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Simultaneous Observations of SiO and H2O Masers Toward Known Stellar SiO and H2O Maser Sources. I.
We present the results of simultaneous observations of both SiO andH2O masers toward 166 known SiO and H2O masersources using the Korean VLBI Network Yonsei 21 m radio telescope during2009 June. Both SiO and H2O maser emission were detected from112 sources giving a detection rate of 67% at one epoch observation.SiO-only maser emission was detected from 42 sources, whileH2O-only maser emission was detected from four sources. Mostof the SiO masers appear around the stellar velocity, whileH2O masers show different characteristics compared with SiOmasers. There are more than 20 sources that show a one-way peak ordouble peaks with respect to the stellar velocity and SiO maser peakvelocity. The H2O maser peak and integrated intensity ratioswith respect to those of SiO (v = 1) show increasingly larger valuesfrom Mira variables, to OH/IR stars, to semi-regular variables. Inaddition, the IRAS two-color diagram of SiO and H2O maserobservational results is discussed.
| Morphological effects on IR band profiles. Experimental spectroscopic analysis with application to observed spectra of oxygen-rich AGB stars
Aims: To trace the source of the unique 13, 19.5, and 28 ?m emissionfeatures in the spectra of oxygen-rich circumstellar shells around AGBstars, we have compared dust extinction spectra obtained by aerosolmeasurements. Methods: We have measured the extinction spectrafor 19 oxide powder samples of eight different types, such asTi-compounds (TiO, TiO2, Ti2O3, Ti3O5, Al2TiO5, CaTiO3), ?-,?-, ?-?-?-Al2O3, and MgAl2O4 in the infraredregion (10-50 ?m) paying special attention to the morphological(size, shape, and agglomeration) effects and the differences in crystalstructure. Results: Anatase (TiO2) particles with rounded edgesare the possible 13, 19.5 and 28 ?m band carriers as the maincontributor in the spectra of AGB stars, and spherically shapednano-sized spinel and Al2TiO5 dust grains are possibly associated withthe anatase, enhancing the prominence of the 13 ?m feature andproviding additional features at 28 ?m. The extinction data setsobtained by the aerosol and CsI pellet measurements have been madeavailable for public use at http://elbe.astro.uni-jena.de.
| 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.
| Searches for OH masers in the circumstellar envelopes of red giant irregular variable stars
Irregular variables of type Lb share many characteristics withasymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars such as Miras and semiregulars(SRs). Despite their large number, irregulars are poorly understood.Using the large Nançay radio telescope, we searched for 18-cm OHmaser emission from these stars. We selected two samples of Lbs thatpresent a noticeable circumstellar envelope. In the first one, 44high-latitude objects with infrared colours of dusty mass-losing starswere observed in a wide-bandwidth velocity-search mode. In addition, 16objects (including six from the first sample), in which othercircumstellar molecular lines had recently been found, were observedwith higher resolution and sensitivity. We did not detect any new OHmaser emission from these samples down to 3σ sensitivity limitsranging from 30 to 200 mJy. We derived upper limits for the efficiencyof a typical pump using far-infrared photons. When compared with knownOH masers in AGB stars, we show that a significant gap is leftunexplored below the threshold that we determined for Lbs. Lowerefficiencies exist in some OH Miras and in the OH SRs. We cannot discardthe possibility of faint OH emission from certain Lbs, based on the sameprocesses as encountered in those sources. We briefly discuss physicalconditions allowing OH emission in the envelope, and the evolutionarystage of objects classified as Lb variables with respect to the AGB.
