The neon content of nearby B-type stars and its implications for the solar model problem

Abstract

The recent downward revision of the solar photospheric abundances now leads to severe inconsistencies between the theoretical predictions for the internal structure of the Sun and the results of helioseismology. There have been claims that the solar neon abundance may be underestimated and that an increase in this poorly-known quantity could alleviate (or even completely solve) this problem. Early-type stars in the solar neighbourhood are well-suited to testing this hypothesis because they are the only stellar objects whose absolute neon abundance can be derived from the direct analysis of photospheric lines. Here we present a fully homogeneous NLTE abundance study of the optical Ne I and Ne II lines in a sample of 18 nearby, early B-type stars, which suggests log epsilon(Ne)=7.97+/-0.07 dex (on the scale in which log epsilon[H]=12) for the present-day neon abundance of the local ISM. Chemical evolution models of the Galaxy only predict a very small enrichment of the nearby interstellar gas in neon over the past 4.6 Gyr, implying that our estimate should be representative of the Sun at birth. Although higher by about 35% than the new recommended solar abundance, such a value appears insufficient by itself to restore the past agreement between the solar models and the helioseismological constraints.

arXiv commentAccepted by A&A. 14 pages, contains colour figures

References in corpus (38)

• Helioseismology and Solar Abundances
• A reappraisal of the chemical composition of the Orion nebula based on VLT echelle spectrophotometry
• Oxygen, Carbon and Nitrogen evolution in galaxies
• Catalog of Galactic Beta Cephei Stars
• The "Solar Model Problem" Solved by the Abundance of Neon in Stars of the Local Cosmos
• First Light Measurements with the XMM-Newton Reflection Grating Spectrometers: Evidence for an Inverse First Ionisation Potential Effect and Anomalous Ne A bundance in the Coronae of HR 1099
• Coronal Evolution of the Sun in Time: High-Resolution X-Ray Spectroscopy of Solar Analogs with Different Ages
• Sulfur, Chlorine, and Argon Abundances in Planetary Nebulae. IV: Synthesis and the Sulfur Anomaly
• The Solar Heavy Element Abundances: I. Constraints from Stellar Interiors
• What Is The Neon Abundance Of The Sun?
• ISO spectroscopy of compact HII regions in the Galaxy. II Ionization and elemental abundances
• Abundance analysis of prime B-type targets for asteroseismology I. Nitrogen excess in slowly-rotating beta Cephei stars
• Nitrogen enrichment, boron depletion and magnetic fields in slowly-rotating B-type dwarfs
• High-resolution X-ray spectroscopy of Procyon by Chandra and XMM-Newton
• Hydrogen and helium line formation in OB dwarfs and giants. A hybrid non-LTE approach
• Neon Abundances in B-Stars of the Orion Association: Solving the Solar Model Problem?
• A Study of the Coronal Plasma in RS CVn binary systems
• Asteroseismology of the Beta Cephei star Nu Eridani: photometric observations and pulsational frequency analysis
• Determining solar abundances using helioseismology
• Solar abundances and helioseismology: fine structure spacings and separation ratios of low-degree p modes
• The Ne/O abundance ratio in the quiet Sun
• Neon Lights Up a Controversy: the Solar Ne/O Abundance
• An asteroseismic study of the beta Cephei star beta Canis Majoris
• X-ray Diagnostics of Grain Depletion in Matter Accreting onto T Tauri Stars
• Abundance variations and first ionization potential trends during large stellar flares
• The Origins and Evolutionary Status of B Stars Found Far From the Galactic Plane I: Composition and Spectral Features
• Coronal Emission Measures and Abundances for Moderately Active K Dwarfs Observed by Chandra
• On the H$\alpha$ emission from the $\beta$ Cephei system
• X-ray Spectroscopy of the Contact Binary VW Cephei
• Six Large Coronal X-ray Flares Observed With Chandra
• X-Ray Flaring on the dMe Star, Ross 154
• Neon abundances in normal late-B and mercury-manganese stars
• XMM-Newton observations of Zeta Orionis (O9.7 Ib): A Collisional Ionization Equilibrium model
• Coronal Structure and Abundances in Young Fast Rotators
• The corona and upper transition region of epsilon Eridani
• The coronal Ne/O abundance of alpha Centauri
• Evidence of the FIP effect in the coronae of late-type giants
• A compact flare eclipsed in the corona of SV Cam

