Signatures of an Intermediate-Age Metal-Rich Bulge Population
Abstract
We have determined detailed elemental abundances and stellar ages for a sample of now 38 microlensed dwarf and subgiant stars in the Galactic bulge. Stars with sub-solar metallicities are all old and have enhanced α-element abundances - very similar to what is seen for local thick disk stars. The metal-rich stars on the other hand show a wide variety of stellar ages, ranging from 3-4 Gyr to 12 Gyr, and an average around 7-8 Gyr. The existence of young and metal-rich stars are in conflict with recent photometric studies of the bulge which claim that the bulge only contains old stars.
- Publication:
-
Galactic Archaeology: Near-Field Cosmology and the Formation of the Milky Way
- Pub Date:
- August 2012
- DOI:
- 10.48550/arXiv.1201.2013
- arXiv:
- arXiv:1201.2013
- Bibcode:
- 2012ASPC..458..203B
- Keywords:
-
- Astrophysics - Galaxy Astrophysics
- E-Print:
- Poster contribution at Galactic archeology, near-field cosmology and the formation of the Milky Way, Shuzenji, Japan, 1-4 November 2011, to be published in ASP Conference Series