A search for strongly Mg-enhanced stars from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey

Strongly Mg-enhanced stars with [Mg/Fe] 〉 1.0 show peculiar abundance patterns and hence are of great interest for our understanding of stellar formation and chemical evolution of the Galaxy. A systematic search for strongly Mg-enhanced stars based on low-resolution （R≈2000） spectra from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey （SDSS） is carried out by finding the synthetic spectrum that best matches the observed one in the region of Mg I b lines around λ5170 ,A via a profile matching method. The advantage of our method is that fitting parameters are refined by reproducing the [Mg/Fe] ratios of 47 stars from the very precise high-resolution spectroscopic （HRS） analysis by Nissen ＆ Schuster; and these parameters are crucial to the precision and validity of the derived Mg abundances. As a further check of our method, Mg abun- dances are estimated with our method for member stars in four Galactic globular clus- ters （M92, M 13, M3, M71） which cover the same metallicity range as our sample, and the results are in good agreement with those of HRS analysis in the literature. The val- idation of our method is also demonstrated by the agreement of [Mg/Fe] between our values and those of HRS analysis by Aoki et al. Finally, 33 candidates of strongly Mg- enhanced stars with [Mg/Fe]〉 1.0 are selected from 14 850 F and G stars. Follow-up observations will be carried out on these candidates with high-resolution spectroscopy by large telescopes in the near future, so as to check our selection procedure and to perform a precise and detailed abundance analysis and to explore the origins of these stars.

Halo stream candidates in the LAMOST DR2

We have cross-matched the LAMOST DR2 with the WISE, 2MASS and PPMXL catalogs and obtained a sample of 64 819 FGK metal-poor dwarfs with [Fe/H]〈-0.7, distances within 2 kpc from the Sun and reliable kinematics（space velocities,angular momenta and eccentricities）. With a detection strategy for halo streams provided by Klement et al, nine significant ＂phase-space overdensities＂ with stars on very similar orbits are identified from this sample. Among these overdensities, three were previously known and six are new stream candidates. The kinematics and metallicities of these stream candidates are then analyzed; they have typical halo characteristics.We have extracted the most probable members of each halo stream according to their angles with respect to the North Galactic Pole and investigate the distribution of the angular momenta to further verify their existences. Detailed study of elemental abundances for these members based on high resolution and high signal-to-noise spectra from follow-up observations in the near future is of high interest to understand the origin of these streams.

A comparison of stellar atmospheric parameters from the LAMOST and APOGEE datasets

We have compared stellar parameters, including temperature, gravity and metallicity, for common stars in the LAMOST DR2 and SDSS DR12/APOGEE datasets. It is found that the LAMOST dataset provides a more well-defined red clump feature than the APOGEE dataset in the Teff versus log g diagram. With this advantage, we have separated red clump stars from red giant stars, and attempt to establish calibrations between the two datasets for the two groups of stars. The results show that there is a good consistency in temperature with a calibration close to the one-to-one line, and we can establish a satisfactory metallicity calibration of[Fe/H]APOGEE= 1.18[Fe/H]LAMOST ＋ 0.11 with a scatter of ～ 0.08 dex for both the red clump and red giant branch samples. For gravity, there is no correlation for red clump stars between the two datasets, and scatters around the calibrations of red giant stars are substantial. We found two main sources of scatter in log g for red giant stars. One is a group of stars with 0.00253 × Teff- 8.67 〈 log g 〈 2.6 located in the forbidden region, and the other is the contaminated red clump stars, which could be picked out from the unmatched region where stellar metallicity is not consistent with position in the Teff versus log g diagram. After excluding stars in these two regions,we have established two calibrations for red giant stars, log g APOGEE = 0.000615 ×Teff,LAMOST＋ 0.697 × log g LAMOST- 2.208（σ = 0.150） for [Fe/H] 〉-1 and log gAPOGEE= 0.000874×Teff,LAMOST＋0.588×log g LAMOST-3.117（σ = 0.167）for [Fe/H] 〈-1. The calibrations are valid for stars with Teff = 3800- 5400 K and log g = 0- 3.8 dex, and are useful in work aiming to combine the LAMOST and APOGEE datasets in a future study. In addition, we find that an SVM method based on asteroseismic log g is a good way to greatly improve the accuracy of gravity for these two regions, at least in the LAMOST dataset.

