This dissertation describes a new detailed abundance study of field red horizontal branch stars, RR Lyrae stars and blue horizontal branch stars. To carry out this study, we obtained high-resolution and high signal-to-noise ratio echelle spectra at the McDonald observatory and Las Campanas Observatory. In addition, new pulsational emphemerides were derived to analyze the spectra of RR Lyrae stars throughout the pulsational cycles. We find that the abundance ratios are generally consistent with those of field stars of similar metallicity in different evolutionary stages and throughout the pulsational cycles for RR Lyrae stars. We also estimated the red and blue edges of the RR Lyrae instability strip using the derived effective temperatures of RHB and BHB stars. New variations between microturbulence and effective temperature are found among the HB population. For the first time the variation of microturbulence as a function of phase is empirically shown to be similar to the theoretical calculations. Finally, through the study of a rare eclipsing sdB and M dwarf binary, we discovered an unusually low mass for this type of HB star, which observationally proved the existence of a new group of low-mass sdB stars that was theoretically predicted in the past. / text

The efficiency of different spectroscopic techniques are examined through four different approaches: detailed analysis of IR spectra from the APOGEE database and examination of persistence, observing extremely metal-poor stars using the Plaskett telescope at the DAO, three analyses of various applications of machine learning in astronomy, and efficient transmission of light through optical fibres. Through the first study, the technical effects of persistence in the APOGEE's IR spectra are examined, and a new technique for removing the persistence is introduced. Most of the globular cluster Pal 1's spectra in the APOGEE database are affected by persistence. Therefore, the Pal 1 spectra are corrected for the persistence and their stellar abundances are determined independently from the APOGEE's pipeline, ASPCAP. Our results for the known members of Pal 1 were in a close agreement with the results from Sakari et al. (2011). Comparison between the results from the corrected and the original spectra suggest that the persistence could have a critical effect on the results. The second study of this thesis focused on observations of extremely metal-poor (EMP) stars from the Pristine survey. Through the DAO-Pristine project, we narrowed down the initial list of the Pristine survey by observing over 50 targets during 25 observing nights. The Ca II triplet absorption lines of the observed targets were examined and used for estimating the metallicity of the objects. Twelve candidate EMP stars with weak Ca II triplet lines are chosen from the observed targets. These candidate EMP stars will be observed with larger telescopes for more accurate determination of their metallicity. This thesis also presents the result of a threefold analysis for using machine learning techniques in astronomy. The supervised machine learning methods are used for determination of the stellar parameters of stars using their raw spectra, and unsupervised machine learning methods are used for classification of supernovae Type Ia from their calibrated spectra. The supervised analysis of the IR and optical spectra suggested that the StarNet neural network (Fabbro et al. 2017) can predict the stellar parameters of the APOGEE database and synthetic spectra, efficiently and accurately. The effect of persistence in the StarNet's results are examined, and we showed that the persistence does not have a critical effect on the overall performance of the StarNet. In addition, multiple unsupervised machine learning techniques such as K-mean and Self Organizing Maps (SOMs) are used for classification of the supernovae Type Ia spectra. The preliminary results suggest that a minimum of three subclasses of supernovae Type Ia can be found from our data, which are consistent with the previous studies. Finally, this thesis presents our final results for an optical system we designed for the MSE project. At UVic, we have used the standard collimated beam method, or "ring test," to measure the Focal Ratio Degradation (FRD) of MSE-like fibres. The FRD of the system is determined from the ratio of the Full Width Half Maximum (FWHM) to the radius of the ring. Early ring test results from a sample of MSE-like fibres show an FRD of 3.7%, which meets the MSE science requirement (i.e. FRD < 5% at f/2). Also, we have automated the ring test for fast, repeatable, and efficient measurements of an individual fibre in multi-fibre bundles. Our future tests will include automated non-static fibres in preparation for the MSE build phases. / Graduate