| ``Thermal'' SiO radio line emission towards M-type AGB stars: A probe of circumstellar dust formation and dynamics
An extensive radiative transfer analysis of circumstellar SiO``thermal'' radio line emission from a large sample of M-type AGB starshas been performed. The sample contains 18 irregulars of type Lb (IRV),7 and 34 semiregulars of type SRa and SRb (SRV), respectively, and 12Miras. New observational data, which contain spectra of several groundvibrational state SiO rotational lines, are presented. The detectionrate was about 60% (44% for the IRVs, and 68% for the SRVs). SiOfractional abundances have been determined through radiative transfermodelling. The abundance distribution of the IRV/SRV sample has a medianvalue of 6*E-6, and a minimum of 2*E-6 and amaximum of 5*E-5. The high mass-loss rate Miras have a muchlower median abundance, la 10-6. The derived SiO abundancesare in all cases well below the abundance expected from stellaratmosphere equilibrium chemistry, on average by a factor of ten. Inaddition, there is a trend of decreasing SiO abundance with increasingmass-loss rate. This is interpreted in terms of depletion of SiOmolecules by the formation of silicate grains in the circumstellarenvelopes, with an efficiency which is high already at low mass-lossrates and which increases with the mass-loss rate. The high mass-lossrate Miras appear to have a bimodal SiO abundance distribution, a lowabundance group (on average 4*E-7) and a high abundance group(on average 5*E-6). The estimated SiO envelope sizes agreewell with the estimated SiO photodissociation radii using an unshieldedphotodissociation rate of 2.5*E-10 s-1. The SiOand CO radio line profiles differ in shape. In general, the SiO lineprofiles are narrower than the CO line profiles, but they havelow-intensity wings which cover the full velocity range of the CO lineprofile. This is interpreted as partly an effect of selfabsorption inthe SiO lines, and partly (as has been done also by others) as due tothe influence of gas acceleration in the region which produces asignificant fraction of the SiO line emission. Finally, a number ofsources which have peculiar CO line profiles are discussed from thepoint of view of their SiO line properties.Based on observations using the SEST at La Silla, Chile, the 20 mtelescope at Onsala Space Observatory, Sweden, the JCMT on Hawaii, andthe IRAM 30 m telescope at Pico Veleta, Spain.
| 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.
| How many Hipparcos Variability-Induced Movers are genuine binaries?
Hipparcos observations of some variable stars, and especially oflong-period (e.g. Mira) variables, reveal a motion of the photocentercorrelated with the brightness variation (variability-induced mover -VIM), suggesting the presence of a binary companion. A re-analysis ofthe Hipparcos photometric and astrometric data does not confirm the VIMsolution for 62 among the 288 VIM objects (21%) in the Hipparcoscatalogue. Most of these 288 VIMs are long-period (e.g. Mira) variables(LPV). The effect of a revised chromaticity correction, which accountsfor the color variations along the light cycle, was then investigated.It is based on ``instantaneous'' V-I color indices derived fromHipparcos and Tycho-2 epoch photometry. Among the 188 LPVs flagged asVIM in the Hipparcos catalogue, 89 (47%) are not confirmed as VIM afterthis improved chromaticity correction is applied. This dramatic decreasein the number of VIM solutions is not surprising, since the chromaticitycorrection applied by the Hipparcos reduction consortia was based on afixed V-I color. Astrophysical considerations lead us to adopt a morestringent criterion for accepting a VIM solution (first-kind risk of0.27% instead of 10% as in the Hipparcos catalogue). With this moresevere criterion, only 27 LPV stars remain VIM, thus rejecting 161 ofthe 188 (86%) of the LPVs defined as VIMs in the Hipparcos catalogue.Based on observations from the Hipparcos astrometric satellite operatedby the European Space Agency (ESA 1997).Table 1 is also available in electronic form at the CDS, via anonymousftp to cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (130.79.128.5) or viahttp://cdsweb.u-strasbg.fr/cgi-bin/qcat?J/A+A/399/1167
| 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
| On the origin of the 19.5 μ m feature. Identifying circumstellar Mg-Fe-oxides
We report the detection of a broad, prominent 19.5 mu m dust emissionfeature in ISO-SWS spectra. It is especially conspicuous in the spectraof low mass-loss AGB stars belonging to the variability classes SRb andLb with relatively high photospheric temperatures. The feature carrieris proposed to be Mg0.1Fe0.9O, a solid solution ofMgO (periclase) and FeO (wustite). This dust species has cubic crystalsymmetry like spinel, the carrier of the 13, 16.8 and 31.8 mu m spectralfeatures, together with which the 19.5 mu m feature is being observed. Abroad emission plateau between 11 and 15 mu m, which is attributable toamorphous Al2O3, is also detected together withthe 19.5 mu m and the spinel features. As a consequence of ourdiscovery, we postulate the existence of a distinct class ofcircumstellar shells, dominated by oxide and not by silicate dust. Basedon observations with ISO, an ESA project with instruments funded by ESAMember States (especially the PI countries: France, Germany, TheNetherlands and the UK) and with the participation of ISAS and NASA.
