The largest metallicity difference in twin systems: high-precision abundance analysis of the benchmark pair Krios & Kronos

Abstract: Aims.We conduct a high-precision differential abundance analysis of the remarkable binary system HD 240429/30 (Krios and Kronos, respectively), whose difference in metallicity is one of the highest detected in systems with similar components to date (approximately 0.20 dex). A condensation temperature TC trend study was performed to search for possible chemical signatures of planet formation. In addition, other potential scenarios have been proposed to explain this disparity. Methods. Fundamental atmospheric parameters (Te f f , log g, [Fe/H], vturb) were calculated using the latest version of the FUNDPAR code employing high resolution MAROON-X spectra. We applied a full line-by-line differential technique to measure the abundances of 26 elements in both stars with equivalent widths and spectral synthesis taking advantage of the non-solar scaled opacities. Results.We found a difference in metallicity of approximately 0.230 dex, being Kronos more metal rich than Krios. The analysis encompassed the examination of the diffusion effect and primordial chemical differences, concluding that the observed chemical discrepancies in the binary system cannot be solely attributed to any of these processes. The results also shown a noticeable excess of Li by approximately 0.56 dex in Kronos, and an enhancement of refractories with respect to Krios. A photometric study with TESS data was carried out, without finding any signal of possible transiting planets around the stars. Several potential planet formation scenarios were also explored to account for the observed excess in both metallicity and lithium in Kronos. Planetary engulfment is a plausible explanation, considering the ingestion of an exceptionally large mass, approximately approximately 27.8M_Earth, but no scenario is definitively ruled out.