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Creators/Authors contains: "Villanova, Sandro"

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  1. Context.Bulge globular clusters (BGCs) are exceptional tracers of the formation and chemodynamical evolution of this oldest Galactic component. Until now, observational difficulties have prevented us from taking full advantage of these powerful Galactic archeological tools. Aims.The bulge Cluster APOgee Survey (CAPOS) addresses this key topic by observing a large number of BGCs, most of which have been poorly studied until now. We aim to obtain accurate mean values for metallicity, [α/Fe], and radial velocity, as well as abundances for eleven other elements. Here, we present final parameters based on the APOGEE Stellar Parameter and Chemical Abundances Pipeline (ASPCAP) for all 18 CAPOS BGCs. Methods.We used atmospheric parameters, abundances, and velocities from ASPCAP in DR17. Results.First, we carried out a stringent selection of cluster members, finding a total of 303 with a spectral signal-to-noise value of S/N>70 and an additional 125 with a lower S/N. We confirmed the result of prior ASPCAP multiple population studies, namely, that stars with high [N/Fe] abundances show higher [Fe/H] than their lower [N/Fe] counterparts. Furthermore, the Mg, Ca, and globalαabundances exhibit similar trends, while Si is well-behaved. The [Fe/H] value of these second-population stars was corrected to derive the mean metallicity. Mean metallicities were determined to a precision of 0.05 dex, [α/Fe] to 0.06 dex, and radial velocity to 3.4 km/s. No clusters displayed any strong evidence of internal metallicity variations, including M22. Abundances for eleven other elements using only first-population stars were calculated. Our values are shown to be in good general agreement with the literature. We developed a new chemodynamical GC classification scheme, synthesizing the results of several recent studies. We also compiled a set of up-to-date metallicities. The BGC metallicity distribution is bimodal, with peaks near [Fe/H] = −0.45, and −1.1, with the metal-poor peak displaying a strong dominance. The entire in situ sample, including disk and BGCs, displays the same bimodality, while ex situ GCs are unimodal, with a peak around −1.6. Surprisingly, we see only a small and statistically insignificant difference in the mean [Si/Fe] of in situ and ex situ GCs. The four GCs with the lowest [Si/Fe] values are all ex situ and relatively young, with three belonging to Sagittarius; no other correlations are evident. 
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    Free, publicly-accessible full text available November 1, 2026
  2. Abstract Phosphorus-enhanced (P-rich; [P/Fe] ≳ +0.8) giants have been found among mildly metal-poor field stars, but in only one star in a globular cluster (GC), M4 (NGC 6121). Also, in a sample of bulge spheroid stars, some of them showed a moderate P enhancement in the range +0.5 < [P/Fe] < +1.0. In this paper we derive the P abundance of moderately metal-poor ([Fe/H] ≳ −1) GC stars, aiming to check if the phenomenon could be related to the unusual multiple stellar populations found in most GCs. Here we present the detection of moderately P-enhanced stars among two out of seven bulge GCs (Tonantzintla 1 and NGC 6316), with metallicities similar to those of the bulge-field P-rich stars. UsingH-band high-resolution (R∼ 22,500) spectra from the APOGEE-2 survey, we present the first high-resolution abundance analysis of [P/Fe] from the PI16482.932 Å line in a sample of selected bulge GCs. We find that all P-rich stars tend to also be N-rich, which hints at the origin of P-rich stars as second-generation stars in GCs. However no other correlations of P and other elements are found, which are usually indicators of second-generation stars. Further studies with larger samples and comparisons with field stars will be needed before any firm conclusions are drawn. 
