Oxygen abundances in unevolved metal-poor stars - Interpretation and consequences

Abia, C.; Rebolo, R.
Bibliographical reference

Astrophysical Journal, Part 1 (ISSN 0004-637X), vol. 347, Dec. 1, 1989, p. 186-194.

Advertised on:
12
1989
Number of authors
2
IAC number of authors
2
Citations
173
Refereed citations
140
Description
The oxygen abundance has been determined by analysis of the O I infrared triplet in 30 unevolved field stars of metallicities in the range Fe/H abundance ratio between -0.2 and -3.5. The data show that the O/Fe abundance ratio increases monotonically as metallicity decreases from solar, reaching values in the range 1.0-1.2 at an Fe/H abundance ratio of about -2. The results, when compared with those already published for metal-deficient red giants, suggest that oxygen could have been depleted in the latter. A discussion of the O/Fe abundance ratios in connection with the chemical evolution of the Galaxy is also presented.