1995A&A...293...75E

We have determined chemical abundances and radial velocities for stars in the field of the ζ Sculptoris cluster. We find that the cluster metal deficiency previously found from UBV photometry is not supported; the cluster overall metallicity, [Fe/H]=+0.23, is about 70% higher than the solar value. The chemical abundance pattern appears unusual: the Ni/Fe ratio is lower than typical for field stars with similar Fe and Ca abundances, and the cluster may also be deficient in the α element Si. For its age, the cluster is unusually far from the galactic disk, ≃240pc. The adopted heliocentric cluster radial velocity, +3.9km/s, shows that it is close to its maximum distance from the galactic plane. We suggest that the ζSculptoris cluster was formed in the galactic disk 45Myr ago by the interaction of a high velocity cloud with the interstellar medium, and that its formation may be connected with that of Gould's Belt.