Elemental Abundances of M Dwarfs Based on High-Resolution Near-Infrared Spectra: Verification by Binary Systems

TL;DR

This study measures elemental abundances in five M dwarfs using high-resolution near-infrared spectra, verifying their chemical compositions against primary stars in binary systems to improve understanding of their atmospheres and metallicity.

Contribution

It provides the first detailed elemental abundance analysis of M dwarfs using high-resolution near-infrared spectra and verifies these against binary companions, revealing complex atomic line behaviors.

Findings

Elemental abundances of M dwarfs agree with primary stars within 0.2 dex.

Atomic lines are sensitive to multiple elements, especially Na and Ca.

Ti I lines decrease with metallicity below 3400 K due to TiO formation.

Abstract

M dwarfs are prominent targets of planet search projects, and their chemical composition is crucial to understanding the formation process or interior of orbiting exoplanets. However, measurements of elemental abundances of M dwarfs have been limited due to difficulties in the analysis of their optical spectra. We conducted a detailed chemical analysis of five M dwarfs (T_eff ~3200--3800 K), which form binary systems with G/K-type stars, by performing a line-by-line analysis based on high-resolution (R ~80,000) near-infrared (960--1710 nm) spectra obtained with CARMENES. We determined the chemical abundances of eight elements (Na, Mg, K, Ca, Ti, Cr, Mn, and Fe), which are in agreement with those of the primary stars within measurement errors (~0.2 dex). Through the analysis process, we investigated the unique behavior of atomic lines in a cool atmosphere. Most atomic lines are sensitive to changes in abundance not only of the corresponding elements but also of other elements, especially dominant electron donors such as Na and Ca. The Ti I lines show a negative correlation with the overall metallicity at T_eff < 3400 K due to the consumption of neutral titanium by the formation of TiO molecules. These findings indicate that to correctly estimate the overall metallicity or the abundance of any element, we need to determine the abundances of other individual elements consistently.