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The CO content of the Local Group dwarf irregular galaxies IC5152, UGCA438 and the Phoenix dwarf
We present a search for CO(1 -> 0) emission in three Local Groupdwarf irregular galaxies: IC5152, the Phoenix dwarf and UGCA 438, usingthe ATNF Mopra radio telescope. Our scans largely cover the opticalextent of the galaxies and the stripped HI cloud west of the Phoenixdwarf. Apart from a tentative but non-significant emission peak at oneposition in the Phoenix dwarf, no significant emission was detected inthe CO spectra of these galaxies. For a velocity width of 6kms-1, we derive 4σ upper limits of 0.03, 0.04 and0.06Kkm s-1 for IC5152, the Phoenix dwarf and UGCA438,respectively. This is an improvement of over a factor of 10 comparedwith previous observations of IC5152 the other two galaxies had not yetbeen observed at millimetre wavelengths. Assuming a GalacticCO-to-H2 conversion factor, we derive upper limits on themolecular gas mass of 6.2 × 104,3.7 ×103 and 1.4 × 105Msolar forIC5152, the Phoenix dwarf and UGCA438, respectively. We investigate twopossible causes for the lack of CO emission in these galaxies. On theone hand, there may be a genuine lack of molecular gas in these systems,in spite of the presence of large amounts of neutral gas. However, inthe case of IC5152 which is actively forming stars, molecular gas is atleast expected to be present in the star-forming regions. On the otherhand, there may be a large increase in the CO-to-H2conversion factor in very low-metallicity dwarfs (-2 <= [Fe/H] <=-1), making CO a poor tracer of the molecular gas content in dwarfgalaxies.
| Pulkovo compilation of radial velocities for 35495 stars in a common system.
Not Available
| The Unusual Silicate Dust around HV 2310, an Evolved Star in the Large Magellanic Cloud
The spectrum of HV 2310, an evolved star in the Large Magellanic Cloud,taken with the Infrared Spectrograph (IRS) on the Spitzer SpaceTelescope, reveals the presence of an optically thin shell of silicatedust with unusual spectral structure in the 10 μm feature: anemission peak at 9.7 μm, a saddle at 10.4 μm, and an extendedshoulder to 11.2 μm. This structure is similar to spectra fromcrystalline silicate grains, and of the available optical constants,forsterite provides the best fit. The spectrum also shows structure at14 μm that may arise from an unidentified dust feature.
| Oxygen-rich AGB stars with optically thin dust envelopes
The dust composition and dynamics of the circumstellar envelopes ofoxygen-rich AGB stars with low mass-loss rates (5 ×10-8-10-5 Mȯ yr-1) havebeen investigated. We have analyzed the ISO-SWS spectra of twenty-eightoxygen-rich AGB stars with optically thin shells, and modelled theobservations with the radiative transfer code DUSTY using the opticalconstants from laboratory dust analogues. This has allowed us todetermine the composition of the dust and the physical conditions at theinner edge of the shell. Moreover, by comparing with CO observationsavailable in the literature, we have determined the gas-to-dust massratios and the mass-loss rates of these sources, and analyzed thewind-driving mechanism. The results show that the small amounts of dustpresent in these envelopes, characterized by visual optical depths inthe 0.03-0.6 range, are enough to drive the wind by radiation pressureon the grains. In some sources there are indications of circumstellardust that does not contribute to the wind-driving, and that maydistributed in a disk or clumps. Other sources show signs of variablemass-loss rates. A grain mixture in the shell consisting of aluminiumoxide, melilite, olivine, spinel and Mg{0.1}Fe{0.9}O fit the observedspectra well. From these species, only melilite is required to have afractional abundance greater than 25% in all cases. Although spinelreproduces the 13 μm feature, the absence of the 16.8 μm peak inour SWS spectra casts doubts on this identification. The outcome of themodelling reveals that the olivine content in these CSEs increases withpressure and temperature at the inner edge. Moreover, the aluminiumoxide percentage in the dust of the envelopes shows a positivecorrelation with the gas-to-dust mass ratio. These results, togetherwith the derived dust compositions, are consistent with thethermodynamic dust condensation sequence scenario and its freezing-outdue to kinetics. However, the temperatures at the inner edge of theshell are substantially lower than those predicted by theory.