Je présente un nouveau modèle d'émission nébulaire de galaxies à formation d'étoiles, que j'ai développé en combinant un modèle récent de synthèse de populations stellaires avec un code classique de photoionisation. Je détaille les principales caractéristiques de ce nouveau modèle, comme le traitement sophistiqué des abondances individuelles et des déplétions sur les grains de poussière qui permet d'explorer de façon appropriée les signatures des rapports non solaires d'abondances de métaux, et donc les propriétés des galaxies chimiquement jeunes à l'époque de la réionisation. Je présente la grille exhaustive publique de modèles de photoionisation que j'ai créée, explorant de larges éventails de paramètres stellaires et interstellaires. Je décris la capacité des modèles à reproduire simultanément les caractéristiques observationnelles de galaxies à formation d'étoiles dans plusieurs diagrammes de rapports de raies ultraviolettes et optiques, et j'explore l'influence des différents paramètres ajustables des modèles sur les prédictions de rapports de luminosités de raies. Je décris également comment la combinaison de ces modèles avec des modèles de régions d'émission de raies étroites autour de noyaux actifs de galaxies, effectués avec le même code de photoionisation, permet de définir de nouveaux diagnostics de rapports de raies d'émission ultraviolettes et optiques pour distinguer la formation stellaire et l'activité nucléaire dans les galaxies. Enfin, je montre comment le nouveau modèle présenté dans cette thèse a déjà été utilisé pour interpréter avec succès les raies d'émission ultraviolettes et optiques de galaxies naines lentillées à des décalages spectraux entre 2-7. / I present a new model of nebular emission from star-forming galaxies, which I have developed by combining updated stellar population synthesis models with a standard photoionization code. I detail the main features of this new model, such as the recent advances in the theories of stellar interiors and atmospheres it incorporates to interpret the ionizing radiation from star-forming galaxies, and the careful treatment of individual abundances and depletion onto dust grains, which allows one to properly explore the signatures of non-solar metal abundance ratios, and then the properties of chemically young galaxies out to the reionization epoch. I present the public comprehensive grid of photoionization models I have computed, including full ranges of stellar and interstellar parameters. I describe the ability of the models to account simultaneously for observational trends followed by star-forming galaxies in several ultraviolet and optical diagnostic line-ratio diagrams, and I explore the influence of the various adjustable model parameters on predicted line-luminosity ratios. I also describe how the combination of this model with calculations of narrow-line emitting regions from active galactic nuclei computed using the same photoionization code allows one to define new ultraviolet and optical emission-line diagnostics to discriminate between star formation and nuclear activity in galaxies. Finally, I show how the new model presented in this thesis has already been used successfully to interpret the rest-frame ultraviolet and optical line emission of different types of high-redshift star-forming galaxies, mainly lensed dwarf star-forming galaxies at redshift between 2-7.

M dwarfs constitute around 70% of all stars in the local Galaxy. Their multitude together with their long main-sequence lifetimes make them important for studies of global properties of the Galaxy such as the initial mass function or the structure and kinematics of stellar populations. In addition, the exoplanet community is showing an increasing interest for those small, cold stars. However, very few M dwarfs are well characterized, and in the case of exoplanetary systems the stellar parameters have a direct influence on the derived planet properties. Stellar parameters of M dwarfs are difficult to determine because of their low surface temperatures that result in an optical spectrum dominated by molecular lines. Most previous works have therefore relied on empirical calibrations. High-resolution spectrographs operating in the infrared, a wavelength region less affected by molecular lines, have recently opened up a new window for the investigation of M dwarfs. In the two first papers of this thesis we have shown that we can determine the metallicity, and in some cases the effective temperature, using synthetic spectral fitting with improved accuracy. This method is time consuming and therefore not practical or even feasible for studies of large samples of M dwarfs. When comparing our results from the high-resolution studies with available photometric calibrations we find systematic differences. In the third paper we therefore used our sample to determine a new photometric metallicity calibration. Compared to previous calibrations our new photometric calibration shows improved statistical characteristics, and our calibration gives similar results as spectroscopic calibrations. In a comparison with theoretical calculations we find a good agreement of the shapes and slopes of iso-metallicity lines with our empirical relation. Applying the photometric calibration to a sample of M dwarfs with confirmed exoplanets we find a possible giant planet-metallicity correlation for M dwarfs.

