealing it is mainly homogeneous in iron with a small enriched minority, challenging previous claims of a trimodal iron distribution.

Contribution

The paper introduces a multi-method approach to determine atmospheric parameters, clarifying the true iron distribution and challenging prior findings of a trimodal metallicity in M 2.

Findings

M 2 is predominantly iron-homogeneous with a small iron-enriched component.

Different methods of atmospheric parameter determination yield contrasting metallicity distributions.

Fe II lines indicate only two stellar groups with distinct metallicities.

Abstract

M 2 has been claimed to posses three distinct stellar components that are enhanced in iron relative to each other. We use equivalent width measurements from 14 red giant branch stars from which Yong et al. detect a $\sim$0.8 dex wide, trimodal iron distribution to redetermine the metallicity of the cluster. In contrast to Yong et al., which derive atmospheric parameters following only the classical spectroscopic approach, we perform the chemical analysis using three different methods to constrain effective temperatures and surface gravities. When atmospheric parameters are derived spectroscopically, we measure a trimodal metallicity distribution, that well resembles that by Yong et al. We find that the metallicity distribution from Fe II lines strongly differs from the distribution obtained from Fe I features when photometric gravities are adopted. The Fe I distribution mimics the metallicity distribution obtained using spectroscopic parameters, while the Fe II shows the presence of only two stellar groups with metallicity [Fe/H]$\simeq$-1.5 and -1.1 dex, which are internally homogeneous in iron. This finding, when coupled with the high-resolution photometric evidence, demonstrates that M 2 is composed by a dominant population ($\sim$99%) homogeneous in iron and a minority component ($\sim$1%) enriched in iron with respect to the main cluster population.