Cited by in corpus (40)

• Abundances of the elements in the solar system
• Present-day cosmic abundances. A comprehensive study of nearby early B-type stars and implications for stellar and Galactic evolution and interstellar dust models
• Solar System Abundances of the Elements
• A cosmic abundance standard: chemical homogeneity of the solar neighbourhood and the ISM dust-phase composition
• The Gaia-ESO Public Spectroscopic Survey: Motivation, implementation, GIRAFFE data processing, analysis, and final data products
• Early magnetic B-type stars: X-ray emission and wind properties
• Solar structure and evolution
• The chemical composition of the Orion star-forming region. III. C, N, Ne, Mg and Fe abundances in B-type stars revisited
• Multisite spectroscopic seismic study of the beta Cep star V2052 Oph: inhibition of mixing by its magnetic field
• The chemical abundance analysis of normal early A- and late B-type stars
• The Gaia-ESO Survey: calibration strategy
• Temperature, gravity and bolometric correction scales for non-supergiant OB stars
• Spitzer reveals what's behind Orion's Bar
• HD 271791: An Extreme Supernova Runaway B Star Escaping from the Galaxy
• Element abundance ratios in the quiet Sun transition region
• A new method for an objective, ${\chi }^2$-based spectroscopic analysis of early-type stars
• A quantitative in-depth analysis of the prototype sdB+BD system SDSS J08205+0008 revisited in the Gaia era
• B fields in OB stars (BOB): Detection of a magnetic field in the He-strong star CPD-57° 3509
• Effects of the electron correlation and Breit and hyperfine interactions on the lifetime of the 2p${}^5$3s states in neutral neon
• Neon and CNO Abundances for Extreme Helium Stars -- A Non-LTE Analysis
• Ground-based observations of the beta Cephei CoRoT main target HD 180642: abundance analysis and mode identification
• Two spotted and magnetic early B-type stars in the young open cluster NGC2264 discovered by MOST and ESPaDOnS
• Element abundances in X-ray emitting plasmas in stars
• Oxygen and Neon Abundances of B-Type Stars in Comparison with the Sun
• Quantitative spectroscopy of B-type supergiants
• Quantitative spectroscopy of late O-type main-sequence stars with a hybrid non-LTE method
• The Gaia-ESO Survey: The analysis of the hot-star spectra
• High-precision CoRoT space photometry and fundamental parameter determination of the B2.5V star HD 48977
• Light bosons and photospheric solutions to the solar abundance problem
• Neon Abundances of B-stars in the Solar Neighborhood
• Quantitative spectroscopy of extreme helium stars - Model atmospheres and a non-LTE abundance analysis of BD+10${}^{\circ }$2179?
• mu Eridani from MOST and from the ground: an orbit, the SPB component's fundamental parameters, and the SPB frequencies
• The Gaia-ESO survey: A spectroscopic study of the young open cluster NGC 3293
• B fields in OB stars (BOB): The magnetic triple stellar system HD 164492C in the Trifid nebula
• NLTE spectroscopic analysis of the ${}^3$He anomaly in subluminous B-type stars
• Neon Insights from Old Solar X-rays: a Plasma Temperature Dependence of the Coronal Neon Content
• The blue supergiant Sher 25 revisited in the Gaia era
• B stars seen at high resolution by XMM-Newton
• Weak Metallic Emission Lines in Early B-Type Stars
• Quantitative spectroscopy of multiple OB stars: I. The quadruple system HD 37061 at the centre of Messier 43