O presente trabalho propõe uma abordagem abrangente para descrever a evolução da região central da Via Láctea, compreendendo-se aí o bojo, a barra e as interfaces dos mesmos com o limite interno do disco e com a região central do halo. Pretende-se investigar as propriedades químicas e cinemáticas destas estruturas, que são interconectadas, com o objetivo de separá-las e aplicar os resultados daí obtidos a um modelo de formação e evolução do bojo e da região interna do disco que descreva simultaneamente distintos aspectos da evolução da região central da Galáxia. Na primeira parte do trabalho, uma amostra de nebulosas planetárias (NPs) localizadas no disco interno e no bojo da Galáxia é utilizada para encontrar a distância galactocêntrica que melhor separa estas duas populações, do ponto de vista das abundâncias. Foram utilizadas escalas de distâncias estatísticas para o estudo da distribuição das abundâncias na interface bojo-disco. A aplicação do teste Kolmogorov-Smirnov mostrou que, em média, a população interna não segue o gradiente radial de abundâncias do disco na direção do centro galáctico. Baseado neste estudo, propõe-se uma distância galactocêntrica de 1.5 kpc para definir a interface bojo-disco. Na segunda parte do trabalho, foram realizadas observações espectrofotométricas de 21 NPs localizadas na direção do centro da Galáxia com o telescópio SOAR. Estes objetos estão localizados bem próximos ao plano galáctico na direção central da Via Láctea, onde não existem dados de NPs na literatura. Os resultados mostram que as NPs localizadas nesta região apresentam baixas abundâncias de oxigênio comparadas com as NPs do disco interno e de outras regiões do bojo. Os resultados indicam que o bojo apresenta uma complexa composição de populações estelares. Por um lado, a presença de nebulosas com baixas abundâncias mostra que o bojo pode ter se formado a partir de um disco galáctico antigo através de uma evolução secular. Por outro lado, existem alguns objetos do bojo para os quais as abundâncias coincidem com o limite do gradiente radial do disco nesta região. Esta é uma evidência para um bojo composto por duas ou mais populações: uma originada do disco fino, e outra originada do disco espesso. Na última parte do trabalho propõe-se a inclusão de fluxos radiais de gás em um modelo de evolução química para simular os efeitos de uma barra localizada no centro da Galáxia nas distribuições de abundâncias, densidade de gás e taxa de formação estelar (SFR). Os resultados das simulações indicam que os modelos com fluxos de gás apresentam uma SFR mais alta no bojo e que os perfis da SFR e da densidade de gás na região central são melhor reproduzidos após a inclusão dos fluxos radiais no modelo. As simulações indicam ainda que o gradiente de abundâncias do disco é mais plano para o caso da inclusão da barra. Estes resultados indicam que a barra e os fluxos de gás exercem um importante papel na formação de estrelas no centro das galáxias espirais barradas. / This project proposes a comprehensive approach to describe the evolution of the central region of the Galaxy, comprising the bulge, the bar and their interfaces with the inner disk and the central region of the halo. We intend to investigate the chemical and kinematic properties of these structures, which are interconnected, aiming to separate them and apply these results to a model for the formation and evolution of the bulge and inner disk, capable to describe simultaneously distinct aspects of the evolution of the central region of the Galaxy. First, a sample of planetary nebulae (PNe) located in the inner-disk and bulge of the Galaxy is used in order to find the galactocentric distance that better separates these two populations, from the point of view of abundances. Statistical distance scales were used to study the distribution of abundances across the disk-bulge interface. A Kolmogorov-Smirnov test was used to find the distance in which the chemical properties