Some concerns about the reliability of LTE abundance analyses in cool, active stars

Abstract

We discuss recent observational evidence illustrating the current limitations plaguing classical LTE abundance analyses of cool (Teff < 5500 K), chromospherically active stars. Although significant progress on this issue can be evidently expected from a more realistic atmospheric modelling and treatment of NLTE line formation, a homogeneous abundance study of a large sample of inactive K-type stars may also prove valuable in disentangling temperature and activity effects. © 2006 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.