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The Extreme CNO-enhanced Composition of the Primitive Iron-poor Dwarf Star J0815+4729*

Hernandez, Jonay I. Gonzalez; Aguado, David S.; Prieto, Carlos Allende; Burgasser, Adam J.; Rebolo, Rafael

ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL LETTERS
2020
VL / 889 - BP / - EP /
abstract
We present an analysis of high-resolution Keck/HIRES spectroscopic observations of J0815+4729, an extremely carbon-enhanced, iron-poor dwarf star. These high-quality data allow us to derive a metallicity of [Fe/H] = -5.49 0.14 from the three strongest Fe i lines and to measure a high [Ca/Fe] = 0.75 0.14. The large carbon abundance of A(C) = 7.43 0.17 (or [C/Fe] similar to 4.49 0.11) places this star in the upper boundary of the low-carbon band in the A(C)-[Fe/H] diagram, suggesting no contamination from a binary AGB companion. We detect the oxygen triplet at 777 nm for the first time in an ultra-metal-poor star, indicating a large oxygen-to-iron abundance ratio of [O/Fe] = 4.03 0.12 (A(O) = 7.23 0.14), significantly higher than the previously most metal-poor dwarf J2209-0028 with an oxygen triplet detection with [O/Fe] similar to 2.2 dex at [Fe/H] similar to -3.9. Nitrogen is also dramatically enhanced with (A(N) = 6.75 0.08) and an abundance ratio [N/Fe] similar to 4.41 0.08. We also detect Ca, Na, and Mg, while providing upper limits for eight other elements. The abundance pattern of J0815+4729 resembles that of HE 1327-2326, indicating that both are second-generation stars contaminated by a similar to 21-27 M single, zero-metallicity, low-energy supernova with very little mixing and substantial fallback. The absence of lithium implies an upper limit abundance A(Li) < 1.3 dex, about 0.7 dex below the detected Li abundance in J0023+0307, which has a similar metallicity, exacerbating the cosmological lithium problem.

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