| Guilt by Association: The 13 Micron Dust Emission Feature and Its Correlation to Other Gas and Dust Features
A study of all full-scan spectra of optically thin oxygen-richcircumstellar dust shells in the database produced by the ShortWavelength Spectrometer on ISO reveals that the strength of severalinfrared spectral features correlates with the strength of the 13 μmdust feature. These correlated features include dust features at 19.8and 28.1 μm and the bands produced by warm carbon dioxide molecules(the strongest of which are at 13.9, 15.0, and 16.2 μm). The databasedoes not provide any evidence for a correlation of the 13 μm featurewith a dust feature at 32 μm, and it is more likely that a weakemission feature at 16.8 μm arises from carbon dioxide gas ratherthan dust. The correlated dust features at 13, 20, and 28 μm tend tobe stronger with respect to the total dust emission in semiregular andirregular variables associated with the asymptotic giant branch than inMira variables or supergiants. This family of dust features also tendsto be stronger in systems with lower infrared excesses and thus lowermass-loss rates. We hypothesize that the dust features arise fromcrystalline forms of alumina (13 μm) and silicates (20 and 28 μm).Based on observations with the ISO, a European Space Agency (ESA)project with instruments funded by ESA member states (especially thePrincipal Investigator countries: France, Germany, the Netherlands, andthe United Kingdom) and with the participation of the Institute of Spaceand Astronautical Science (ISAS) and the National Aeronautics and SpaceAdministration (NASA).
| Infrared Colors and Variability of Evolved Stars from COBE DIRBE Data
For a complete 12 μm flux-limited sample of 207 IRAS sources(F12>=150 Jy, |b|>=5deg), the majority ofwhich are AGB stars (~87%), we have extracted light curves in seveninfrared bands between 1.25 and 60 μm using the database of theDiffuse Infrared Background Experiment (DIRBE) instrument on the CosmicBackground Explorer (COBE) satellite. Using previous infrared surveys,we filtered these light curves to remove data points affected by nearbycompanions and obtained time-averaged flux densities and infraredcolors, as well as estimates of their variability at each wavelength. Inthe time-averaged DIRBE color-color plots, we find clear segregation ofsemiregulars, Mira variables, carbon stars, OH/IR stars, and red giantswithout circumstellar dust (i.e., V-[12]<5) and with little or novisual variation (ΔV<0.1 mag). The DIRBE 1.25-25 μm colorsbecome progressively redder and the variability in the DIRBE databaseincreases along the oxygen-rich sequence nondusty slightly varying redgiants-->SRb/Lb-->SRa-->Mira-->OH/IR and the carbon-richSRb/Lb-->Mira sequence. This supports previous assertions that theseare evolutionary sequences involving the continued production andejection of dust. The carbon stars are redder than their oxygen-richcounterparts for the same variability type, except in theF12/F25 ratio, where they are bluer. Of the 28sources in the sample not previous noted to be variable, 18 are clearlyvariable in the DIRBE data, with amplitudes of variation of ~0.9 mag at4.9 μm and ~0.6 mag at 12 μm, consistent with them being verydusty Mira-like variables. We also present individual DIRBE light curvesof a few selected stars. The DIRBE light curves of the semiregularvariable L2 Pup are particularly remarkable. The maxima at1.25, 2.2, and 3.5 μm occur 10-20 days before those at 4.9 and 12μm, and, at 4.9 and 12 μm, another maximum is seen between the twonear-infrared maxima.
