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Lithium in Open Cluster Red Giants Hosting Substellar CompanionsWe have measured stellar parameters, [Fe/H], lithium abundances, rotation, and (12)C/13C in a small sample of red giants (RGs) in three open clusters that are each home to a RG star that hosts a substellar companion (SSC) (NGC 2423 3, NGC 4349 127, and BD+12 1917 in M67). Our goal is to explore whether the presence of SSCs influences the Li content. Both (12)C/13C and stellar rotation are measured as additional tracers of stellar mixing. One of the companion hosts, NGC 24233, is found to be Li-rich with A(Li)(sub NLTE) = 1.56 dex, and this abundance is significantly higher than the A(Li) of the two comparison stars in NGC 2423. All three SSC hosts have the highest A(Li) and (12)C/13C when compared to the control RGs in their respective clusters; however, except for NGC 24233, at least one control star has similarly high abundances within the uncertainties. Higher A(Li) could suggest that the formation or presence of planets plays a role in the degree of internal mixing on or before the RG branch. However, a multitude of factors affect A(Li) during the RG phase, and when the abundances of our sample are compared with the abundances of RGs in other open clusters available in the literature, we find that they all fall well within a much larger distribution of A(Li) and (12)C/13C. Thus, even the high Li in NGC 2423 3 cannot be concretely tied to the presence of the SSC.
Document ID
20160004058
Acquisition Source
Goddard Space Flight Center
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Authors
Carlberg, Joleen K.
(Universities Space Research Association Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Smith, Verne V.
(National Optical Astronomy Observatories Tucson, AZ, United States)
Cunha, Katia
(National Observatory Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
Carpenter, Kenneth G.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD United States)
Date Acquired
March 29, 2016
Publication Date
February 4, 2016
Publication Information
Publication: The Astrophysical Journal
Publisher: The American Astronomical Society
Volume: 818
Issue: 1
e-ISSN: 2041-8213
Subject Category
Astrophysics
Report/Patent Number
GSFC-E-DAA-TN30763
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NNH15CO48B
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other
Keywords
stellar parameters
stellar rotation
red giants

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