The Mg-K anti-correlation in Omega Centauri

TL;DR

This study reveals a Mg-K anti-correlation in Omega Centauri, indicating complex chemical enrichment processes, with implications for understanding globular cluster formation and evolution.

Contribution

It provides the first detailed measurement of K abundances in Omega Centauri, identifying a Mg-K anti-correlation and a peculiar K-rich star, expanding knowledge of chemical anomalies in globular clusters.

Findings

Detected intrinsic K variations among stars.

Established a Mg-K anti-correlation in Omega Centauri.

Discovered a star with extreme K overabundance.

Abstract

We present [K/Fe] abundance ratios for a sample of 450 stars in Omega Centauri, using high resolution spectra acquired with the multi-object spectrograph FLAMES@VLT. Abundances for Fe, Na and Mg were also derived. We detected intrinsic K variations in the analysed stars. Moreover, [K/Fe] shows a significant correlation with [Na/Fe] and anti-correlation with [Mg/Fe]. The presence of a clear-cut Mg-K anti-correlation makes Omega Centauri the third stellar system, after NGC 2419 and NGC 2808, hosting a sub-population of stars with [Mg/Fe]<0.0 dex, K-enriched in the case of Omega Centauri by ~0.3 dex with respect to the Mg-rich stars ([Mg/Fe]>0.0 dex). The correlation/anti-correlation between K and other light elements involved in chemical anomalies supports the idea that the spread in [K/Fe] can be associated to the same self-enrichment process typical of globular clusters. We suggest that significant variations in K abundances perhaps can be found in the most massive and/or metal-poor globular clusters as manifestation of an extreme self-enrichment process. Theoretical models face problems to explain the K production in globular clusters. Indeed, models where asymptotic giant branch stars are responsible for the Mg-K anti-correlation only qualitatively agree with the observations. Finally, we discovered a peculiar star with an extraordinary K overabundance ([K/Fe]=+1.60 dex) with respect to the other stars with similar [Mg/Fe]. We suggest that this K-rich star could be formed from the pure ejecta of AGB stars before dilution with pristine material.