of these regions better separates. The results of the statistical analysis indicate that, on the average, the inner population has lower abundances than the outer. Additionally, for the $\\alpha$-elements abundances, the inner population does not follow the disk radial gradient towards the galactic centre. Based on our results, we suggest a bulge-disk interface at 1.5 kpc, marking the transition between the bulge and inner-disk of the Galaxy, as defined by the intermediate mass population. Second, we present spectrophotometric observations for a sample of 21 PNe located towards the galactic centre of the Galaxy. The abundances are derived based on observations in the optical domain made at the SOAR telescope. Their location is interesting since there are no observations of PNe in this region. The data show lower oxygen abundances compared to those from PNe located in the inner disk and other bulge regions. The results show that the bulge has a complex composition of stellar populations. The presence of PNe with low abundances indicates that the bulge might be formed from an old galactic disk through secular evolution. On the other hand, other objects from our sample have abundances compared to those from inner disk PNe. This is evidence that two or more populations might compose the bulge: one originated from the thin disk, and the other from the thick disk. Last, we propose a chemical evolution model that includes radial gas flows. This is done in order to mimic the effects of the galactic bar on the chemical abundances distributions and the gas density profiles and the star formation rate (SFR). The results of the models with radial flows point to a high SFR in the bulge and, additionally, the SFR and gas density profiles in the inner Galaxy are better reproduced after the inclusion of radial gas flows in the model. After including a specific velocity pattern for the bar, the results show a flattening of the radial abundance gradient. Our results indicate that radial gas flows may play an important role in the star formation near the centre of barred spiral galaxies.

Stellar chemical abundances provide astronomers with vital information about the production of chemical elements. Some stars preserve the composition of the environment in which they were born on their surfaces. By analysing the light from a star, the abundances of elements, its age and its path in space can be derived, and translated into the language of galactic history. The spallative history of boron in the early Galaxy was reinvestigated by observations of an ultraviolet spectral line in the old star HD 140283 with the Hubble Space Telescope. The line was barely detected and the upper limit abundance derived was lower than expected, which calls for further observations of this line in halo stars. Stars evolved into subgiants were observed with the ESO CAT, La Silla, and NOT, La Palma, to deduce their usefulness for galactic evolution studies. The high resolution spectroscopy study of the 26 objects showed that these stars are indeed useful for such studies. They are more luminous than dwarf stars and their ages can be accurately derived. They do not seem to have changed their surface abundances due to their evolution into giants. Subgiants can successfully be used to observationally reach regions further from the Earth, which can remove local biases that may appear when only observing nearby dwarf stars. A NLTE investigation of neutral Ca showed that cool metal rich dwarf stars did not deviate significantly from LTE, as had earlier been suggested. By an LTE analysis of a sample of 17 such dwarfs, using recent MARCS atmospheres, synthetic spectroscopy and modern atomic line data, cool metal rich dwarfs were shown not to deviate significantly from the expected abundance patterns in a number of elements. This increases the number of potential targets for studies of galactic chemical evolution in the metal rich regime since most stars are cool.

