The chemical inhomogeneity of omega Centauri

Observations of 25 RR Lyrae stars in ω Cen have revealed a diversity in the composition of these stars. The composition spread explains the ill-defined giant branch and the existence of M stars in the cluster. The diversity may be due either to variable amounts of giant-branch mixing or to metal enrichment of protostellar gas during the cluster collapse. Among other consideractions, the uniqueness of ω Cen leads us to prefer the latter hypothesis