Unprecedented accurate abundances: signatures of other Earths?

• Type: Article in International Conference Proceedings Book
• Date: 2010

Authors

J. Melendez (Author) FCUP; M. Asplund (Author) FCUP; B. Gustafsson (Author) FCUP; D. Yong (Author) FCUP; I. Ramirez (Author) FCUP

Conference proceedings International

Title: CHEMICAL ABUNDANCES IN THE UNIVERSE: CONNECTING FIRST STARS TO PLANETS

Pages: 412-415

265th Symposium of the International-Astronomical-Union

Rio de Janeiro, 10 a 14 de Agosto de 2009

Indexing

ISI Web of Science

Scientific classification

FOS: Natural sciences > Physical sciences

Other information

Abstract (EN): For more than 140 years the chemical composition of our Sun has been considered typical of solar-type stars. Our highly differential elemental abundance analysis of unprecedented accuracy (similar to 0.01 dex) of the Sun relative to solar twins, shows that the Sun has a peculiar chemical composition with a approximate to 20% depletion of refractory elements relative to the volatile elements in comparison with solar twins. The abundance differences correlate strongly with the condensation temperatures of the elements. A similar study of solar analogs from planet surveys shows that this peculiarity also holds in comparisons with solar analogs known to have close-in giant planets while the majority of solar analogs without detected giant planets show the solar abundance pattern. The peculiarities in the solar chemical composition can be explained as signatures of the formation of terrestrial planets like our own Earth.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific