Search

Detailed chemical abundances for five stars in two Galactic globular clusters, NGC 5466 and NGC 5024, are presented from high-resolution optical (from the Hobby-Eberley Telescope) and infrared spectra (from the SDSS-III APOGEE survey). We find [Fe/H] = −1.97 ± 0.13 dex for NGC 5466, and [Fe/H] = −2.06 ± 0.13 dex for NGC 5024, and the typical abundance pattern for globular clusters for the remaining elements, e.g. both show evidence for mixing in their light element abundance ratios (C, N), and asymptotic giant branch contributions in their heavy element abundances (Y, Ba, and Eu). These clusters were selected to examine chemical trends that may correlate them with the Sgr dwarf galaxy remnant, but at these low metallicities no obvious differences from the Galactic abundance pattern are found. Regardless, we compare our results from the optical and infrared analyses to find that oxygen and silicon abundances determined from the infrared spectral lines are in better agreement with the other α-element ratios and with smaller random errors. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Context. We present a new search for variable stars in the Galactic globular cluster M 28 (NGC 6626). Aims. The search is based on a series of BVI images obtained with the SMARTS Consortium's 1.3 m telescope at Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory, Chile. Methods. The search was carried out using the ISIS v2.2 image subtraction package. Results. We find a total of 25 variable stars in the field of the cluster, nine being new discoveries. Of the newly found variables, one is an ab-type RR Lyrae star, six are c-type RR Lyrae, and two are long-period/semi-regular variables. V22, previously classified as a type II Cepheid, appears as a bona-fide RRc in our data. In turn, V20, previously classified as an ab-type RR Lyrae, could not be properly phased with any reasonable period. Conclusions. The properties of the ab-type RR Lyrae stars in M 28 appear most consistent with an Oosterhoff-intermediate classification, which is unusual for bona-fide Galactic globulars clusters. However, the cluster's c-type variables do not clearly support such an Oosterhoff type, and a hybrid Oosterhoff I/II system is accordingly another possibility, thus raising the intriguing possibility of multiple populations being present in M 28. Coordinates, periods, and light curves in differential fluxes are provided for all the detected variables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]