Abundance of barium in the atmospheres of red giants in the Galactic globular cluster NGC 104 (47 Tuc)

Abstract

Context. While most (if not all) Type I Galactic globular clusters (GGCs) are characterised by spreads in the abundances of light chemical elements (e.g. Li, N, O, Na, Mg, Al), it is not yet well established whether similar spreads may exist in s-process elements as well. Aims. We investigated the possible difference in Ba abundance between the primordial (1P) and polluted (2P) stars in the Galactic globular cluster (GGC) 47 Tuc (NGC 104). For this purpose, we obtained homogeneous abundances of Fe, Na, and Ba in a sample of 261 red giant branch (RGB) stars, which comprises the largest sample used for Na and Ba abundance analysis in any GGC so far. Methods. Abundances of Na and Ba were determined using archival GIRAFFE/VLT spectra and 1D non-local thermodynamic equilibrium (NLTE) abundance analysis methodology. Results. Contrary to the finding of Gratton et al. (2013, A&A, 549, A41), we did not detect any significant Ba–Na correlation or 2P–1P Ba abundance difference in the sample of 261 RGB stars in 47 Tuc. This corroborates the result of D’Orazi et al. (2010, ApJ, 719, L213), who found no statistically significant Ba–Na correlation in 110 RGB stars in this GGC. The average barium-to-iron ratio obtained in the sample of 261 RGB stars, ⟨[Ba/Fe]1D NLTE⟩ = −0.01 ± 0.06, agrees well with those determined in Galactic field stars at this metallicity and may therefore represent the abundance of primordial proto-cluster gas that has not been altered during the subsequent chemical evolution of the cluster.