High-Resolution Infrared Spectra of Bulge Globular Clusters: Liller 1 and NGC 6553

Using the NIRSPEC spectrograph at Keck II, we have obtained echelle spectracovering the range 1.5-1.8um for 2 of the brightest giants in Liller 1 and NGC6553, old metal rich globular clusters in the Galactic bulge. We use spectrumsynthesis for the abundance analysis, and find [Fe/H]=-0.3 +/- 0.2 and[O/H]=+0.3 +/- 0.2 dex. The composition of the clusters is similar to that offield stars in the bulge and is consistent with a sceanrio in which theclusters formed early, with rapid enrichment. We have dificulty achieveing agood fit to the spectrum of NGC 6553 using either the low or the high valuesrecently reported in the literature, unless unusually large, or noalpha-element enhancements are adopted, respectively.Comment: To appear in the Astronomical Journal, March 200