| Issue |
A&A
Volume 379, Number 1, November III 2001
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Page(s) | 235 - 244 | |
| Section | Interstellar and circumstellar matter | |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361:20011334 | |
| Published online | 15 November 2001 | |
Early type stars at high galactic latitudes*,**,***
II. Four evolved B-type stars of unusual chemical composition
Dr. Remeis-Sternwarte, Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Sternwartstr. 7, 96049 Bamberg, Germany
Corresponding author: M. Ramspeck, ramspeck@sternwarte.uni-erlangen.de
Received:
26
July
2001
Accepted:
10
September
2001
We present the result of differential spectral analyses of a further four apparently normal B-type stars. Abundance anomalies (e.g. He, C, N enrichment), slow rotation and/or high gravities suggest that the programme stars are evolved low-mass B-type stars. In order to trace their evolutionary status several scenarios are discussed. Post-AGB evolution can be ruled out. PG 0229+064 and PG 1400+389 could be horizontal branch (HB) stars, while HD 76431 and SB 939 have already evolved away from the extreme HB (EHB). The low helium abundance of HD 76431 is consistent with post-EHB evolution. The enrichment in helium, carbon and nitrogen can be explained either by deep mixing of nuclearly processed material to the surface or by diffusion processes modified by magnetic fields and/or stellar winds. A kinematic study of their galactic orbits indicates that the stars belong to an old disk population.
Key words: Galaxy: halo / stars: early-type / stars: abundances / stars: kinematics / stars: evolution
Based on observations obtained at the W. M. Keck Observatory, which is operated by the Californian Association for Research in Astronomy for the California Institute of Technology and the University of California.
© ESO, 2001
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