Light and Heavy Element Abundance Variations in the Outer Halo Globular Cluster NGC 6229
Abstract
NGC 6229 is a relatively massive outer halo globular cluster that is primarily known for exhibiting a peculiar bimodal horizontal branch morphology. Given the paucity of spectroscopic data on this cluster, we present a detailed chemical composition analysis of 11 red giant branch members based on high resolution (R ≈ 38,000), high S/N (>100) spectra obtained with the MMT-Hectochelle instrument. We find the cluster to have a mean heliocentric radial velocity of -{138.1}-1.0+1.0 {km} {{{s}}}-1, a small dispersion of {3.8}-0.7+1.0 {km} {{{s}}}-1, and a relatively low {(M/{L}{{V}})}⊙ ={0.82}-0.28+0.49. The cluster is moderately metal-poor with < [{Fe}/{{H}}]> =-1.13 dex and a modest dispersion of 0.06 dex. However, 18% (2/11) of the stars in our sample have strongly enhanced [La, Nd/Fe] ratios that are correlated with a small (∼0.05 dex) increase in [Fe/H]. NGC 6229 shares several chemical signatures with M75, NGC 1851, and the intermediate metallicity populations of ω Cen, which lead us to conclude that NGC 6229 is a lower mass iron-complex cluster. The light elements exhibit the classical (anti-)correlations that extend up to Si, but the cluster possesses a large gap in the O-Na plane that separates first and second generation stars. NGC 6229 also has unusually low [Na, Al/Fe] abundances that are consistent with an accretion origin. A comparison with M54 and other Sagittarius clusters suggests that NGC 6229 could also be the remnant core of a former dwarf spheroidal galaxy.
- Publication:
-
The Astronomical Journal
- Pub Date:
- October 2017
- DOI:
- 10.3847/1538-3881/aa86ac
- arXiv:
- arXiv:1709.00048
- Bibcode:
- 2017AJ....154..155J
- Keywords:
-
- globular clusters: general;
- globular clusters: individual: NGC 6229;
- stars: abundances;
- Astrophysics - Solar and Stellar Astrophysics;
- Astrophysics - Astrophysics of Galaxies
- E-Print:
- Accepted for Publication in the Astronomical Journal