Chemical abundance analysis of 19 barium stars

We aim at deriving accurate atmospheric parameters and chemical abundances of 19 barium（Ba） stars, including both strong and mild Ba stars, based on the high signal-to-noise ratio and high resolution Echelle spectra obtained from the 2.16 m telescope at Xinglong station of National Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences. The chemical abundances of the sample stars were obtained from an LTE, plane-parallel and line-blanketed atmospheric model by inputting the atmospheric parameters（effective temperatures Teff, surface gravities log g, metallicity [Fe/H] and microturbulence velocity ξt） and equivalent widths of stellar absorption lines. These samples of Ba stars are giants as indicated by atmospheric parameters, metallicities and kinematic analysis about UVW velocity. Chemical abundances of 17 elements were obtained for these Ba stars. Their Na, Al, α- and iron-peak elements（O, Na, Mg, Al, Si, Ca,Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Ni） are similar to the solar abundances. Our samples of Ba stars show obvious overabundances of neutron-capture（n-capture） process elements relative to the Sun. Their median abundances of[Ba/Fe], [La/Fe] and [Eu/Fe] are 0.54, 0.65 and 0.40, respectively. The Y I and Zr I abundances are lower than Ba, La and Eu, but higher than the α- and iron-peak elements for the strong Ba stars and similar to the iron-peak elements for the mild stars. There exists a positive correlation between Ba intensity and [Ba/Fe].For the n-capture elements（Y, Zr, Ba, La）, there is an anti-correlation between their [X/Fe] and [Fe/H]. We identify nine of our sample stars as strong Ba stars with [Ba/Fe]〉0.6 where seven of them have Ba intensity Ba=2-5, one has Ba=1.5 and another one has Ba=1.0. The remaining ten stars are classified as mild Ba stars with 0.17〈[Ba/Fe]〈0.54.

An algorithm for preferential selection of spectroscopic targets in LEGUE

We describe a general target selection algorithm that is applicable to any survey in which the number of available candidates is much larger than the number of objects to be observed. This routine aims to achieve a balance between a smoothly- varying, well-understood selection function and the desire to preferentially select cer- tain types of targets. Some target-selection examples are shown that illustrate differentpossibilities of emphasis functions. Although it is generally applicable, the algorithm was developed specifically for the LAMOST Experiment for Galactic Understanding and Exploration （LEGUE） survey that will be carried out using the Chinese Guo Shou Jing Telescope. In particular, this algorithm was designed for the portion of LEGUE targeting the Galactic halo, in which we attempt to balance a variety of science goals that require stars at fainter magnitudes than can be completely sampled by LAMOST. This algorithm has been implemented for the halo portion of the LAMOST pilot sur- vey, which began in October 2011.

Stellar Abundance and Galactic Chemical Evolution through LAMOST Spectroscopic Survey

A project of a spectroscopic survey of Galactic structure and evolution with a Large sky Area Multi-Object fiber Spectroscopic Telescope （LAMOST） is presented. The spectroscopic survey consists of two observational modes for various targets in our Galaxy. One is a major survey of the Milky Way aimed at a systematic study of the stellar abundance and Galactic chemical evolution through low resolution （R = 1000 2000） spectroscopy. Another is a follow-up observation with medium resolution （R = 10000） spectrographs aimed at detailed studies of the selected stars with different chemical composition, kinematics and dynamics.

High-α-Metal-Rich stars in the LAMOST-MRS survey and its connection with the galactic bulge

We report the detection of a large sample of high-α-metal-rich stars on the low giant branch with 2.6<log g<3.3 dex in the LAMOST-MRS survey.This special group corresponds to an intermediate-age population of 5-9 Gyr based on the[Fe/H]-[C/N]diagram and age-[C/N]calibration.A comparison group is selected to have a solarαratio at super metallicity,which is young and has a narrow age range around 3 Gyr.Both groups have thin-disk like kinematics but the former shows slightly large velocity dispersions.The special group shows a larger extension in a vertical distance toward 1.2 kpc,a second peak at smaller Galactic radius and a larger fraction of super metal rich stars with[Fe/H]>0.2 than the comparison group.These properties strongly indicate its connection with the outer bar/bulge region at R=3-5 kpc.A tentative interpretation of this special group is that its stars were formed in the X-shaped bar/bulge region,close to its corotation radius,where radial migration is the most intense,and brings them to present locations at 9 kpc and beyond.Low eccentricities and slightly outward radial excursions of its stars are consistent with this scenario.Its kinematics(cold)and chemistry([α/Fe]~0.1)further support the formation of the instability-driven X-shaped bar/bulge from the thin disk.

Partitioning the Galactic halo with Gaussian Mixture Models

The Galactic halo is supposed to form from merging with nearby dwarf galaxies.In order to probe different components of the Galactic halo,we have applied the Gaussian Mixture Models method to a selected sample of metal poor stars with[Fe/H]<−0.7 dex in the APOGEE DR16 catalogue based on four-parameters,metallicity,[Mg/Fe]ratio and spatial velocity(VR,V).Nine groups are identified with four from the halo(group 1,3,4 and 5),one from the thick disk(group 6),one from the thin disk(group 8)and one from dwarf galaxies(group 7)by analyzing their distributions in the([M/H],[Mg/Fe]),(VR,V),(Zmax,eccentricity),(Energy,Lz)and([Mg/Mn],[Al/Fe])coordinates.The rest of the two groups are respectively caused by observational effect(group 9)and the cross section component(group 2)between the thin disk and the thick disk.It is found that in the extremely outer accreted halo(group 1),stars born in the Milky Way cannot be distinguished from those accreted from other galaxies either chemically or kinematically.In the intermediate metallicity of−1.6<[Fe/H]<−0.7 dex,the accreted halo is mainly composed of the Gaia-Enceladus-Sausage substructure(group 5),which can be easily distinguished from group 4(the in-situ halo group)in both chemical and kinematic space.Some stars of group 4 may come from the disk and some disk stars can be scattered to high orbits by resonant effects as shown in the Zmax versus Energy coordinate.We also displayed the spatial distribution of main components of the halo and the ratio of accreted components do not show clear relation to the Galactic radius.