| Hipparcos red stars in the HpV_T2 and V I_C systems
For Hipparcos M, S, and C spectral type stars, we provide calibratedinstantaneous (epoch) Cousins V - I color indices using newly derivedHpV_T2 photometry. Three new sets of ground-based Cousins V I data havebeen obtained for more than 170 carbon and red M giants. These datasetsin combination with the published sources of V I photometry served toobtain the calibration curves linking Hipparcos/Tycho Hp-V_T2 with theCousins V - I index. In total, 321 carbon stars and 4464 M- and S-typestars have new V - I indices. The standard error of the mean V - I isabout 0.1 mag or better down to Hp~9 although it deteriorates rapidly atfainter magnitudes. These V - I indices can be used to verify thepublished Hipparcos V - I color indices. Thus, we have identified ahandful of new cases where, instead of the real target, a random fieldstar has been observed. A considerable fraction of the DMSA/C and DMSA/Vsolutions for red stars appear not to be warranted. Most likely suchspurious solutions may originate from usage of a heavily biased color inthe astrometric processing.Based on observations from the Hipparcos astrometric satellite operatedby the European Space Agency (ESA 1997).}\fnmsep\thanks{Table 7 is onlyavailable in electronic form at the CDS via anonymous ftp tocdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (130.79.128.5) or viahttp://cdsweb.u-strasbg.fr/cgi-bin/qcat?J/A+A/397/997
| The ISO-SWS post-helium atlas of near-infrared stellar spectra
We present an atlas of near-infrared spectra (2.36 mu m-4.1 mu m) of ~300 stars at moderate resolution (lambda /delta lambda ~ 1500-2000). Thespectra were recorded using the Short-Wavelength Spectrometer aboard theInfrared Space Observatory (ISO-SWS). The bulk of the observations wereperformed during a dedicated observation campaign after the liquidhelium depletion of the ISO satellite, the so-called post-heliumprogramme. This programme was aimed at extending the MK-classificationto the near-infrared. Therefore the programme covers a large range ofspectral types and luminosity classes. The 2.36 mu m-4.05 mu m region isa valuable spectral probe for both hot and cool stars. H I lines(Bracket, Pfund and Humphreys series), He I and He II lines, atomiclines and molecular lines (CO, H2O, NH, OH, SiO, HCN,C2H2, ...) are sensitive to temperature, gravityand/or the nature of the outer layers of the stellar atmosphere(outflows, hot circumstellar discs, etc.). Another objective of theprogramme was to construct a homogeneous dataset of near-infraredstellar spectra that can be used for population synthesis studies ofgalaxies. At near-infrared wavelengths these objects emit the integratedlight of all stars in the system. In this paper we present the datasetof post-helium spectra completed with observations obtained during thenominal operations of the ISO-SWS. We discuss the calibration of the SWSdata obtained after the liquid helium boil-off and the data reduction.We also give a first qualitative overview of how the spectral featuresin this wavelength range change with spectral type. The dataset isscrutinised in two papers on the quantitative classification ofnear-infrared spectra of early-type stars ({Lenorzer} et al.\cite{lenorzer:2002a}) and late-type stars (Vandenbussche et al., inprep). Based on observations with ISO, an ESA project with instrumentsfunded by ESA Members States (especially the PI countries France,Germany, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom) and with theparticipation of ISAS and NASA. The full atlas is available inelectronic form at www.edpsciences.org Table 1 is only available inelectronic form at the CDS via anonymous ftp to cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr(130.79.128.5) or viahttp://cdsweb.u-strasbg.fr/cgi-bin/qcat?/A+A/390/1033
| Long period variable stars: galactic populations and infrared luminosity calibrations
In this paper HIPPARCOS astrometric and kinematic data are used tocalibrate both infrared luminosities and kinematical parameters of LongPeriod Variable stars (LPVs). Individual absolute K and IRAS 12 and 25luminosities of 800 LPVs are determined and made available in electronicform. The estimated mean kinematics is analyzed in terms of galacticpopulations. LPVs are found to belong to galactic populations rangingfrom the thin disk to the extended disk. An age range and a lower limitof the initial mass is given for stars of each population. A differenceof 1.3 mag in K for the upper limit of the Asymptotic Giant Branch isfound between the disk and old disk galactic populations, confirming itsdependence on the mass in the main sequence. LPVs with a thin envelopeare distinguished using the estimated mean IRAS luminosities. The levelof attraction (in the classification sense) of each group for the usualclassifying parameters of LPVs (variability and spectral types) isexamined. Table only available in electronic form at the CDS viaanonymous ftp to cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (130.79.128.5) or viahttp://cdsweb.u-strasbg.fr/cgi-bin/qcat?J/A+A/374/968 or via ASTRIDdatabase (http://astrid.graal.univ-montp2.fr).
| Stars with the Largest Hipparcos Photometric Amplitudes
A list of the 2027 stars that have the largest photometric amplitudes inHipparcos Photometry shows that most variable stars are all Miras. Thepercentage of variable types change as a function of amplitude. Thiscompilation should also be of value to photometrists looking forrelatively unstudied, but large amplitude stars.
