Astron. Astrophys. 323, 461-468 (1997)

Carbon, nitrogen, oxygen and lithium abundances of six cool supergiants in the SMC ^*

V. Hill ¹, B. Barbuy ² and M. Spite <sup>1

1</sup> Observatoire de Paris, Section de Meudon, DASGAL, URA 335 du CNRS, F-92195 Meudon Cedex, France
² Universidade de São Paulo, IAG, Dept. de Astronomia, CP 9638, São Paulo 01065-970, Brazil

Received 2 October 1996 / Accepted 2 January 1997

Abstract

Carbon, nitrogen and oxygen abundances were derived from high-resolution spectra of 6 cool supergiants of the Small Magellanic Cloud.

Oxygen-to-iron ratios (mean value -0.18 dex) are found to be similar to those found in young objects in the LMC and the Galaxy. This result is discussed in terms of chemical evolution. A mean deficiency of the carbon-to-iron ratio of -0.3 dex and a nitrogen-to-iron ratio +0.22 dex might imply a mixing signature, which is confirmed by the low ¹² C/¹³ C ratio measured in three stars. In terms of chemical evolution, carbon plus nitrogen abundances have to be considered: in our sample, a mean value of -0.15 dex indicates a slight deficiency in carbon plus nitrogen with respect to the Sun, similar to the deficiencies found in Galactic supergiants and Orion. Lithium has been detected in all the program stars, reaching (Li)=0.6 dex for two stars.

Key words: stars: abundances; supergiants galaxies: abundances; evolution Magellanic Clouds

* Based on observations collected at the European Southern Observatory, La Silla, Chile.

Send offprint requests to: V. Hill

© European Southern Observatory (ESO) 1997

Online publication: June 5, 1998

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