LMC classical Cepheids Fe and O content

The iron distribution of Cepheids in the LMC can be very accurately described by a single Gaussian with a mean [Fe/H]=-0.409+/-0.003dex and sigma=0.076+/-0.003dex. We estimate a systematic uncertainty on the absolute mean values of 0.1dex. The width of the distribution is fully compatible with the measurement error and supports the low dispersion of 0.069 mag seen in the NIR HST LMC period-luminosity relation.

The uniformity of the abundance has the important consequence that the LMC Cepheids alone cannot provide any meaningful constraint on the dependence of the Cepheid Period-Luminosity relation on chemical composition at any wavelength. This revises a prior claim based on a small sample of 22 LMC Cepheids that there was little dependence (or uncertainty) between composition and NIR luminosity, a conclusion which would produce an apparent conflict between anchors of the distance ladder with different mean abundance.

The chemical homogeneity of the LMC Cepheid population makes it an ideal environment to calibrate the metallicity dependence between the more metal poor SMC and metal rich Milky Way and NGC 4258.