| On the origin of the 13 mu m feature. A study of ISO-SWS spectra of oxygen-rich AGB stars
We have derived a mean profile of the 13 mu m emission feature from 11ISO spectra of oxygen-rich AGB stars and present an overview of themineral species that could account for it. Our results can be summarizedas follows: i) Spherical particles of alpha -Al_2O_3 (corundum) have asharp emissivity maximum peaking at 12.7 mu m. The difference of 0.3 mum in the peak position compared to the mean observed band profile is aserious obstacle to assigning the 13 mu m dust feature to this dustspecies. ii) From a continuous distribution of ellipsoidal alpha-Al_2O_3-particles, a broad emissivity profile peaking at 13-14 mu memerges. It is difficult to reconcile the large width of this profilewith the width of the observed 13 mu m band. iii) The most prominentemissivity maximum of TiO_2 (rutile) is located at 13.5 mu m; its widthis larger and its strength three times smaller than the emissivitymaximum of corundum. iv) Core-mantle-grains composed of rutile andcorundum or of corundum and amorphous olivine can both produce, in acertain domain of core volume fractions, a spectral signature verysimilar to the observed 13 mu m feature. However, the necessity toassume rather artificial distribution functions of the core volumefractions makes this scenario improbable. v) We consider MgAl_2O_4(spinel) to be the most promising candidate for the carrier of the 13 mum feature since its emissivity peaks are located at 12.95 mu m and at16.8 mu m for spherical particles and since at both positions featuresare present in most of the spectra of our sample. In view of therelevance of this substance for circumstellar shells, laboratory spectraof spinel particles embedded in KBr are also presented. Based onobservations with ISO, an ESA project with instruments funded by ESAMember States (especially the PI countries: France, Germany, theNetherlands and the United Kingdom) and with the participation of ISASand NASA.}
| Period-Luminosity-Colour distribution and classification of Galactic oxygen-rich LPVs. I. Luminosity calibrations
The absolute K magnitudes and kinematic parameters of about 350oxygen-rich Long-Period Variable stars are calibrated, by means of anup-to-date maximum-likelihood method, using Hipparcos parallaxes andproper motions together with radial velocities and, as additional data,periods and V-K colour indices. Four groups, differing by theirkinematics and mean magnitudes, are found. For each of them, we alsoobtain the distributions of magnitude, period and de-reddened colour ofthe base population, as well as de-biased period-luminosity-colourrelations and their two-dimensional projections. The SRa semiregulars donot seem to constitute a separate class of LPVs. The SRb appear tobelong to two populations of different ages. In a PL diagram, theyconstitute two evolutionary sequences towards the Mira stage. The Mirasof the disk appear to pulsate on a lower-order mode. The slopes of theirde-biased PL and PC relations are found to be very different from theones of the Oxygen Miras of the LMC. This suggests that a significantnumber of so-called Miras of the LMC are misclassified. This alsosuggests that the Miras of the LMC do not constitute a homogeneousgroup, but include a significant proportion of metal-deficient stars,suggesting a relatively smooth star formation history. As a consequence,one may not trivially transpose the LMC period-luminosity relation fromone galaxy to the other Based on data from the Hipparcos astrometrysatellite. Appendix B is only available in electronic form at the CDSvia anonymous ftp to cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (130.79.128.5) or viahttp://cdsweb.u-strasbg.fr/Abstract.html
| A search for Technetium in semiregular variables
We searched for the lines of Tc in the spectra of Semiregular variables(SRVs) in the wavelength region from 4180 to 4300 Å using highresolution spectroscopy. Tc as an s-process element is produced on thethermally pulsing AGB and is therefore a good indicator for theevolutionary status of Semiregular variables. Combining our results withprevious investigations we get a database large enough for a statisticalstudy. Tc is not found in SRVs with periods below 100 days, spectraltypes earlier than M5 and photospheric IRAS colours. These objects are`blue' SRVs in the classification system of Kerschbaum & Hron(\cite{KH94}). Among the `red' SRVs (periods longer than 100 days) thefraction of stars showing Tc in their spectra is about 15 % with aprobably lower fraction among the stars with periods above 150 days.This is significantly lower than for the typical Miras. Taking intoaccount the probable conditions for the occurence of the third dredge-upand the expected behavior of the Tc abundance along an evolutionarytrack on the AGB, our results support an evolutionary scenario from`blue' SRVs (early AGB) to `red' SRVs (early TP-AGB) and on to longperiod Miras. Only the most massive (masses above 2M_ȯ) stars showTc during the SRV stage. The luminosities of the Tc-rich SRVs and Mirasare compatible with theoretical estimates of the minimum core massrequired for the third dredge-up. Based on observations collected at theEuropean Southern Observatory, La Silla, Chile (ESO No.54.E-0350), theGerman Spanish Astronomical Centre, Calar Alto, operated by theMax-Planck-Institute for Astronomy, Heidelberg, jointly with the SpanishNational Commission for Astronomy, and Kitt Peak National Observatory,USA.
