Abundance analysis of prime B-type targets for asteroseismology

Context. The CoRoT satellite is collecting precise time-resolved photometry for tens of asteroseismology targets. To ensure a correct interpretation of the CoRoT data, the atmospheric parameters, chemical compositions, and rotational velocities of the stars must be determined. Aims. The main goal of the ground-based seismology support program for the CoRoT mission was to obtain photometric and spectroscopic data for stars in the fields monitored by the satellite. These ground-based observations were collected in the GAUDI archive. High-resolution spectra of more than 200 B-type stars are available in this database, and about 45% of them is analysed here. Methods. To derive the effective temperature of the stars, we used photometric indices. Surface gravities were obtained by comparing observed and theoretical Balmer line profiles. To determine the chemical abundances and rotational velocities, we used a spectrum synthesis method, which consisted of comparing the observed spectrum with theoretical ones based on the assumption of LTE. Results. Atmospheric parameters, chemical abundances, and rotational velocities were determined for 89 late-B stars. The dominant species in their spectra are iron-peak elements. The average Fe abundance is 7.24±0.45 dex. The average rotational velocity is 126 km s−1, but there are 13 and 20 stars with low and moderate V sin i values, respectively. The analysis of this sample of 89 late B-type stars reveals many chemically peculiar (CP) stars. Some of them were previously known, but at least 9 new CP candidates, among which at least two HgMn stars, are identified in our study. These CP stars as a group exhibit V sin i values lower than the stars with normal surface chemical composition.