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Thomas Bensby. Profile photo.

Thomas Bensby

Senior lecturer

Thomas Bensby. Profile photo.

Disentangling the Hercules stream

Author

  • T. Bensby
  • M. S. Oey
  • S. Feltzing
  • B. Gustafsson

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

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