| Oxygen-rich semiregular and irregular variables. A catalogue of circumstellar CO observations
Using the SEST, the Onsala 20 m telescope, the JCMT, and the IRAM 30 mtelescope we have carried out a survey of circumstellar CO(J=1-0, 2-1,3-2, and 4-3) emission on a large sample of oxygen-rich semiregular (SRaand SRb) and irregular variables (Lb). A total of 109 stars wereobserved in at least one CO line: 66 were shown to have circumstellar COline emission (7 SRa, 36 SRb, and 23 Lb variables), ~ 60% of thesemiregulars and all but one of the irregulars were detected for thefirst time. Most stars were observed in at least two transitions. Thereis a total of 138 detected CO lines. For twelve stars stronginterference from interstellar CO emission precluded detection. Wepresent here a catalogue of all observational data and the spectra ofall detections, as well as brief discussions on detection statistics(including its dependence on variability type, period, IRAS-colour, IRASLRS-class, and M-subclass), line profiles (including line shapeasymmetry, multi-component line shapes, and line intensity ratios), gasexpansion velocity distributions, and correlations between CO line andIR continuum fluxes (including implications for the mass-lossmechanism). Based on observations collected using at the EuropeanSouthern Observatory, La Silla, Chile, the Onsala Space Observatory,Chalmers Tekniska Högskola, Sweden, the James Clerk MaxwellTelescope, Hawaii and the IRAM 30~m telescope, Pico Veleta, Spain.
| SiO rotation-vibration bands in cool giants II. The behaviour of SiO bands in AGB stars
The first overtone rotation-vibration transitions of SiO give rise toprominent bandheads in the wavelength range between 4.0 and 4.5 mu m. Inorder to study the behaviour of these features in AGB stars we observedthe 3.94 to 4.12 mu m spectra for a sample of 23 oxygen-rich late-typevariables. In contrast to the SRb objects, the Miras show a very largescatter of the equivalent widths of the SiO bands. Despite their cooltemperatures some of them have only weak or no SiO absorption, whichseems to be related to their strong pulsations producing a largevariability of the features. When comparing the band intensities withphotometric data, we found a general decrease with bluer IRAS (12-25)colors. However, this trend may only reflect the different behaviour ofthe Miras and SRb stars in our sample. We did not discover anycorrelation of the equivalent widths with the effective temperaturesderived from (J-K), or with the (K-12) color and the IRAS-LRS class,both of which can be regarded as a rough measure for the thickness ofthe circumstellar shell. In Paper I of this series (Aringer et al.\cite{siop}) we have shown that synthetic spectra calculated fromhydrostatic MARCS atmospheres are successful in reproducing the observedband intensities of giants with spectral types earlier than about M5 IIIand M2 II\@. However, they generally predict too strong features forvery cool and extended objects, as they are discussed in this work. Andthey fail completely when it comes to Miras with weak or no SiOabsorption. These stars are dominated by dynamical phenomena and, notsurprisingly, they can therefore not be described by hydrostaticstructures. Thus, we have also computed synthetic spectra based onexperimental dynamical models. Although they still have someshortcomings, we demonstrate that, in principle, they are able toexplain the whole range of equivalent widths of the observed SiObandheads and their variations. Based on observations made at theEuropean Southern Observatory (ESO), La Silla (Chile)}
| The Infrared Spectral Classification of Oxygen-rich Dust Shells
This paper presents infrared spectral classifications for a flux-limitedsample of 635 optically identified oxygen-rich variables includingsupergiants and sources on the asymptotic giant branch (AGB). Severalclasses of spectra from oxygen-rich dust exist, and these can bearranged in a smoothly varying sequence of spectral shapes known as thesilicate dust sequence. Classification based on this sequence revealsseveral dependencies of the dust emission on the properties of thecentral star. Nearly all S stars show broad emission features fromalumina dust, while most of the supergiants exhibit classic featuresfrom amorphous silicate dust. Mira variables with symmetric light curvesgenerally show broad alumina emission, while those with more asymmetriclight curves show classic silicate emission. These differences may arisefrom differences in the photospheric C/O ratio.
