Abstract We present stellar parameters and abundances of 15 elements (Na, Mg, Al, Si, Ca, Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Y and Ba) for 23 field RR Lyrae variables based on high-resolution (R ~ 60 000) and high signal-to-noise (S/N~ 200) spectra obtained using the High Dispersion Spectrograph on the Subaru Telescope. Six stars in the sample have more than one spectrum observed at different pulsation phases. The derived abundance ratios of [X/Fe] for 14 elements (except for Ba) do not vary during the pulsation cycle. An interesting curve of [Ba/Fe] versus phase is detected for the first time and it shows decreasing [Ba/Fe] with increasing temperature at a given metallicity. Combining with data in the literature, abundances of most RR Lyrae stars as a function of [Fe/H] follow the same trends as those of dwarf stars, but [Sc/Fe] and [Y/Fe] ratios of RR Lyrae stars at solar metallicity are lower than those of dwarf stars. The kinematics of RR Lyrae stars indicate that three comparatively metal-rich RR Lyrae stars might originate from the thick disk and they show higher [α/Fe] ratios than RR Lyrae stars with thin disk kinematics. Among 23 RR Lyrae stars, two special objects are found with abnormal abundances; TV Lib has high [α/Fe], [Sc/Fe], [Y/Fe] and [Ba/Fe] ratios while TW Her has solar [α/Fe] but significantly lower [Sc/Fe], [Y/Fe] and [Ba/Fe] ratios as compared with other RR Lyrae stars.

Keywords techniques: spectroscopic — stars: abundances — stars: variables: RR Lyrae

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