La perte de masse est introduite dans des modèles évolutifs qui traitent en détail le transport microscopique induit par la diffusion atomique et les accélérations radiatives pour 28 espèces y inclus tous les isotopes de la base de données OPAL. Les propriétés physiques des solutions sont analysées en détail. Lorsque l'amplitude de la vitesse advective causée par la perte de masse est plus grande que la vitesse de triage dirigée vers le centre de l'étoile, le flux local d'un élément est déterminé par des variations du flux qui se déroulent profondément dans l'étoile. Par contre, l'abondance locale dépend aussi des variations locales des accélérations radiatives. Dans ces étoiles, la séparation chimique causée par la diffusion atomique affecte 30% du rayon externe de l'étoile. Les modèles sont aussi comparés à plusieurs observations d'étoiles AmFm, HAeBe et de Population II dans le but de caractériser le rôle que pourrait jouer la perte de masse en tant que processus qui inhibe la diffusion atomique dans les zones stables de ces étoiles. Les anomalies d'abondances observées à la surface de ces étoiles sont reproduites par des modèles évolutifs qui incluent la diffusion atomique et la perte de masse non-séparée. Les taux de perte de masse considérés ne sont contraints que par les abondances en surface puisque leurs amplitudes sont probablement trop petites pour être observées directement. Quant aux étoiles AmFm et HAeBe, les observations d'abondances sont compatibles avec des taux de perte de masse qui sont au maximum 5 fois plus élevés que le taux de perte de masse solaire, alors que les taux requis pour reproduire les observations d'étoiles de Population II sont jusqu'à 50-100 fois plus élevés que le taux solaire. Des taux de perte de masse plus petit que 10^{-14}Msol/an, qui permettent l'apparition d'une zone convective due aux éléments du pic du fer, mènent à des abondances en surface qui ne sont pas compatibles avec les observations. Les abondances en surface d'étoiles AmFm et de Population II sont régies par la séparation chimique qui se déroule profondément dans l'étoile Delta M/M_* allant de -5 à -6, alors que la séparation se produit plus près de la surface Delta M/M_* plus près de -7 dans les étoiles HAeBe. Par rapport aux modèles avec mélange turbulent, la perte de masse mène à une distribution interne des éléments très différente. Le mélange turbulent conduit à des solutions pour lesquelles les abondances sont homogènes depuis la surface jusque profondément dans l'étoile (solution diffusive), alors que la perte de masse permet la séparation chimique dès le bas de la zone convective de surface (solution advective). Ce résultat pourrait peut-être permettre à l'astérosismologie de déterminer l'importance relative de ces deux processus dans l'intérieur de ces étoiles. / Mass loss has been introduced in a stellar evolution code which takes into account all the effects of atomic diffusion and radiative accelerations for the 28 species included in the OPAL opacity database. The physical properties of the solutions are analyzed in detail. When the advective velocity induced by mass loss dominates the inward settling velocity, the local flux for a given element is determined by flux variations which occur deep within the star. However, local abundances are modulated by local variations in radiative accelerations. Atomic diffusion affects the outer 30% of the stellar radius of these stars. The computed models are also compared to observations of AmFm, HAeBe and Population II stars in order to determine to what extent mass loss competes with atomic diffusion in the stable regions of these stars. Mass loss rates are solely constrained via surface abundances, since the mass loss rate amplitudes are likely too small to be observed directly. It is shown that most chemical anomalies observed at the surface of these stars can be reproduced by models with unseparated mass loss. While AmFm and HAeBe abundance determinations are compatible with mass loss rates which are, at most, 5 times larger than the solar mass loss rate, Population II stars require much larger rates (50 to 100 times the solar rate). Mass loss rates smaller than 10^{-14}Msun/yr which lead to an iron peak convection zone are not compatible with surface abundance observations. Surface abundances in AmFm and Population II stars are shown to be the result of chemical separation occurring deep within the star (Delta M/M_* between -5 and -6); however, in HAeBe stars, for which anomalies appear during the pre--main-sequence, the separation occurs nearer the surface (Delta M/M_* = -7). With respect to turbulent mixing, mass loss leads to very different internal abundance distributions. Whereas turbulent mixing homogenizes abundances from the surface down to depths well within the radiative zone (diffusive solution), mass loss allows for chemical stratification up to the bottom of the surface convection zone (advective solution). This could potentially allow for asteroseismic tests which could elucidate the relative importance of both types of processes in these stars. / Cette thèse a été réalisée en cotutelle. Pour la forme, Gérard Jasniewicz était mon codirecteur 'officiel' en France, bien que mon codirecteur était plutôt Olivier Richard qui m'a encadré lorsque j'étais en France.

