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The R Coronae Borealis stars — A few mere facts

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Abstract

This review presents a selection of recent highlights of observations of R Coronae Borealis variables. Emphasis is placed on an abundance analysis of a complete sample (18 stars) of the warm galactic RCBs. It is shown that 14 of the 18 have very similar compositions: the iron mass fraction ranges about a factor of 3 around the solar value (assuming C/He = 3%) but abundance ratios X/Fe for elements from Na to Ba show little variation. By contrast, the other 4 stars are deficient in iron but not in Na, Si, S and some other elements. With for example, [Si/Fe] ≃ 2, the quartet is indeed ‘peculiar’. One of the quartet, V854 Cen shows depletions of elements (other than CNO) similar to the depletions seen in interstellar medium corresponding to average logn(H tot) = − 1.5. Scenarios for creating RCB from normal single and double stars are summarised.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Astronomy, University of Texas, Austin, TX, USA

    David L. Lambert

  2. Indian Institute of Astrophysics, 560 034, Bangalore

    N. Kameswara Rao

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  1. David L. Lambert
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Lambert, D.L., Kameswara Rao, N. The R Coronae Borealis stars — A few mere facts. J. Astrophys. Astr. 15, 47–67 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03010404

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