Recent observations have shown that a growing number of the most massive Galactic globular clusters contain multiple populations of stars with different [Fe/H] and neutron-capture element abundances. NGC 6273 has only recently been recognized as a member of this "iron-complex" cluster class, and we provide here a chemical and kinematic analysis of > 300 red giant branch and asymptotic giant branch member stars using high-resolution spectra obtained with the Magellan-M2FS and VLT-FLAMES instruments. Multiple lines of evidence indicate that NGC 6273 possesses an intrinsic metallicity spread that ranges from about [Fe/H] = -2 to -1 dex, and may include at least three populations with different [Fe/H] values. The three populations identified here contain separate first (Na/Al-poor) and second (Na/Al-rich) generation stars, but a Mg-Al anti-correlation may only be present in stars with [Fe/H] greater than or similar to -1.65. The strong correlation between [La/Eu] and [Fe/H] suggests that the sprocess must have dominated the heavy element enrichment at higher metallicities. A small group of stars with low [alpha/Fe] is identified and may have been accreted from a former surrounding field star population. The cluster's large abundance variations are coupled with a complex, extended, and multimodal blue horizontal branch (HB). The HB morphology and chemical abundances suggest that NGC 6273 may have an origin that is similar to omega Cen and M54.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:arizona.edu/oai:arizona.openrepository.com:10150/623231 |
| Date | 17 February 2017 |
| Creators | Johnson, Christian I., Caldwell, Nelson, Rich, R. Michael, Mateo, Mario, Bailey, III, John I., Clarkson, William I., Olszewski, Edward W., Walker, Matthew G. |
| Contributors | Univ Arizona, Steward Observ |
| Publisher | IOP PUBLISHING LTD |
| Source Sets | University of Arizona |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Article |
| Rights | © 2017. The American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved. |
| Relation | http://stacks.iop.org/0004-637X/836/i=2/a=168?key=crossref.2c2dfc6f75072d75ef72725cc17b59df |
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