The λ Bootis phenomenon: interaction between a star and a diffuse interstellar cloud The λ Bootis stars, a group of late B- to early F-type PopulationI stars, have surface abundances that resemble the general metaldepletion pattern found in the interstellar medium. Inspired by therecent result that the fundamental parameters of these peculiar starsdiffer in no respect from those of a comparison sample of normal stars,the hypothesis of an interaction between a star and a diffuseinterstellar cloud is considered as a possible explanation of thepeculiar abundance pattern. It is found that such a scenario is able toexplain the selective accretion of interstellar gas depleted incondensable elements as well as the spectral range of the λBootis phenomenon.
Photoelectric photometry of stars in the Vilnius system in Kapteyn areas SA 2, 4 and 6 Photoelectric photometry in the Vilnius system of 114 standard stars inKapteyn areas SA 2, 4, and 6 is presented with mean square errors of thearithmetic mean +/- 0.005 mag. Photometrically determined spectral typesand luminosity classes of the stars are also presented.