Open AccessThe λ Bootis phenomenon: interaction between a star and a diffuse interstellar cloud
Author(s) -
Kamp Inga,
Paunzen Ernst
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
monthly notices of the royal astronomical society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.058
H-Index - 383
eISSN - 1365-2966
pISSN - 0035-8711
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-8711.2002.05883.x
Subject(s) - physics , astrophysics , stars , interstellar cloud , interstellar medium , population , accretion (finance) , astronomy , molecular cloud , galaxy , demography , sociology
The λ Bootis stars, a group of late B‐ to early F‐type Population I stars, have surface abundances that resemble the general metal depletion pattern found in the interstellar medium. Inspired by the recent result that the fundamental parameters of these peculiar stars differ in no respect from those of a comparison sample of normal stars, the hypothesis of an interaction between a star and a diffuse interstellar cloud is considered as a possible explanation of the peculiar abundance pattern. It is found that such a scenario is able to explain the selective accretion of interstellar gas depleted in condensable elements as well as the spectral range of the λ Bootis phenomenon.