The chemical compositions of two nitrogen-rich, metal-poor, halo dwarf stars

New high resolution, high signal-to-noise spectra have been obtained for HD 25329 and HD 74000, dwarf stars that are metal-poor but nitrogen-rich members of the galactic halo. An atmosphere parameter and chemical composition analysis confirms earlier assertions of both their metal poverty, (Fe/H) approximately equals -2, and their high gravity, log g greater than 4. The relative abundances of the alpha-capture and iron-peak elements are normal for metal-poor stars. Overabundances of sodium, and possibly aluminum as well, are derived, but there are no pronounced depletions of oxygen; thus these stars do not show the sodium/oxygen or nitrogen/oxygen anticorrelations seen in globular cluster giants. All very heavy elements synthesized through s-process neutron-capture nucleosynthesis are enhanced in these stars. It is likely that the enrichments of nitrogen, sodium, aluminum, and the very heavy elements in these stars originated in material dredged up from the helium-burning shells of former AGB stars, but there is no direct evidence for binary companions for these stars.