| Mass loss rates of a sample of irregular and semiregular M-type AGB-variables
We have determined mass loss rates and gas expansion velocities for asample of 69 M-type irregular (IRV 22 objects) and semiregular (SRV; 47objects) AGB-variables using a radiative transfer code to model theircircumstellar CO radio line emission. We believe that this sample isrepresentative for the mass losing stars of this type. The (molecularhydrogen) mass loss rate distribution has a median value of 2.0 x10-7 Msun yr-1, and a minimum of 2.0 x10-8 Msun yr-1 and a maximum of 8 x10-7 Msun yr-1. M-type IRVs and SRVswith a mass loss rate in excess of 5 x 10-7 Msunyr-1 must be very rare, and among these mass losing stars thenumber of sources with mass loss rates below a few 10-8Msun yr-1 must be small. We find no significantdifference between the IRVs and the SRVs in terms of their mass losscharacteristics. Among the SRVs the mass loss rate shows no dependenceon the period. Likewise the mass loss rate shows no correlation with thestellar temperature. The gas expansion velocity distribution has amedian of 7.0 km s-1, and a minimum of 2.2 km s-1and a maximum of 14.4 km s-1. No doubt, these objects samplethe low gas expansion velocity end of AGB winds. The fraction of objectswith low gas expansion velocities is very high, about 30% havevelocities lower than 5 km s-1, and there are objects withvelocities lower than 3 km s-1: V584 Aql,T Ari, BI Car, RXLac, and L2 Pup. The mass loss rate and thegas expansion velocity correlate well, a result in line with theoreticalpredictions for an optically thin, dust-driven wind. In general, themodel produces line profiles which acceptably fit the observed ones. Anexceptional case is R Dor, where the high-quality,observed line profiles are essentially flat-topped, while the model onesare sharply double-peaked. The sample contains four sources withdistinctly double-component CO line profiles, i.e., a narrow featurecentered on a broader feature: EP Aqr, RVBoo, X Her, and SV Psc.We have modelled the two components separately for each star and derivemass loss rates and gas expansion velocities. We have compared theresults of this M-star sample with a similar C-star sample analysed inthe same way. The mass loss rate characteristics are very similar forthe two samples. On the contrary, the gas expansion velocitydistributions are clearly different. In particular, the number oflow-velocity sources is much higher in the M-star sample. We found noexample of the sharply double-peaked CO line profile, which is evidenceof a large, detached CO-shell, among the M-stars. About 10% of theC-stars show this phenomenon.
| 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).
| Infrared optical properties of spinels. A study of the carrier of the 13, 17 and 32 mu m emission features observed in ISO-SWS spectra of oxygen-rich AGB stars
In a previous paper, we have proposed magnesium aluminium spinel to bethe carrier of the 13 and 17 mu m band features observed in the ISOspectra of some red giants. The IR optical properties of spinel stronglydepend on its chemistry and its internal structure. To study thedependence of spinel's IR-spectra on its aluminium content, we havesynthesized a number of crystals with different Al/Mg-ratios.Additionally, we performed an annealing experiment to investigate thephase transition between ordered and partially disordered spinel takingplace at about 1200 K. We derived sets of optical constants of ournatural, annealed and synthetic spinels in order to calculate theabsorption efficiencies of small (sub-mu m-sized) spherical particles.Thereby, it turned out that natural as well as near-stoichiometricsynthetic spinel can indeed be considered as a suitable candidate forthe carrier of the 13 mu m feature observed in the spectra of someoxygen rich circumstellar shells. To illustrate this, we reinvestigatedthe mean profile of the residual dust emission in the 12-18 mu mwavelength range (i.e., in the so-called trough region between the twosilicate bands). The reality of the emission feature at 16.8 mu m isconfirmed by our new investigation. We demonstrated that it is not aninstrumental artifact since it is not present in ISO spectra of K-stars.In the course of our laboratory work, we found a third prominentemissivity maximum of spinel at 32 mu m. This feature could also bedetected in the spectra of the brightest 13 mu m band emission sources;we derived its mean band profile, too. The new sets of optical constantshere presented have been made available for public access in theelectronic database http://www.astro.uni-jena.de. Based on observationswith ISO, an ESA project with instruments funded by ESA Member States(especially the PI countries: France, Germany, The Netherlands and theUK) and with the participation of ISAS and NASA.
| 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.
| Modelling of oxygen-rich envelopes using corundum and silicate grains
A set of 31 oxygen-rich stars has been modelled using corundum andsilicate grains. These stars were selected according to theirdust-envelope class, as suggested by Little-Marenin and Little in 1990.Then 16 stars classified as Sil were modelled using silicate grains; 10Broad class stars using corundum (Al2O3) grains;and 5 `Intermediate' class stars using two kinds of grainsimultaneously: corundum and silicate. The temperature of the centralstars and some characteristics of their circumstellar envelopes such astheir extinction opacities and extensions were determined by fitting theflux curves. The corundum/silicate ratios as well as the energydistributions and temperature laws have been obtained. Based on theauthors' results they suggest the existence of chemical and structuralevolution of the modelled circumstellar dust shells. The temperature ofthe central stars and the temperature of the hottest grains decreasefrom Broad to Intermediate to Sil classes, while the inner radii andoptical depths increase in this sequence.