| Circumstellar Shells of the Mass-Losing Asymptotic Giant Branch Stars: Limits for the Dust-Driven Winds
We investigated whether the radiation pressure on dust grains alone mayaccount for driving winds in semiregular, irregular and non-variable AGBstars. A simple theoretical model is employed to calculate the limitsfor the radiatively driven winds and to compare theoretical predictionswith observations. Present analysis indicates, that for most of theobjects in the studied sample of 67 oxygen-rich and 40 carbon-richmass-losing AGB stars radiation pressure on dust grains alone is noteffective enough to drive the observed circumstellar outflows.
| Classification and Identification of IRAS Sources with Low-Resolution Spectra
IRAS low-resolution spectra were extracted for 11,224 IRAS sources.These spectra were classified into astrophysical classes, based on thepresence of emission and absorption features and on the shape of thecontinuum. Counterparts of these IRAS sources in existing optical andinfrared catalogs are identified, and their optical spectral types arelisted if they are known. The correlations between thephotospheric/optical and circumstellar/infrared classification arediscussed.
| Semiregular variables of types SRa and SRb. Silicate dust emission features.
We have analysed the IRAS-LRS spectra of representative samples ofO-rich Semiregular (SR) variables of types SRa and SRb and of Miravariables. The silicate features were extracted by fitting the energydistribution with two blackbodies, approximating the continuous emissionfrom the photosphere and the circumstellar dust. The shape and strengthof the silicate features in the LRS range were then studied by computingthe residual fluxes in 5 selected wavelength regions covering the whole10μm and 18μm features and parts of the 10μm feature assignedto emission from olivine and possibly corundum. We compare our approachwith previous investigations and argue that a quantitative study ofdetails in the feature shape requires subtraction of the stellar and thedust continuum and the use of flux ratios rather than a discreteclassification system. The Miras form an extension of the SRb's towardslower stellar temperatures and higher dust shell opacities and they haveslightly higher average dust temperatures. The SRa's seem to be moresimilar to the Miras in their dust shell properties. The average 10μmfeature shapes of the three groups of variables agree, but taking intoaccount the photospheric and dust shell parameters, systematicdifferences show up. For stars hotter than about 2900K, the 10μmfeature width shows a wide range of values but no clear trend with thestellar temperature or the optical depth of the dust shell. These starsare generally SRb variables and have the thinnest dust envelopes. Atcooler stellar temperatures, where mostly Miras are found, the opticaldepth of the dust shell determines the feature width in the sense thatthicker shells have narrower features. It appears that the 13μmfeature is obvious only in a narrow range of effective temperature andoptical depth of the dust shell. We discuss our results in terms ofradiative transfer effects, differences in the average grain size,annealing and hydration of amorphous silicates and contributions fromother dust components. Of these possibilities the last one seems to bemost plausible with regard to the behavior of the 10μm feature width.The observations can be interpreted in terms of changing contributionsfrom olivine and corundum possibly caused by an increasing amount ofdust processing (Miras) and the influence of the atmospheric structureon the formation of these dust components (SRb's).
| Circumstellar dust envelopes of oxygen-rich AGB stars.
