Neon Abundances in B Stars of the Orion Association: Solving the Solar Model Problem?

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Published 2006 August 8 © 2006. The American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved. Printed in U.S.A.
, , Citation Katia Cunha et al 2006 ApJ 647 L143 DOI 10.1086/507301

1538-4357/647/2/L143

Abstract

We report on non-LTE Ne abundances for a sample of B-type stellar members of the Orion association. The abundances were derived by means of non-LTE fully metal-blanketed model atmospheres and extensive model atoms with updated atomic data. We find that these young stars have a very homogeneous abundance of A(Ne) = 8.11 ± 0.04. This abundance is higher by ~0.3 dex than the currently adopted solar value, A(Ne) = 7.84, which is derived from lines produced in the corona and active regions. The general agreement between the abundances of C, N, and O derived for B stars with the solar abundances of these elements derived from three-dimensional hydrodynamical models atmospheres strongly suggests that the abundance patterns of the light elements in the Sun and B stars are broadly similar. If this hypothesis is true, then the Ne abundance derived here will help to reconcile solar models with helioseismological observations.

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10.1086/507301