2001/08/15 by K. A. Venn, Kim A. Venn, Alyson Brooks +8 · 1 citation
Physics and Astronomy · #Astro and Planetary Science #Astronomy and Astrophysical Research #Stellar, planetary, and galactic studies #astro-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.1086/324435
31 pages, 14 figures. accepted to ApJ
arxiv created 2001/08/15 · openalex publication_date 2002/01/20 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01 · openalex created_date 2016/06/24 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/01
Boron abundances have been derived for seven main-sequence B-type stars from Hubble Space Telescope STIS spectra around the B III λ2066 line. In two stars, boron appears to be undepleted with respect to the presumed initial abundance. In one star, boron is detectable but is clearly depleted. In the other four stars, boron is undetectable, implying depletions of 1-2 dex. Three of these four stars are nitrogen enriched, but the fourth shows no enrichment of nitrogen. Only rotationally induced mixing predicts that boron depletions are unaccompanied by nitrogen enrichments. The inferred rate of boron depletion from our observations is in good agreement with these predictions. Other boron-depleted nitrogen-normal stars are identified from the literature. In addition, several boron-depleted nitrogen-rich stars are identified, and while all fall on the boron-nitrogen trend predicted by rotationally induced mixing, a majority have nitrogen enrichments that are not uniquely explained by rotation. The spectra have also been used to determine iron group (Cr, Mn, Fe, and Ni) abundances. The seven B-type stars have near-solar iron group abundances, as expected for young stars in the solar neighborhood. We have also analyzed the halo B-type star PG 0832+676. We find [Fe/H] = -0.88 ± 0.10, and the absence of the B III line gives the upper limit [B/H] < -2.5. These and other published abundances are used to infer the star's evolutionary status as a post-asymptotic giant branch star.