The chemical make-up of the Sun: A 2020 vision

2021/05/31 by M. Asplund, A. M. Amarsi, N. Grevesse · 74 citations
Physics and Astronomy · #Astro and Planetary Science #Astrophysics and Star Formation Studies #Stellar, planetary, and galactic studies #astro-ph.EP #astro-ph.SR

paper · pdf · doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202140445

published as A&A 653, A141 (2021) · 31 pages, arXiv abstract abridged; accepted for publication in Astronomy & Astrophysics

openalex created_date 2021/05/10 · openalex publication_date 2021/06/29 · arxiv created 2021/07/14 · arxiv updated 2021/09/29 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/31

Abstract

The chemical composition of the Sun is a fundamental yardstick in astronomy, relative to which essentially all cosmic objects are referenced. We reassess the solar abundances of all 83 long-lived elements, using highly realistic solar modelling and state-of-the-art spectroscopic analysis techniques coupled with the best available atomic data and observations. Our new improved analysis confirms the relatively low solar abundances of C, N, and O obtained in our previous 3D-based studies: logε_C=8.46±0.04, logε_N=7.83±0.07, and logε_O=8.69±0.04. The revised solar abundances for the other elements also typically agree well with our previously recommended values with just Li, F, Ne, Mg, Cl, Kr, Rb, Rh, Ba, W, Ir, and Pb differing by more than 0.05 dex. The here advocated present-day photospheric metal mass fraction is only slightly higher than our previous value, mainly due to the revised Ne abundance from Genesis solar wind measurements: X_{\rm surface}=0.7438±0.0054, Y_{\rm surface}=0.2423± 0.0054, Z_{\rm surface}=0.0139± 0.0006, and Z_{\rm surface}/X_{\rm surface}=0.0187± 0.0009. Overall the solar abundances agree well with those of CI chondritic meteorites but we identify a correlation with condensation temperature such that moderately volatile elements are enhanced by ≈ 0.04 dex in the CI chondrites and refractory elements possibly depleted by ≈ 0.02 dex, conflicting with conventional wisdom of the past half-century. Instead the solar chemical composition resembles more closely that of the fine-grained matrix of CM chondrites. The so-called solar modelling problem remains intact with our revised solar abundances, suggesting shortcomings with the computed opacities and/or treatment of mixing below the convection zone in existing standard solar models.