Cette thèse aborde un point clé du couplage entre ces cycles: la dynamique des molécules azotées (AAs) des matières organiques du sol (MOS). Par des expériences d'incubation, nous avons estimé que les flux de biosynthèse des AAs par les micro-organismes du sol lors du processus de décomposition sont de l'ordre de 25% de la biomasse nouvellement formée. Le profil des AAs individuels biosynthétisés de novo est plus dépendant du type de sol que de la nature du substrat. Dans chaque sol, il est très similaire à celui des AAs des MOS. La biodégradation de matériaux végétaux marqués en 13C a révélé la transformation rapide des protéines végétales en matériaux microbiens. Ces résultats montrent que les AAs des MOS sont d'origine microbienne. Nous avons mesuré le renouvellement du C des AAs à long terme dans les horizons de surface de neuf sites présentant des végétations, climats et types de sol variés, en utilisant la technique de traçage par les abondances naturelles en 13C. L'âge moyen du carbone des AAs varie de 50 à 200 ans. Un modèle simple permet de discuter les hypothèses du recyclage des AAs des MOS par les micro-organismes. Les rapports isotopiques stables des AAs individuels ont été mesurés par chromatographie en phase gazeuse couplée à la spectrométrie de masse isotopique. À cette fin, nous avons développé une méthode d'étalonnage générique pour la détermination du rapport isotopique des composés spécifiques, par analyse de cultures microbiennes uniformément marquées. Au-delà des résultats présentés, l'étude apporte un large ensemble de données des AAs et examine les variations de l'abondance naturelle en 13C entre les AAs individuels. / We analyzed the coupled dynamics of C and N in Soil Organic Matter (SOM) through the dynamics of N-containing soil organic compounds (amino acids (AAs)) by tracing their carbon atoms. Stable isotope ratios of individual amino acids were measured by gas chromatography coupled with isotope ratio mass spectrometry. For this purpose, we developed a generic calibration method for compound-specific stable isotope ratio analysis, based on the analysis of uniformly labelled microbial cultures. We quantified the biosynthesis of AAs associated with the biodegradation process in four contrasted topsoils through short-term incubation experiments of 13C-labelled substrates. Amino acids-C accounts for ca. 25% of the newly-formed microbial biomass-C. The composition of the de novo biosynthesized individual amino acids was dependent on the soil type, and in each soil was similar to that of SOM amino acids. Biodegradation of 13C-labelled plant materials revealed the rapid conversion of plant proteins into microbial materials. These results together demonstrate that SOM amino acids are of microbial origin. We measured the dynamics of amino acids-C on the long term (decades to centuries) in nine sites using the natural 13C-labelling technique. On average, the age of AAs was equal or slightly inferior to that of bulk soil organic carbon, with mean ages ranging from 50 to 200 years. We built a conceptual model of AAs dynamics to discuss various hypotheses of AAs stabilization. Beyond these perspectives on C and N coupling in soil processes, the overall study brings a broad dataset of amino acids, as well as discuses variations of 13C natural abundance (δ13C) in-between individual amino acids.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-12-17T15:15:04Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 BrunoLCM.pdf: 1188835 bytes, checksum: 99a2796bad65a15f2018815f59859e68 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2003-12-19 / Coordena??o de Aperfei?oamento de Pessoal de N?vel Superior / The connection between rotation, CaII emission flux and lithium abundance is analyzed for a sample of subgiant stars, with evolutionary status was determined from the Toulouse-Geneve code and HlPPARCOS trigonometric parallax measurements. We noted that the distribution of rotation and CaII emission flux, as a function of effective temperature, shows a discontinuity located around the same spectral type, F8IV. Stars located blueward of this spectral type, exhibit a large spread of values of rotation and CaII flux, whereas stars redward of F8lV show essentially low ratation anel low CaII flux. The strength of these declines nevertheless, depends on stellar mass. The distribution of lithium abundances also shows a discontinuity, however with behavior a little more complex for subgiants with mass lower than about 1.2 Solar