We present homogeneous and accurate iron abundances for 42 Galactic Cepheids based on high resolution (R ∼ 38 000) high signal-to-noise ratio (S /N ≥ 100) optical spectra collected with UVES at VLT (128 spectra). The above abundances were complemented with high-quality iron abundances provided either by our group (86) or available in the literature. We were careful to derive a common metallicity scale and ended up with a sample of 450 Cepheids. We also estimated accurate individual distances for the entire sample by using homogeneous near-infrared photometry and the reddening free period-Wesenheit relations. The new metallicity gradient is linear over a broad range of Galactocentric distances (R G ∼ 5-19 kpc) and agrees quite well with similar estimates available in the literature (-0.060 ± 0.002 dex/kpc). We also uncover evidence that suggests that the residuals of the metallicity gradient are tightly correlated with candidate Cepheid groups (CGs). The candidate CGs have been identified as spatial overdensities of Cepheids located across the thin disk. They account for a significant fraction of the residual fluctuations, and also for the large intrinsic dispersion of the metallicity gradient. We performed a detailed comparison with metallicity gradients based on different tracers: OB stars and open clusters. We found very similar metallicity gradients for ages younger than 3 Gyr, while for older ages we found a shallower slope and an increase in the intrinsic spread. The above findings rely on homogeneous age, metallicity, and distance scales. Finally, by using a large sample of Galactic and Magellanic Cepheids for which accurate iron abundances are available, we found that the dependence of the luminosity amplitude on metallicity is vanishing.

We present new estimates of the relative distance of the Magellanic Clouds (MCs) by using NIR and Optical-NIR Cepheid Period Wesenheit (PW) relations. The relative distances are independent of uncertainties affecting the zero-point of the PW relations, but do depend on the adopted pivot periods. We estimated the pivot periods for fundamental (FU) and first overtone (FO) Cepheids on the basis of their period distributions. We found that log P=0.5 (FU) and log P=0.3 (FO) are solid choices, since they trace a main peak and a shoulder in LMC and SMC period distributions. By using the above pivot periods and ten PW relations, we found MC relative distances of 0.53±0.06 (FU) and 0.53±0.07 (FO) mag. Moreover, we investigated the possibility to use mixed-mode (FU/FO, FO/SO) Cepheids as distance indicators and we found that they follow quite well the PW relations defined by single mode MC Cepheids, with deviations typically smaller than 0.3σ.

We present new homogeneous measurements of Na, Al, and three α-elements (Mg, Si, Ca) for 75 Galactic Cepheids. The abundances are based on high spectral resolution (R ∼ 38 000) and high signal-to-noise ratio (S /N ∼ 50−300) spectra collected with UVES at ESO VLT. The current measurements were complemented with Cepheid abundances provided by our group (75) or available in the literature, for a total of 439 Galactic Cepheids. Special attention was given to providing a homogeneous abundance scale for these five elements plus iron. In addition, accurate Galactocentric distances (R G ) based on near-infrared photometry are also available for all the Cepheids in the sample. They cover a large section of the Galactic thin disk (4.1 ≤ R G ≤ 18.4 kpc). We found that these five elements display well-defined linear radial gradients and modest standard deviations over the entire range of R G . Moreover, the [element/Fe] abundance ratios are constant across the entire thin disk; only the Ca radial distribution shows marginal evidence of a positive slope. These results indicate that the chemical enrichment history of iron and of the quoted five elements has been quite similar across the four quadrants of the Galactic thin disk. The [element/Fe] ratios are also constant over the entire period range. This empirical evidence indicates that the chemical enrichment of Galactic Cepheids has also been very homogenous within the range in age that they cover (∼10−300 Myr). Once again, [Ca/Fe] vs. log P shows a (negative) gradient, since it is underabundant among the youngest Cepheids. Finally, we also find that Cepheid abundances agree quite well with similar abundances for thin and thick disk dwarf stars, and they follow the typical Mg−Al and Na−O correlations.

Context. Galactic abundance gradients set strong constraints to chemo-dynamical evolutionary models of the Milky Way. Given the period-luminosity relations that provide accurate distances and the large number of spectral lines, Cepheids are excellent tracers of the present-day abundance gradients. Aims. We want to measure the Galactic abundance gradient of several chemical elements. While the slope of the Cepheid iron gradient did not vary much from the very first studies, the gradients of the other elements are not that well constrained. In this paper we focus on the inner and outer regions of the Galactic thin disk. Methods. We use high-resolution spectra (FEROS, ESPADONS, NARVAL) to measure the abundances of several light (Na, Al), α (Mg, Si, S, Ca), and heavy elements (Y, Zr, La, Ce, Nd, Eu) in a sample of 65 Milky Way Cepheids. Combining these results with accurate distances from period-Wesenheit relations in the near-infrared enables us to determine the abundance gradients in the Milky Way. Results. Our results are in good agreement with previous studies on either Cepheids or other tracers. In particular, we confirm an upward shift of ≈0.2 dex for the Mg abundances, as has recently been reported. We also confirm the existence of a gradient for all the heavy elements studied in the context of a local thermodynamic equilibrium analysis. However, for Y, Nd, and especially La, we find lower abundances for Cepheids in the outer disk than reported in previous studies, leading to steeper gradients. This effect can be explained by the differences in the line lists used by different groups. Conclusions. Our data do not support a flattening of the gradients in the outer disk, in agreement with recent Cepheid studies and chemo-dynamical simulations. This is in contrast to the open cluster observations but remains compatible with a picture where the transition zone between the inner disk and the outer disk would move outward with time.

We present homogeneous and accurate iron abundances for almost four dozen (47) of Galactic Cepheids using high-spectral resolution (R ∼ 40 000) high signal-to-noise ratio (S/N ≥ 100) optical spectra collected with UVES at VLT. A significant fraction of the sample (32) is located in the inner disk (R G ≤ 6.9 kpc) and for half of them we provide new iron abundances. Current findings indicate a steady increase in iron abundance when approaching the innermost regions of the thin disk. The metallicity is super-solar and ranges from 0.2 dex for R G ∼ 6.5 kpc to 0.4 dex for R G ∼ 5.5 kpc. Moreover, we do not find evidence of correlation between iron abundance and distance from the Galactic plane. We collected similar data available in the literature and ended up with a sample of 420 Cepheids. Current data suggest that the mean metallicity and the metallicity dispersion in the four quadrants of the Galactic disk attain similar values. The first-second quadrants show a more extended metal-poor tail, while the third-fourth quadrants show a more extended metal-rich tail, but the bulk of the sample is at solar iron abundance. Finally, we found a significant difference between the iron abundance of Cepheids located close to the edge of the inner disk ([Fe/H] ∼ 0.4) and young stars located either along the Galactic bar or in the nuclear bulge ([Fe/H] ∼ 0). Thus suggesting that the above regions have had different chemical enrichment histories. The same outcome applies to the metallicity gradient of the Galactic bulge, since mounting empirical evidence indicates that the mean metallicity increases when moving from the outer to the inner bulge regions.