An Analysis of the Condensation Temperature of Elements of Extrasolar Planetary Systems

Using high signal-to-noise ratio spectra of extrasolar planet-hosting stars, we obtained the atmospheric parameters, accurate metallicities and the differential abundance for 15 elements （C, O, Na, Mg, Al, Si, S, Ca, Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Ni and Ba）. In a search for possible signatures of metal-rich material accreting onto the parent stars, we found that, for a given element, there is no significant trend of increasing [X/H] with increasing condensation temperature To. In our sample of planet-harboring stars, the volatile and refractory elements behave similarly, and we can not confirm if there exists any significant dependence on the condensation temperature Tc.

CaII H&K emission distribution of ～120000 F,G and K stars in LAMOST DR1

We present chromospheric activity index SHK measurements for 119 995 F, G and K stars with high signal-to-noise ratio（S/N 〉 80） spectra, extracted from LAMOST DR1 in SDSS g band. The index δS for each of these stars is calculated by the difference between its SHK value and the baseline determined from very inactive stars. The effect of metallicity on measurement of δS varies with stellar Teff. No evident Vaughan-Preston gap appears in our sample. The relation between δS and vertical distance from the Galactic plane is determined for stars with Teff 〈 5500 K. Stars with higher δS tend to be closer to the Galactic plane. Two open clusters in the DR1 sample, M45 and M67, exhibit the expected general trend that δS decays with age.For stars with Teff 〉 5500 K, similar δS levels appear in both young and old cluster stars, which supports Pace＇s suggestion that caution should be exercised when deriving the age of a single star by using its chromospheric activity. Finally, we investigate the relation between δS and the kinematics of our sample.

Abundances of 23 field RR Lyrae stars

We present stellar parameters and abundances of 15 elements （Na, Mg, A1, Si, Ca, Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Y and Ba） for 23 field RR Lyrae variables based on high-resolution （R ~ 60 000） and high signal-to-noise （S/N~ 200） spectra obtained using the High Dispersion Spectrograph on the Subaru Telescope. Six stars in the sample have more than one spectrum observed at different pulsation phases. The derived abundance ratios of [X/Fe] for 14 elements （except for Ba） do not vary during the pulsation cycle. An interesting curve of [Ba/Fe] versus phase is detected for the first time and it shows decreasing [Ba/Fe] with increasing temperature at a given metallicity. Combining with data in the literature, abundances of most RR Lyrae stars as a function of [Fe/H] follow the same trends as those of dwarf stars, but [Sc/Fe] and [Y/Fe] ratios of RR Lyrae stars at solar metallicity are lower than those of dwarf stars. The kinematics of RR Lyrae stars indicate that three comparatively metal-rich RR Lyrae stars might originate from the thick disk and they show higher [a/Fe] ratios than RR Lyrae stars with thin disk kinematics. Among 23 RR Lyrae stars, two special objects are found with abnormal abundances; TV Lib has high [a/Fe], [Sc/Fe], [Y/Fe] and [Ba/Fe] ratios while TW Her has solar [a/Fe] but significantly lower [Sc/Fe], [Y/Fe] and [Ba/Fe] ratios as compared with other RR Lyrae stars.

The LEGUE disk targets for LAMOST's pilot survey

We describe the target selection algorithm for the low latitude disk por- tion of the LAMOST Pilot Survey, which aims to test systems in preparation for the LAMOST spectroscopic survey. We use the PPMXL astrometric catalog, which provides positions, proper motions, B/R/I magnitudes （mostly） from USNO-B and d/H/Ks from the Two Micron All Sky Survey （2MASS） as well. We chose eight plates along the Galactic plane, in the region 0° 〈 α° 〈 67° and 42° 〈 δ 〈 59°, which cover 22 known open clusters with a range of ages. Adjacent plates may have some small overlapping area. Each plate covers an area of 2.5° in radius, with its cen- tral star （for the Shack-Hartmann guider） brighter than 8th magnitude. For each plate, we create an input catalog in the magnitude range 11.3 〈 Imag 〈 16.3 and Bmag available from PPMXL. The stars are selected to satisfy the requirements of the fiber positioning system and have a uniform distribution in the I vs. B - I color-magnitude diagram. Our final input catalog consists of 12 000 objects on each of eight plates that are observable during the winter observing season from the Xinglong Station of the National Astronomical Observatory of China.