Masses, this decrease is observed later than that in rotation and CaII flux, whereas for masses higher than 1.2 Solar Masses the decrease in lithium abundance is located around the spectral type F8IV. The discrepancy between the location of the discontinuities of rotation and CaII flux and log n(Li) for stars with masses lower than 102 Solar Masses, seems to reflect the sensitivity of these phenomena to the mass of the convective envelope. The drop in rotation, which results mostly from a magnetic braking, requires an increase in the mass of the convective envelope less than that required for the decrease in lithium abundance The location of the discontinuity in log n( Li) in the same region of the discontinuity ties in rotation and CaII flux, for stars with masses higher than 1.2 Solar Masses, may also be explained by the behavior of the deepening of the convective envelope. In contrast to the relationship between rotation and CaII flux the relationship between lithium abundance and rotation shows no dear tendency toward linear behavior. Similarly, the same tendency is observed in the relationship between lithium abundance and CaII flux in spite of these facts, subgiants with high lithium content also have high rotation and high CaII emission flux. We also observed that stars with high lithium content present, in its majority, an undeveloped convective envelope, whereas stars with low lithium content have a developed convective envelope. In the case of the rotation, stars with undeveloped convective envelope, show rotational velocities as much high as low, whereas stars with developed convective envelope only present low rotation / A conex?o entre rota??o, fluxo de emiss?o de CaII e abund?ncia de l?tio ? analisada para uma amostra de estrelas subgigantes, cujo status evolucion?rio foi determinado a partir do c?digo de Toulouse-Geneve e de medidas trigonom?tricas de paralaxe do HIPPARCOS. Observamos que a distribui??o da rota??o e do fluxo de emiss?o de CaII, como fun??o da temperatura efetiva, mostra uma descontinuidade localizada em torno do mesmo tipo espectral, F8IV. Estrelas localizadas no lado azul deste tipo espectral exibem uma elevada dispers?o nos valores de rota??o e de fluxo de CaII, enquanto que estrelas localizadas no lado vermelho de F8IV mostram essencialmente baixa rota??o e baixo fluxo de CaII. A intensidade deste decl?nio, entretanto, depende da massa estelar. A distribui??o das abund?ncias de l?tio tamb?m apresenta descontinuidade, por?m, com um comportamento um pouco mais complexo. Para subgigantes com massa menor ou em torno de 1.2 Massas Solares, esse decl?nio ? observado mais tarde do que aquele na rota??o e no fluxo de CaII, enquanto que para massas maiores do que 1.2 Massas Solares o decrescimento na abund?ncia do l?tio ? localizado ao redor do tipo espectral F8IV. A discrep?ncia entre a localiza??o das descontinuidades da rota??o e da emiss?o do fluxo de CaII e do log n(Li), para estrelas com massas menores do que 1.2 Massas Solares, parece refletir a sensibilidade dos fen?menos em rela??o ? massa da envolt?ria convectiva. A diminui??o abrupta na rota??o, que resulta principalmente de uma desacelera??o magn?tica, requer um aumento na massa da envolt?ria convectiva menor do que o requerido para o decrescimento nas abund?ncias de l?tio. A localiza??o da descontinuidade em log n(Li), na mesma regi?o das descontinuidades na rota??o e na emiss?o de fluxo de CaII para estrelas com massas maiores do que 1.2 Massas Solares, pode tamb?m ser explicada atrav?s do comportamento da profundidade da envolt?ria convectiva. Em contraste com a rela??o entre rota??o e fluxo de CaII, a rela??o entre abund?ncia de l?tio e rota??o mostra uma tend?ncia n?o muito clara para um comportamento linear. Similarmente, a mesma tend?ncia ? observada na rela??o entre abund?ncia de l?tio e fluxo de CaII. Apesar destes fatos, subgigantes com alto conte?do de l?tio tamb?m possuem alta rota??o e alta emiss?o de fluxo de CaII. Observamos tamb?m que estrelas com alto conte?do de l?tio apresentam, em sua maioria, uma envolt?ria convectiva pouco desenvolvida, enquanto que estrelas com baixo conte?do de l?tio possuem uma envolt?ria convectiva bastante desenvolvida. No caso da rota??o, estrelas com a envolt?ria convectiva pouco desenvolvida apresentam velocidades rotacionais tanto altas como baixas, enquanto que estrelas com a envolt?ria convectiva bem desenvolvida apresentam apenas baixa rota??o

