Neon abundances in B stars of the Orion association: Solving the solar model problem?

We report on non-LTE Ne abundances for a sample of B-type stellar members of the Orion association. The abundances were derived by means of non-LTE fully metal-blanketed model atmospheres and extensive model atoms with updated atomic data. We find that these young stars have a very homogeneous abundance of. This abundance is higher by similar to 0.3 dex than the currently adopted solar value, A(Ne) p 8.11 +/- 0.04 A(Ne) p, which is derived from lines produced in the corona and active regions. The general agreement between the 7.84 abundances of C, N, and O derived for B stars with the solar abundances of these elements derived from three-dimensional hydrodynamical models atmospheres strongly suggests that the abundance patterns of the light elements in the Sun and B stars are broadly similar. If this hypothesis is true, then the Ne abundance derived here will help to reconcile solar models with helioseismological observations.