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    Free, publicly-accessible full text available September 30, 2026
  3. ABSTRACT This study presents the results concerning six red giant stars members of the globular cluster NGC 6558. Our analysis utilized high-resolution near-infrared spectra obtained through the CAPOS initiative (the APOgee Survey of Clusters in the Galactic Bulge), which focuses on surveying clusters within the Galactic Bulge, as a component of the Apache Point Observatory Galactic Evolution Experiment II survey (APOGEE-2). We employ the Brussels Automatic Code for Characterizing High accUracy Spectra (BACCHUS) code to provide line-by-line elemental-abundances for Fe-peak (Fe, Ni), α-(O, Mg, Si, Ca, Ti), light-(C, N), odd-Z (Al), and the s-process element (Ce) for the four stars with high-signal-to-noise ratios. This is the first reliable measure of the CNO abundances for NGC 6558. Our analysis yields a mean metallicity for NGC 6558 of 〈[Fe/H]〉 = −1.15 ± 0.08, with no evidence for a metallicity spread. We find a Solar Ni abundance, 〈[Ni/Fe]〉 ∼ +0.01, and a moderate enhancement of α-elements, ranging between +0.16 and <+0.42, and a slight enhancement of the s-process element 〈[Ce/Fe]〉 ∼ +0.19. We also found low levels of 〈[Al/Fe]〉 ∼ +0.09, but with a strong enrichment of nitrogen, [N/Fe] > +0.99, along with a low level of carbon, [C/Fe] < −0.12. This behaviour of Nitrogen-Carbon is a typical chemical signature for the presence of multiple stellar populations in virtually all GCs; this is the first time that it is reported in NGC 6558. We also observed a remarkable consistency in the behaviour of all the chemical species compared to the other CAPOS bulge GCs of the same metallicity. 
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  4. Abstract The SDSS-IV Apache Point Observatory Galactic Evolution Experiment (APOGEE) survey has obtained high-resolution spectra for thousands of red giant stars distributed among the massive satellite galaxies of the Milky Way (MW): the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds (LMC/SMC), the Sagittarius Dwarf Galaxy (Sgr), Fornax (Fnx), and the now fully disrupted Gaia Sausage/Enceladus (GSE) system. We present and analyze the APOGEE chemical abundance patterns of each galaxy to draw robust conclusions about their star formation histories, by quantifying the relative abundance trends of multiple elements (C, N, O, Mg, Al, Si, Ca, Fe, Ni, and Ce), as well as by fitting chemical evolution models to the [ α /Fe]–[Fe/H] abundance plane for each galaxy. Results show that the chemical signatures of the starburst in the Magellanic Clouds (MCs) observed by Nidever et al. in the α -element abundances extend to C+N, Al, and Ni, with the major burst in the SMC occurring some 3–4 Gyr before the burst in the LMC. We find that Sgr and Fnx also exhibit chemical abundance patterns suggestive of secondary star formation epochs, but these events were weaker and earlier (∼5–7 Gyr ago) than those observed in the MCs. There is no chemical evidence of a second starburst in GSE, but this galaxy shows the strongest initial star formation as compared to the other four galaxies. All dwarf galaxies had greater relative contributions of AGB stars to their enrichment than the MW. Comparing and contrasting these chemical patterns highlight the importance of galaxy environment on its chemical evolution. 
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  5. Abstract The eighteenth data release (DR18) of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) is the first one for SDSS-V, the fifth generation of the survey. SDSS-V comprises three primary scientific programs or “Mappers”: the Milky Way Mapper (MWM), the Black Hole Mapper (BHM), and the Local Volume Mapper. This data release contains extensive targeting information for the two multiobject spectroscopy programs (MWM and BHM), including input catalogs and selection functions for their numerous scientific objectives. We describe the production of the targeting databases and their calibration and scientifically focused components. DR18 also includes ∼25,000 new SDSS spectra and supplemental information for X-ray sources identified by eROSITA in its eFEDS field. We present updates to some of the SDSS software pipelines and preview changes anticipated for DR19. We also describe three value-added catalogs (VACs) based on SDSS-IV data that have been published since DR17, and one VAC based on the SDSS-V data in the eFEDS field. 
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  6. Abstract This paper documents the seventeenth data release (DR17) from the Sloan Digital Sky Surveys; the fifth and final release from the fourth phase (SDSS-IV). DR17 contains the complete release of the Mapping Nearby Galaxies at Apache Point Observatory (MaNGA) survey, which reached its goal of surveying over 10,000 nearby galaxies. The complete release of the MaNGA Stellar Library accompanies this data, providing observations of almost 30,000 stars through the MaNGA instrument during bright time. DR17 also contains the complete release of the Apache Point Observatory Galactic Evolution Experiment 2 survey that publicly releases infrared spectra of over 650,000 stars. The main sample from the Extended Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (eBOSS), as well as the subsurvey Time Domain Spectroscopic Survey data were fully released in DR16. New single-fiber optical spectroscopy released in DR17 is from the SPectroscipic IDentification of ERosita Survey subsurvey and the eBOSS-RM program. Along with the primary data sets, DR17 includes 25 new or updated value-added catalogs. This paper concludes the release of SDSS-IV survey data. SDSS continues into its fifth phase with observations already underway for the Milky Way Mapper, Local Volume Mapper, and Black Hole Mapper surveys. 
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