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We report new measurements of branching fractions for 20 UV and blue lines in the spectrum of neutral silicon (Sii) originating in the 3s²3p4s³P^o_1,2,¹P^o₁, and 3s3p³¹D^o_1,2upper levels. Transitions studied include both strong, nearly pure LS multiplets as well as very weak spin-forbidden transitions connected to these upper levels. We also report a new branching fraction measurement of the⁴P_1/2–²P^o_1/2,3/2intercombination lines in the spectrum of singly ionized silicon (Siii). The weak spin-forbidden lines of Siiand Siiiprovide a stringent test on recent theoretical calculations, to which we make comparison. The branching fractions from this study are combined with previously reported radiative lifetimes to yield transition probabilities and log(gf) values for these lines. We apply these new measurements to abundance determinations in five metal-poor stars.

 

Improved energy levels for singly ionized and neutral hafnium of both even and odd parity are determined from Fourier transform spectrometer data using a least-squares optimization procedure. Data from interferometric spectrometers provide much tighter control of systematic uncertainties of line position measurements than can be achieved using dispersive spectrometers. The strong optical and near-UV lines connecting these levels are most likely to be used in the determination of isotopic abundance patterns. Comparisons of new results to published ones strongly suggest that our energy levels have systematic uncertainties in the mK (1 mK = 0.001 cm⁻¹) range or smaller, and that widely used tables of energy levels for ionized Hf have systematic errors of approximately 70 mK.

 

We present new observational benchmarks of rapid neutron-capture process (r-process) nucleosynthesis for elements at and between the first (A∼ 80) and second (A∼ 130) peaks. Our analysis is based on archival ultraviolet and optical spectroscopy of eight metal-poor stars with Se (Z= 34) or Te (Z= 52) detections, whoser-process enhancement varies by more than a factor of 30 (−0.22 ≤ [Eu/Fe] ≤ +1.32). We calculate ratios among the abundances of Se, Sr through Mo (38 ≤Z≤ 42), and Te. These benchmarks may offer a new empirical alternative to the predicted solar systemr-process residual pattern. The Te abundances in these stars correlate more closely with the lighterr-process elements than the heavier ones, contradicting and superseding previous findings. The small star-to-star dispersion among the abundances of Se, Sr, Y, Zr, Nb, Mo, and Te (≤0.13 dex, or 26%) matches that observed among the abundances of the lanthanides and thirdr-process-peak elements. The concept ofr-process universality that is recognized among the lanthanide and third-peak elements inr-process-enhanced stars may also apply to Se, Sr, Y, Zr, Nb, Mo, and Te, provided the overall abundances of the lighterr-process elements are scaled independently of the heavier ones. The abundance behavior of the elements Ru through Sn (44 ≤Z≤ 50) requires further study. Our results suggest that at least one relatively common source in the early Universe produced a consistent abundance pattern among some elements spanning the first and secondr-process peaks.

 

We have derived new detailed abundances of Mg, Ca, and the Fe-group elements Sc through Zn (Z = 21-30) for 37 main sequence turnoff very metal-poor stars ([Fe/H] . ~<2.1). We analyzed Keck HIRES optical and near-UV high signal-to-noise spectra originally gathered for a beryllium abundance survey. Using typically ~400 Fe-group lines with accurate laboratory transition probabilities for each star, we have determined accurate LTE metallicities and abundance ratios for neutral and ionized species of the 10 Fe-group elements as well as alpha elements Mg and Ca. We nd good neutral/ion abundance agreement for the 6 elements that have detectable transitions of both species in our stars in the 3100-5800 A range. Earlier reports of correlated Sc-Ti-V relative overabundances are confirmed, and appear to slowly increase with decreasing metallicity. To this element trio we add Zn; it also appears to be increasingly overabundant in the lowest metallicity regimes. Co appears to mimic the behavior of Zn, but issues surrounding its abundance reliability cloud its interpretation.