Open AccessThe evolution of barium and europium in local dwarf spheroidal galaxies
Author(s) -
Lanfranchi Gustavo A.,
Matteucci Francesca,
Cescutti Gabriele
Publication year - 2006
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 - 10.1111/j.1365-2966.2005.09700.x
Subject(s) - physics , astrophysics , nucleosynthesis , supernova , galaxy , asymptotic giant branch , milky way , stars , dwarf spheroidal galaxy , star formation , local group , astronomy , stellar nucleosynthesis , elliptical galaxy , galaxy group
By means of a detailed chemical evolution model, we follow the evolution of barium (Ba) and europium (Eu) in four Local Group Dwarf Spheroidal (dSph) galaxies, in order to set constraints on the nucleosynthesis of these elements and on the evolution of this type of galaxies compared with the Milky Way. The model, which is able to reproduce several observed abundance ratios and the present‐day total mass and gas mass content of these galaxies, adopts up‐to‐date nucleosynthesis and takes into account the role played by supernovae (SNe) of different types (II, Ia) allowing us to follow in detail the evolution of several chemical elements (H, D, He, C, N, O, Mg, Si, S, Ca, Fe, Ba and Eu). By assuming that Ba is a neutron‐capture element produced in low‐mass asymptotic giant branch stars by s‐process but also in massive stars (in the mass range 10–30 M ⊙ ) by r‐process, during the explosive event of SNe of Type II, and that Eu is a pure r‐process element synthesized in massive stars also in the range of masses 10–30 M ⊙ , we are able to reproduce the observed [Ba/Fe] and [Eu/Fe] as functions of [Fe/H] in all four galaxies studied. We confirm also the important role played by the very low star formation (SF) efficiencies (ν= 0.005–0.5 Gyr −1 ) and by the intense galactic winds (6–13 times the star formation rate) in the evolution of these galaxies. These low SF efficiencies (compared to the one for the Milky Way disc) adopted for the dSph galaxies are the main reason for the differences between the trends of [Ba/Fe] and [Eu/Fe] predicted and observed in these galaxies and in the metal‐poor stars of our Galaxy. Finally, we provide predictions for Sagittarius galaxy for which data of only two stars are available.