Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astrophysics
Scientific paper
1999-11-13
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astrophysics
10 figures, accepted for MNRAS
Scientific paper
10.1046/j.1365-8711.2000.03262.x
For each of the three indicators used, we have conducted a thorough error analysis, and identified systematic errors in the computational procedures. For the population ratio R = N_HB / N_RGB, we find that there is no evidence of a trend with metallicity, although there appears to be real scatter in the values derived. Although this indicator is the one best able to provide useful absolute helium abundances, the mean value is Y approximately 0.20, indicating the probable presence of additional systematic error. For the magnitude difference from the horizontal branch to the main sequence Delta and the RR Lyrae mass-luminosity exponent A, it is only possible to reliably determine relative helium abundances. This is due to continuing uncertainties in the absolute metallicity scale for Delta, and uncertainty in the RR Lyrae temperature scale for A. Both indicators imply that the helium abundance is approximately constant as a function of [Fe/H]. According to the A indicator, both Oosterhoff I and II group clusters have constant values independent of [Fe/H] and horizontal branch type. In addition, the two groups have slopes d log P / d[Fe/H] that are consistent with each other, but significantly smaller than the slope for the combined sample.
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