Thomas Bensby
Senior lecturer
Disentangling the Hercules stream
Author
Summary, in English
Using high-resolution spectra of nearby F and G dwarf stars, we have investigated the detailed abundance and age structure of the Hercules stream. We find that the stars in the stream have a wide range of stellar ages, metallicities, and element abundances. By comparing to existing samples of stars in the solar neighborhood with kinematics typical of the Galactic thin and thick disks, we find that the properties of the Hercules stream distinctly separate into the abundance and age trends of the two disks. Hence, we find it unlikely that the Hercules stream is a unique Galactic stellar population but rather is a mixture of thin and thick disk stars. This points toward a dynamical origin for the Hercules stream, probably caused by the Galactic bar.
Department/s
- Lund Observatory - Undergoing reorganization
Publishing year
2007
Language
English
Pages
89-92
Publication/Series
Astrophysical Journal
Volume
655
Issue
2
Links
Document type
Journal article
Publisher
American Astronomical Society
Topic
- Astronomy, Astrophysics and Cosmology
Keywords
- stars : abundances
- neighborhood
- solar
- Galaxy : formation
- galaxy : disk
- Galaxy : evolution
- stars : kinematics
Status
Published
ISBN/ISSN/Other
- ISSN: 0004-637X