VLT/UVES constraints on the carbon isotope ratio 12C/13C at z=1.15 toward the quasar HE 0515-4414

Abstract

We analyzed the CI lines associated with the damped Ly-alpha system observed at zabs = 1.15 in the spectrum of HE 0515-4414 to derive the 12C/13C ratio. The spectrum was obtained by means of the UV-Visual Echelle Spectrograph (UVES) at the ESO Very Large Telescope (VLT). The obtained lower limit 12C/13C > 80 (2sigma C.L.) shows for the first time that the abundance of 13C in the extragalactic intervening clouds is very low. This rules out a significant contribution from intermediate-mass stars to the chemical evolution of matter sampled by this line of sight. The estimated low amount of 13C is in agreement with low abundances of nitrogen observed in damped Ly-alpha systems - the element produced in the same nuclear cycles and from about the same stars as 13C.

4 pages, 3 figures, published in A&A, 447, L21-L24, 2006

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