Using IRAS observational data, the best-fitting models are searched foroxygen-rich AGB stars in various evolutionary stages from opticallyvisible red giant stars to OH/IR stars with heavy mass loss. The modelinfrared spectral energy distributions of the red giant stars withcircumstellar dust envelopes are calculated with the use of a radiativetransfer code. It is found that the oxygen-rich IRAS AGB starssurrounded by circumstellar dust envelopes are divided into threegroups, which can be clearly distinguished by their mass loss rate andthe grain temperature at the inner boundary of the circumstellar dustenvelopes. One group corresponds to Mira type objects with a moderatemass loss rate and a grain formation temperature of about 500 K, thesecond to OH/IR star type objects with a large mass loss rate and a highgrain formation temperature, and the third to M stars with a very coldgrain temperature at the inner boundary, indicating that the moderatemass loss stopped a considerable time ago in these objects. The highergrain formation temperature of the OH/IR star type objects indicates agrain formation point closer to the stellar surface, suggesting aneffective acceleration of dust grains by radiation pressure. Such aneffective acceleration can play an important role in the mass lossphenomena of OH/IR stars with large mass loss rates. From the modelfitting results, it is suggested that an AGB star undergoes severaldozen phases of moderate mass loss of˙(M)~10^-7^-10^-6^Msun_/yr for a period of10^3^-10^4^years with interruptions of 10^3^-10^4^years during theordinary Mira variable phase before becoming an OH/IR star with a massloss rate exceeding 10^-5^Msun_/yr and a lifetime of about10^3^-10^4^years.
| Semiregular variables of types SRa and SRb. New JHKL'M-photometry for 200 stars.
This paper presents new JHKL'M observations of 200 Semiregular variables(SRVs) of types SRa and SRb. The sample was defined in Kerschbaum &Hron (1992a, Paper I) by means of a certain limit in bolometricalmagnitude. From the sample of 350 objects, 260 now have near infrared(NIR) photometry - for 60 of these stars data from the literature areused. In total 290 datasets are available because of some multipleobservations. We briefly compare the photometry obtained at differentobservatories. Small but significant differences are found. A firstanalysis of the photometry supports one of the main findings of Paper I.The, in many aspects inhomogeneous, O-rich semiregular variables oftypes SRa and SRb can be successfully split in two subgroups called the`blue' and `red'/`Mira' SRVs. A separation of the `red' SRVs fromintrinsic Miras additionally requires variability information.
| 86 GHz SiO, v=1, J=2--> 1 survey of southern IRAS point sources. II. Detection of 74 new maser sources
The detection of 74 new southern stellar SiO, v=1, J=2->1 masersassociated with IRAS point sources is reported. 57 of these were foundin an IRAS based survey of oxygen rich stellar envelopes. The detectionrate in this survey was 45%. 17 further new maser sources were detectedduring a search for strong pointing sources for the Swedish-ESOSubmillimeter Telescope (SEST). The distribution of the IRAS lowresolution spectral (LRS) classes of all the SiO masers (this paper andliterature) peaks sharply at class 15. The distribution of the LRSclasses of the maser sources from 21 to 29 is similar to thedistribution of these classes of all the point sources in the pointsource catalogue except for class 25. Only few maser sources of thisspectral class are known. This is possibly explained by a selectioneffect.
| A search for variability in the IRAS-LRS spectra of long period variables
Time-averaged IRAS-low resolution spectrometer (LRS) spectra have beenextensively used in the past for the study of mass loss in cool stars.Using the GEISHA system available at Groningen, we have extracted theraw LRS data for a sample of 40 mass losing asymptotic giant branch(AGB) stars. The selection was made on the basis of the number ofindividual spectra obtained by IRAS, the flux at 12 micrometers, an LRSclassification of 2n or 4n and a known association with an optical longperiod variable (Miras, Semiregulars). The spectra were analyzed inthree different ways, one of them being similar to the original LRSclassification scheme. Using spectra taken within 24 hours we estimatedthe internal accuracy of a single spectrum as a function of the 12micrometer flux. The spectra were then searched for variability in thesilicate and SiC dust features. Only one possible case of variabilitywas found. The results are discussed in terms of the pulsational andmass loss characteristics of our sample and other observational data oncircumstellar dust features.
| Circumstellar shells resolved in the IRAS survey data. I - Data processing procedure, results, and confidence tests
We have examined the IRAS 60 and 100 micron survey data covering 512evolved stars and young planetary nebulae for evidence of spatiallyresolved structure. A simple model, consisting of a central unresolvedsource surrounded by a resolved isothermal shell, was fitted to the datafor each star. Seventy-six stars were found to be resolved in the 60micron data. Tests have been performed to verify that the extendedstructure seen is not an artifact of the data-processing algorithm.
