carbonenhanced

Carbon-enhanced is a descriptive term used in multiple scientific fields to denote an object or environment with higher-than-typical carbon content. In astronomy, the phrase is most commonly encountered in discussions of carbon-enhanced metal-poor stars, often abbreviated as CEMP stars. These are stars with low overall metallicity that show an overabundance of carbon relative to iron, typically defined by a logarithmic abundance ratio [C/Fe] exceeding +1.0. CEMP stars are further subdivided by the presence and pattern of neutron-capture elements: CEMP-no (no neutron-capture enhancement), CEMP-s (s-process enriched), CEMP-r (r-process enriched), and CEMP-r/s or other combinations. The study of these stars sheds light on early nucleosynthesis, mass transfer in binary systems, and the chemical evolution of the Galaxy.

In materials science and related fields, carbon-enhanced describes substances with elevated carbon content relative to a baseline material. Examples include carbon-enhanced steels with higher carbon percentages that influence hardness and strength, carbon-fiber reinforced composites, and carbon-based coatings or films. In these contexts, enhancement is used to indicate improved mechanical, thermal, or electrical properties, often achieved by adjusting alloying elements, processing, or microstructure.

Because "carbon-enhanced" is a relative descriptor rather than a single universal category, its precise meaning depends on the discipline and the baseline material or reference abundance. The term is thus used as a shorthand to indicate higher carbon content and its associated effects.