More than 80% of the stars in the Universe are expected to have initial masses below eight to ten times the mass of our sun. These low mass stars, including our sun, become cool red giants during one of the final evolutionary stages of their life: the Asymptotic Giant Branch (or AGB) phase. AGB stars are among the main producers of carbon and heavy (s-process) elements in the Universe. These elements are synthesized inside the star and mixed to the stellar atmosphere where stellar winds are responsible for the loss of more than 50% of the stellar mass, hence, AGB stars are strong polluters of the interstellar medium. The ejected material can clump together into dusty particles which may serve as ingredients for the birth of new stars and planets. When most of the AGB stellar envelope is lost, the AGB star stops releasing nuclear energy from interior processes and swaps its giant face for a planetary nebulae look, whereafter it fades away as a white dwarf.<p><p>The dredge-up of carbon and s-process elements into the AGB atmosphere causes an important chemical anomaly among them: initial oxygen-rich stars (M stars) are transformed into carbon-rich stars (C stars). As a consequence, a group of oxygen-rich AGB stars exists which makes the transition between M and C stars. These transition stars are classified as S.<p><p>Although AGB stars are identified as producers of heavy elements, their nucleosynthesis and mixing processes are weakly constrained due to large uncertainties on their estimated temperature, gravity and chemical composition. Stronger constraints on the atmospheric parameter space, hence interior processes, of AGB stars can be obtained by investigating the atmosphere of S stars. Since they are transition objects on the AGB, they trace the rise of the s-process. S stars are less numerous than C stars, but their optical spectra are brighter making it easier to identify atomic and molecular lines. Therefore, S stars belong to the most interesting objects along the AGB to perform this task.<p><p><p><p>From a practical point of view, the spectra of S stars are extremely difficult to study since they are dominated by different, overlapping molecular bands, and the spectral shape may vary strongly from star to star due to their transition status. Therefore, tailored model atmospheres for S stars are of utmost importance to understand the spectroscopic, and even photometric, changes in terms of variations in the atmospheric parameters. A comparison between the models and observations aims not only at constraining the atmospheric parameter space of S stars, it will also test the reliability of 1D state-of-the-art model atmospheres for such complex stars.<p><p><p><p>From an evolutionary point of view, the S-star family is contaminated with stars who gained their atmospheric enrichment in heavy elements from a companion star. Evidences were found that these binary S stars are not at all located on the AGB, hence, they are labelled as extrinsic S stars while S stars on the AGB are labelled as intrinsic. The difference in evolutionary stages between intrinsic and extrinsic S stars was already found 20 years ago, however, a separation in terms of surface temperature, gravity and chemical composition is not well-established due to the lack of S-star model atmospheres. Such a distinction in atmospheric parameters will facilitate the discovery of these intruders and even help to calibrate stellar evolutionary models of single and binary stars.<p>To achieve these goals, the first step consists in the construction of a grid of model atmospheres for S stars. The grid will be used to quantify the influence of atmospheric parameters on the model structure and emergent flux. These results will be analyzed to derive precise atmospheric parameters of observed S stars, using a set of well-defined photometric and spectroscopic indices. Once the best model atmosphere has been selected for all observed S stars, their atmospheric parameters will be discussed in view of their evolutionary stage. The best-fitting model atmosphere will also be used to derive abundances from spectral syntheses. The abundance profiles are compared with stellar evolution model prediction to constrain nucleosynthesis and mixing processes inside S stars. Derived abundances of unstable elements will be used to estimate, for the first time, the age of AGB stars. Finally, their abundance profile will be discussed as a function of their time spent on the AGB. / Doctorat en Sciences / info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished