Astron. Astrophys. 330, L25-L28 (1998)

Letter to the Editor

A first HIPPARCOS contribution to the light elements problem ^*

F. Crifo , M. Spite and F. Spite

Observatoire de Paris, Section de Meudon, DASGAL, URA 335 du CNRS, Place Janssen, F-92195 Meudon, France

Received 26 May 1997 / Accepted 5 August 1997

Abstract

The interpretation of the observations of the light elements requires the knowledge of the evolutionary status of the observed stars. The HIPPARCOS accurate parallaxes solve several cases of ambiguous status. For example, it is shown that, since HD 84937 is a subgiant, its abundance is compatible with the predictions of the standard models of Big Bang nucleosynthesis and of stellar evolution. Also the non-detection of in Population II dwarfs is in agreement with these predictions. In order to reach more precise lithium abundances, more reliable temperature scales, and, more generally, better stellar models, are necessary.

Key words: stars: abundances stars: atmospheres astrometry

* Based on data from the ESA Hipparcos astrometry satellite

SIMBAD Objects

Contents

• 1. Introduction
• 2. Lithium in the star HD 84937
  • 2.1. The uncertain status of the star HD 84937
  • 2.2. Importance of the evolutionary status
  • 2.3. An evaluation of the primordial abundance?
• 3. A recent detection of ⁶Li: BD +26 3578
• 4. A solved problem: HD 201891
• 5. Beryllium dilution in HD 140283
• 6. Conclusion
• Acknowledgements
• References

© European Southern Observatory (ESO) 1998

Online publication: January 16, 1998
helpdesk.link@springer.de