EDP Sciences Journals List
Advanced Search
Subscriber Authentication Point
Home All issues Volume 412/2 Article
Free access article

Issue A&A
Volume 412, Number 2, December III 2003
Page(s) 447 - 464
Section Stellar atmospheres
DOI http://dx.doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361:20031472



A&A 412, 447-464 (2003)
DOI: 10.1051/0004-6361:20031472

The heterogeneous class of $\lambda$ Bootis stars

M. Gerbaldi1, 2, R. Faraggiana3 and O. Lai4

1  Institut d'Astrophysique, 98bis Bd. Arago, 75014 Paris, France
2  Lab. Astronomie, Bât. 470, Université de Paris Sud XI, 91405 Orsay Cedex, France
3  Dipartimento di Astronomia, Università degli Studi di Trieste, via G.B. Tiepolo 11, 34131 Trieste, Italy
    e-mail: faraggiana@ts.astro.it
4  Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope (CFHT) Corporation, Kamuela, HI 96743, USA
    e-mail: lai@cfht.hawaii.edu

(Received 10 June 2003 / Accepted 12 September 2003 )

Abstract
We demonstrate that it is arduous to define the $\lambda$ Boo stars as a class of objects exhibiting uniform abundance peculiarities which would be generated by a mechanism altering the structure of their atmospheric layers. We collected the stars classified as $\lambda$ Boo up to now and discuss their properties, in particular the important percentage of confirmed binaries producing composite spectra (including our adaptive optics observations) and of misclassified objects. The unexplained RV variables (and thus suspected binaries), the known SB for which we lack information on the companion, the stars with an UV flux inconsistent with their classification, and the fast rotating stars for which no accurate abundance analysis can be performed, are also reviewed.


Key words: stars: atmospheres -- stars: chemically peculiar -- stars: binaries: spectroscopic

Offprint request: M. Gerbaldi, gerbaldi@iap.fr

SIMBAD Objects



© ESO 2003


What is OpenURL?

The OpenURL standard is a protocol for transmission of metadata describing the resource that you wish to access. An OpenURL link contains article metadata and directs it to the OpenURL server of your choice. The OpenURL server can provide access to the resource and also offer complementary services (specific search engine, export of references...). The OpenURL link can be generated by different means.
  • If your librarian has set up your subscription with an OpenURL resolver, OpenURL links appear automatically on the abstract pages.
  • You can define your own OpenURL resolver with your EDPS Account. In this case your choice will be given priority over that of your library.
  • You can use an add-on for your browser (Firefox or I.E.) to display OpenURL links on a page (see http://www.openly.com/openurlref/). You should disable this module if you wish to use the OpenURL server that you or your library have defined.