The Gaia-ESO Survey: The most metal-poor stars in the Galactic bulge

  • L. M. Howes
  • , M. Asplund
  • , A. R. Casey
  • , S. C. Keller
  • , D. Yong
  • , G. Gilmore
  • , K. Lind
  • , C. Worley
  • , M. S. Bessell
  • , L. Casagrande
  • , A. F. Marino
  • , D. M. Nataf
  • , C. I. Owen
  • , G. S. Da Costa
  • , B. P. Schmidt
  • , P. Tisserand
  • , S. Randich
  • , S. Feltzing
  • , A. Vallenari
  • , C. Allende Prieto
  • T. Bensby, E. Flaccomio, A. J. Korn, E. Pancino, A. Recio-Blanco, R. Smiljanic, M. Bergemann, M. T. Costado, F. Damiani, U. Heiter, V. Hill, A. Hourihane, P. Jofré, C. Lardo, P. de Laverny, L. Magrini, E. Maiorca, T. Masseron, L. Morbidelli, G. G. Sacco, D. Minniti, M. Zoccali

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

56 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

We present the first results of the EMBLA survey (Extremely Metal-poor BuLge stars with AAOmega), aimed at finding metal-poor stars in the Milky Way bulge, where the oldest stars should now preferentially reside. EMBLA utilizes SkyMapper photometry to pre-select metal-poor candidates, which are subsequently confirmed using AAOmega spectroscopy. We describe the discovery and analysis of four bulge giants with -2.72 = [Fe/H] = -2.48, the lowest metallicity bulge stars studied with high-resolution spectroscopy to date. Using FLAMES/UVES spectra through the Gaia-ESO Survey we have derived abundances of twelve elements. Given the uncertainties, we find a chemical similarity between these bulge stars and halo stars of the same metallicity, although the abundance scatter may be larger, with some of the stars showing unusual [a/Fe] ratios.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)4241-4246
Number of pages6
JournalMonthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Volume445
Issue number4
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 29 Sept 2014

Keywords

  • Abundances-stars
  • Bulge-Galaxy
  • Evolution
  • Population II-Galaxy
  • Stars

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Astronomy and Astrophysics
  • Space and Planetary Science

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