Strontium and Barium In Early-Type Galaxies

The detailed abundance patterns of the stars within galaxies provide a unique window into the history of star formation (SF) at early times. Two widely used `chronometers' include the alpha and iron-peak elements, which are created on short and long timescales, respectively. These two clocks have been widely used to estimate SF timescales from moderate-resolution spectra of early-type galaxies. Elements formed via s-process neutron captures (e.g., Sr and Ba) comprise a third type of chronometer, as the site of the main s-process is believed to be intermediate and low-mass asymptotic giant branch stars. The [alpha/Ba] ratio in particular should provide a powerful new constraint on the SF histories of galaxies, in part because it is insensitive to the uncertain distribution of type Ia SNe detonation times and the overall Ia rate. Here we present new measurements of the abundance of Sr and Ba in nearby early-type galaxies by applying stellar population synthesis tools to high S/N optical spectra. We find a strong anti-correlation between [Mg/Fe] and [Ba/Fe], and a strong positive correlation between [Mg/Ba] and galaxy velocity dispersion. These trends are consistent with the idea that more massive galaxies formed their stars on shorter timescales compared to less massive galaxies, and rule out several other proposed explanations for the observed super-solar [Mg/Fe] values in massive galaxies. In contrast, [Sr/Fe]~0, with no strong variation across the sample. It is difficult to interpret the Sr trends without detailed chemical evolution models owing to the multiplicity of proposed nucleosynthetic sites for Sr.