Cited by

• The Barnard’s Star planetary system: stability, composition, and evolution of four sub-Earth exoplanets
• JWST spectral retrieval of cold directly imaged planet WD0806 b and the first measurement of altitude-dependent K_zz in exoplanet atmospheres
• The cosmochemistry of planetary systems
• The GAPS Programme at TNG
• The Opacity Project: R-Matrix Calculations for Opacities of High-Energy-Density Astrophysical and Laboratory Plasmas
• Metallicity regulates planet formation across all masses
• The transition from slow to fast wind as observed in composition observations
• Precise boron abundance in a sample of metal-poor stars from far-ultraviolet lines
• Investigating the Sulfur Mystery in Protoplanetary Disks Through Chemical Modeling
• Probing the geological setting of exoplanets through atmospheric analysis: using Mars as a test case
• Understanding an origin of palladium in metal-poor stars based on the non-LTE analysis of Pd~I lines
• Observation of undepleted phosphine in the atmosphere of a low-temperature brown dwarf
• UV Spectral Slope and Nebular Dust Attenuation in Dwarf Galaxies at 1.4
• Ross 458c: Gas Giant or Brown Dwarf?
• Three Decades of Global Oscillation Network Group (GONG): From Helioseismology to Magnetic Field and Space Weather (Invited Review)
• Structure and Dynamics of the Sun’s Interior Revealed by the Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager
• A Protoplanet Candidate in the PDS 66 Disk Indicated by Silicon Sulfide Isotopologues
• High-Resolution Modeling of Coronae and Winds in Solar-Type Stars with Varying Rotation Rates. I. X-Ray Coronae
• CECILIA: Gas-Phase Physical Conditions and Multi-Element Chemistry at Cosmic Noon
• A search for chemical stratification and magnetic fields in eight field blue horizontal-branch stars
• Chemical Abundances of M and G Dwarfs in the Hyades and Coma Berenices Open Clusters from APOGEE Spectra
• Early Insights for Atmospheric Retrievals of Exoplanets Using JWST Transit Spectroscopy
• Investigating Phosphorus Abundances in a Sample of APOGEE-2 Bulge Globular Clusters
• Soot Planets instead of Water Worlds
• Black hole accretion, star formation, and chemical evolution with PRIMA/FIRESS spectroscopy: toward the cosmic noon and beyond
• Identification of Likely Methane Absorption Features in the Optical Spectra of Titan
• The solar sulphur abundance in view of large-scale atomic structure calculations and 3D non-LTE models
• New Interpretation for the Orientation of the LMC's Gaseous Arms B and E using ULLYSES
• Is the composition of the Solar atmosphere unusual, and if so, why? Possible interpretations
• Terrestrial Exoplanet Internal Structure Constraints Enabled by Comprehensive Host Star Characterization Reveal that Terrestrial Planets in Mean-motion Resonances are Water Rich
• Atmospheric composition and circulation of the ultra-hot Jupiter WASP-121b with joint NIRPS, HARPS and CRIRES+ transit spectroscopy
• The evolution of CNO elements in galaxies
• Unveiling the Variability and Chemical Composition of AL Col
• On the Regulation of the Solar Wind Helium Abundance by the Hydrogen Compressibility
• Chemical evolution imprints in the rare isotopes of nearby M dwarfs
• Catalogue of model star clusters in the Milky Way and M31 galaxies
• The AURORA Survey: High-Redshift Empirical Metallicity Calibrations from Electron Temperature Measurements at z=2-10
• Strong NUV Refractory Absorption and Dissociated Water in the Hubble Transmission Spectrum of the Ultra Hot Jupiter KELT-20 b
• The Effects of Sunspots on Spectral Line Shapes in the Visible
• The watery atmosphere of HD~209458~b revealed by joint K- and L-band high-resolution spectroscopy
• Leonessa: An Extremely Metal-poor Galaxy Undergoing Secular Chemical Evolution
• Quantifying thermal water dissociation in the dayside photosphere of WASP-121 b using NIRPS
• Probing neutral outflows in z ~ 2 galaxies using JWST observations of Ca II H and K absorption lines
• Stellar CoRGI in MaNGA: Stellar Counterrotating Galaxies Identified in the MaNGA Survey
• When Stars Mimic Monsters: Luminous Blue Variables in SBS 0335-052 E
• The AURORA Survey: Robust Helium Abundances at High Redshift Reveal A Subpopulation of Helium-Enhanced Galaxies in the Early Universe
• Revisiting inelastic Cu + H collisions and the non-LTE Galactic evolution of copper
• CECILIA: Ultra-Deep Rest-Optical Spectra of Faint Galaxies at Cosmic Noon
• Globular cluster formation from inertial inflows: accreting extremely massive stars as the origin of abundance anomalies
• A Metal-Free Galaxy at z = 3.19? Evidence of Late Population III Star Formation at Cosmic Noon
• The impact of the transport of chemicals and electronic screening on helioseismic and neutrino observations in solar models
• The Compositions of Rocky Planets in Close-in Orbits Tend to Be Earth-like
• The Kinematic Age of 3I/ATLAS and its Implications for Early Planet Formation
• Is Earendel a Star Cluster?: Metal Poor Globular Cluster Progenitors at z∼6
• The Future of Solar modelling: requirements for a new generation of solar models
• Homogeneous Stellar Atmospheric Parameters and 22 Elemental Abundances for FGK Stars Derived From LAMOST Low-resolution Spectra with DD-Payne
• SiO and a super-stellar C/O ratio in the atmosphere of the giant exoplanet WASP-121b
• Continuous Habitable Zone Metric for Prioritizing Habitable Worlds Observatory Targets
• Comprehensive Laboratory Benchmark of K-shell Dielectronic Satellites of Fe XXV-XXI Ions
• Coronal Magnetometry with EUV Permitted Lines
• Origins of Carbon Dust in a JWST-Observed Primeval Galaxy at z∼6.7
• Hinode EIS Observations of Plasma Composition Evolution and Radiative Cooling of Solar Flare Loops
• Transit distances and compositions of low-velocity exocomets in the β Pic system
• Fe XVIII and Fe XX Forbidden Lines Observed by Solar Orbiter/SPICE
• Modeling Flare Continuum Emission Observed by Hinode/EIS: Instrument Calibration and Element Composition Results
• Abundance Measurements of the Metal-poor M subdwarf LHS 174 Using High-resolution Optical Spectroscopy
• Icy Volatile Enhancements in Evolving Protoplanetary Disks
• Compact Hydrogen Sulfide Emission Indicates Sulfur-bearing Ice Sublimation in the Inner Disk of HD 163296
• The YREC Stellar Evolution Code: Public Data Release
• A Next-Generation Exoplanet Atmospheric Retrieval Framework for Transmission Spectroscopy (NEXOTRANS): Comparative Characterization for WASP-39 b Using JWST NIRISS, NIRSpec PRISM, and MIRI Observations
• Quantifying the C/O Ratio in the Planet-forming Environments around Very Low Mass stars
• How To Use Thermal Dust Continuum Emission To Measure The Physical Properties Of Dusty Astrophysical Objects
• Introducing STARDIS: An Open and Modular Stellar Spectral Synthesis Code
• A model Earth-sized planet in the habitable zone of α Centauri A/B

Related

• The chemical make-up of the Sun: A 2020 vision
• The Chemical Composition of the Sun
• The elemental composition of the Sun
• The elemental composition of the Sun
• The elemental composition of the Sun