| Circumstellar shells resolved in IRAS survey data. II - Analysis
IRAS survey data for 512 red giant stars and young planetary nebulaewere processed using a computer program which fitted the data to anidealized model of a circumstellar shell. Seventy-six of these starswere found to have circumstellar shells resolved in the 60-micron surveydata. Forty pct of the 76 stars are carbon stars. Thirteen are Miravariables. The evolution of these shells, involving the interaction ofthe expelled material with the ISM, is modeled, and the results suggestthat the period during which Mira variables lose mass lasts forapproximately 10 exp 5 yr. Carbon stars are found to shed mass for about2 x 10 exp 5 yr. The expansion velocity of the outer shell for thelargest shells will normally be lower by a factor of 3-5 than theexpansion velocity obtained from CO observations.
| CO and HCN observations of circumstellar envelopes. A catalogue - Mass loss rates and distributions
We have searched the literature for all observations of the (C-12)O(1-0), (C-12)O (2-1), and HCN (1-0) lines in circumstellar envelopes oflate type stars published between January 1985 and September 1992. Wereport data for 1361 observations (stellar velocity, expansion velocity,peak intensity, integrated area, noise level). This CO-HCN sample nowcontains 444 sources; 184 are identified as O-rich, 205 as C-rich, andthere are 9 S stars. About 85 percent of the sources are AGB stars.There are 32 planetary nebulae and about thirty post-AGB starscandidates. Besides results of mm-observations, we also listidentifications, coordinates, IRAS data, and chemical and spectral typesfor every source. For AGB stars, we have estimated (or compiled)bolometric fluxes and distances for 349 sources, and mass loss ratesdeduced from CO results for 324 sources, taking into account theinfluence of the CO photodissociation radius. We also list mass lossrates derived from detailed models of CO emission in the literature.
| Near-infrared photometry of a sample of IRAS point sources
This paper presents the J, H, K, L, M photometry of 516 sourcespertaining to a sample of 787 sources which has been extracted from theIRAS Point Source Catalog in order to study the late stages of stellarevolution and the concomitant phenomena of mass loss. Three differentclssifications of these sources based on broad-band photometry and IRASlow-resolution spectra are given, and the distributions of the sourcesin terms of these classifications are presented. A subsample of peculiarsources, believed to have recently undergone a helium flash, has beenisolated using the K - L, (12-micron) color diagram. Some objectsmeriting further study are also mentioned.
| A survey of circumstellar CO emission from a sample of IRAS point sources
The first results from a survey of circumstellar CO(1-0) emission arepresented. The sources were selected from the IRAS point source catalogaccording to the IRAS color criteria described in van der Veen andHabing (1988). The sources have good quality fluxes at 12, 25, and 60microns, flux densities larger than 20 Jy at 25 microns, and aresituated more than 5 deg away from the Galactic plane. The survey isundertaken to study the relationship between mass loss rates, dustproperties, and the evolution along the AGB. The sample consists of 787sources and contains both oxygen and carbon-rich stars, including Miravariables, OH/IR objects, protoplanetary nebulae, planetary nebulae, and60-micron excess sources. So far, 519 objects, situated on both thenorthern and the southern sky, have been observed; 163 sources werefound to have circumstellar CO emission, and in 58 of these CO emissionhas not previously been detected.
| Improved Positions of Variable Stars in Northern Pavo
Not Available
| A survey for infrared excesses among high galactic latitude SAO stars
This project involves extending the previous analysis of infraredexcesses among a volume-limited sample of 134 nearby A-K main-sequencestars to a magnitude-limited sample of stars, culled from the SAOCatalog, with excesses determined from the IRAS Point Source Catalogflux density ratios. This new sample includes 5706 B-M type stars, 379of which have infrared excesses. The objective involved use of astatistically complete survey of objects in a standard catalog in orderto assess the frequency with which different physical processes canaffect the infrared output of stars. These processes include, but arenot limited to, orbiting cold particle clouds and the onset of rapidmass loss. It is concluded that cold disks are consistent with theinfrared excesses found among A-G dwarfs and G-K giants in the sample.
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Observation and Astrometry data
| Constellation: | Pfau |
| Right ascension: | 20h11m45.86s |
| Declination: | -59°56'12.8" |
| Apparent magnitude: | 8.393 |
| Distance: | 609.756 parsecs |
| Proper motion RA: | 26.7 |
| Proper motion Dec: | -11.7 |
| B-T magnitude: | 10.083 |
| V-T magnitude: | 8.533 |
Catalogs and designations:
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