Chemical analysis of very metal-poor turn-off stars from SDSS-DR12

TL;DR

This study analyzes the chemical composition of extremely metal-poor stars from SDSS-DR12 using medium-resolution spectra, revealing insights into early Galactic nucleosynthesis and identifying stars with record-low metallicities.

Contribution

It provides new chemical abundance measurements for EMP stars, including one with an extremely low [Fe/H] of -6.1, using medium-resolution spectra and ATLAS models.

Findings

Confirmed a star with [Fe/H] = -6.1 dex.

Detected a star with very high [Mg/Fe] >= +3.60 dex.

Determined carbon abundance placing the star in the lower A(C)-[Fe/H] band.

Abstract

The most metal-poor stars are the relics of the early chemical evolution of the Galaxy. Their chemical composition is an important tool to constrain the nucleosynthesis in the first generation of stars. The aim is to observe a sample of extremely metal-poor star (EMP stars) candidates selected from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release 12 (SDSS DR12) and determine their chemical composition. We obtain medium resolution spectra of a sample of six stars using the X-Shooter spectrograph at the Very Large Telescope (VLT) and we used ATLAS models to compute the abundances. Five stars of the sample have a metallicity [Fe/H] between -2.5 dex and -3.2 dex. We confirm the recent discovery of SDSS J002314.00+030758.0. As a star with an extremely low [Fe/H] ratio. Assuming the alpha-enhancement [Ca/Fe]=+0.4 dex, we obtain [Fe/H]=-6.1 dex. We could also determine its magnesium abundance and found that this star exhibits a very high ratio [Mg/Fe] >= +3.60~dex assuming [Fe/H] = -6.13 dex. We determined the carbon abundance and found A(C)=6.4 dex. From this carbon abundance, this stars belongs to the lower band of the A(C)-[Fe/H] diagram.