Related papers: Stellar Objects of Extragalactic Origin in the Gal…
Correlations between stellar kinematics and chemical abundances are fossil evidence for evolutionary connections between Galactic structural components. Extensive stellar surveys show that the only tolerably clear distinction between…
Full evolutionary models have been built to follow the phases of asymptotic giant branch evolution with mass loss for metal mass fractions from Z=0.0002 to Z=0.004. For the first time, we find that temperatures close to or even larger than…
The circumgalactic medium (CGM) is fed by galaxy outflows and accretion of intergalactic gas, but its mass, heavy element enrichment, and relation to galaxy properties are poorly constrained by observations. In a survey of the outskirts of…
Abundance observations indicate the presence of rapid-neutron capture (i.e., r-process) elements in old Galactic halo and globular cluster stars. These observations demonstrate that the earliest generations of stars in the Galaxy,…
In the last decade, a new kind of stellar systems has been established that shows properties in between those of globular clusters (GCs) and early-type dwarf galaxies. These so-called ultra-compact dwarf galaxies (UCDs) have masses in the…
Based on the earlier work of Gunn and McCrea we model the formation of globular clusters in merging galaxies. Neutral hydrogen observations of dwarf irregular galaxies as well as more luminous systems are used to provide the key parameters…
We discuss the chemical composition of six giant stars of the outer Halo globular cluster NGC5694, through the analysis of UVES@FLAMES high-resolution spectra. The cluster has an average iron content [Fe/H]=--1.83+-0.01, solar-scaled…
While we observe a large amount of cold interstellar gas and dust in a subset of the early-type galaxy (ETG) population, the source of this material remains unclear. The two main, competing scenarios are external accretion of lower mass,…
Models of the chemical evolution of the interstellar medium, galaxies, and the Universe rely on our understanding of the amounts and chemical composition of the material returned by stars and supernovae. Stellar yields are obtained from…
The detection of stars in the process of being tidally removed from globular clusters and dwarf spheroidals in the Galaxy's halo provides a strong constraint on their mass to light ratios and on the extent of their possible dark matter…
We present Spitzer IRS spectra of four carbon stars located in the Galactic Halo and the thick disc. The spectra display typical features of carbon stars with SiC dust emission and C$_2$H$_2$ molecular absorption. Dust radiative transfer…
Studies of the early chemical evolution of some larger dwarf galaxies ( $>10^7$ solar masses) are limited by the small number of stars known at low metallicities in these systems. Here we present metallicities and carbon abundances for…
A new view on our Galaxy has recently emerged, with large consequences on its formation scenarios. Not only new dwarf satellites have been detected, still orbiting and tidally disrupting, but also a multitude of stellar streams or tidal…
In this short communication we consider the possibility that stars less evolved than the polluters are the source of the dilution needed to explain the observed composition of second-generation globular cluster (GC) stars and the Na-O and…
The study of the long-dead early generations of massive stars is crucial in order to obtain a complete picture of the chemical evolution of the Universe, hence the origin of the elements. The nature of these stars can be inferred indirectly…
We use analytical and $N$-body methods to study the capture of field stars by gravitating substructures moving across a galactic environment. The majority of stars captured by a substructure move on temporarily-bound orbits that are lost to…
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…
The stellar debris structures that have been discovered around the Milky Way and other galaxies are thought to be formed from the disruption of satellite stellar systems --- dwarf galaxies or globular clusters --- by galactic tidal fields.…
(Abridged) We investigate the hypothesis that some fraction of the globular clusters presently observed in the Galactic halo formed in external dwarf galaxies, by means of a detailed comparison between Zinn's "old halo", "young halo", and…
Ground- and space-based observations of stellar heavy element abundances are providing a clearer picture of the chemical evolution of the Galaxy. A large number of (r)apid and (s)low neutron capture process elements, including the first…