2015MNRAS.451..184C

The Kepler space mission and its K2 extension provide photometric time series data with unprecedented accuracy. These data challenge our current understanding of the metallic-lined A stars (Am stars) for what concerns the onset of pulsations in their atmospheres. It turns out that the predictions of current diffusion models do not agree with observations. To understand this discrepancy, it is of crucial importance to obtain ground-based spectroscopic observations of Am stars in the Kepler and K2 fields in order to determine the best estimates of the stellar parameters. In this paper, we present a detailed analysis of high-resolution spectroscopic data for seven stars previously classified as Am stars. We determine the effective temperatures, surface gravities, projected rotational velocities, microturbulent velocities and chemical abundances of these stars using spectral synthesis. These spectra were obtained with CAOS, a new instrument recently installed at the observing station of the Catania Astrophysical Observatory on Mt Etna. Three stars have already been observed during quarters Q0-Q17, namely: HD 180347, HD 181206 and HD 185658, while HD 43509 was already observed during K2 C0 campaign. We confirm that HD 43509 and HD 180347 are Am stars, while HD 52403, HD 50766, HD 58246, HD 181206 and HD 185658 are marginal Am stars. By means of non-LTE (local thermodynamic equilibrium) analysis, we derived oxygen abundances from O i λ7771-5 Å triplet and we also discussed the results obtained with both non-LTE and LTE approaches.