| 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.
| Irregular variables of type Lb. Circumstellar CO emission of an oxygen-rich sample
We report on the first systematic study of the mass-loss properties ofO-rich irregular variables of type Lb. (12) CO (J=1-0, 2-1, and 3-2)line observations were carried out using the SEST, the Onsala 20 mTELESCOPE, the JCMT and the IRAM 30 m ANTENNA. In total 20 stars weredetected among the 31 objects observed (all are new detections; in threecases detections are precluded because of strong interference frominterstellar CO emission). Hence, the detection rate is very high forthis sample selected on the basis of the 60 mu m flux strength. Themajority of the detected objects are weak in CO, and the inferredmass-loss rates are low (la 10(-7) M_ȯ/yr). They have, with only afew exceptions, envelopes with small gas expansion velocities (the meanvalue is ~8 km/s). We find that their mass-loss properties are verysimilar to those of bright O-rich semiregular (SRa or SRb) and Miravariables, i.e., at least in this mass-loss rate range the stellarmass-loss properties are not strongly influenced by the pulsationalbehaviour of the star. Based on observations collected 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.
| 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.
| HIPPARCOS Astrometry of Infrared-Selected Sources and the Connection Between Optical and Infrared Reference Frames
Astrometric data from the Hipparcos satellite are reported for theoptical counterparts of 87 bright infrared sources. These sources may beuseful in defining a reference frame for infrared observations. The dataare also useful in studying the locations of circumstellar SiO masers.(SECTION: Stars)
| 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.
| A Renewed Search for Water Maser Emission from Mira Variables.
Abstract image available at:http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-bib_query?1997AJ....114.1602L&db_key=AST
| Aluminum Oxide and the Opacity of Oxygen-rich Circumstellar Dust in the 12--17 Micron Range
Amorphous alumina (Al2O3) was produced by a sol-gel technique in orderto make available its optical constants for possible astrophysicalapplications. Gradual annealing showed that the X-ray amorphousness ofalumina ended somewhere between 723 and 873 K. Above this transitionpoint, the structure changes into disordered gamma -Al2O3. At T >1273 K, crystalline alpha -Al2O3 (corundum) is formed. Mie calculationsshow that amorphous alumina exhibits a wide Al-O vibrational band,peaking at 11.5--11.8 mu m and having a steep "blue" and an extended"red" wing. It may be an important contributor to the continuous opacitybetween the silicate bands in oxygen-rich circumstellar envelopes,whereas it is ruled out for the explanation of the 13 mu m band. Anaverage 13 mu m band profile was derived from 51 IRAS low-resolutionspectra of bright Mira stars and semiregular variables. Its shape, whichis satisfactorily represented by a Lorentz profile, can be reproduced byMie calculations with the data of alpha -Al2O3, but not with those ofgamma -Al2O3. The calculations show that the 13 mu m band profile ofalpha -Al2O3 is sensitive to grain shape. If alpha -Al2O3 is theabsorber, a second band should be present at 21 mu m. A closecorrelation was found between the strengths of the 13 mu m band and the10 mu m silicate band. It suggests that the 13 mu m band carrier couldalso be somehow connected with silicate dust. Experimental argumentssupporting this attribution are presented.
| Irregular variables of type Lb. New JHKL'M-photometry for 160 stars.
This paper presents new near infrared observations of 160 Irregularvariables of type Lb in the JHKL'M filter bands. These measurements aresupplemented by data for additional 56 stars taken from the literature.In total 220 datasets are available because of some multipleobservations. From our sample, 216 stars have near infrared (NIR)photometry now. Our sample of visually bright Lb-variables displays verysimilar infrared properties when compared with SRa- and SRb-variables.Derived from NIR-two colour diagrams the oxygen-rich Lbs seem to haveintermediate atmospheric conditions between Miras and normal giants.There may be a sligthly larger "contamination" with non AGB-giants thanin the case of the semiregulars. Using only our IR-colours the S- andthe Carbon-stars among the Lbs again are undistinguishable fromSR-variables of the same chemistry.
| Mainline OH detection rates from blue circumstellar shells.
We identified 240 accessible circumstellar shells with water and/or SiOmasers, and used the Arecibo and Nancay radio telescopes to search formainline OH emission from them. Our targets are often Mira variableswithout previously known mainline masers. This search results in 89detections, of which 77 are new. The probability of detecting a maser islarger once a water maser is known, and becomes progressively larger thethicker and redder the shell. Nevertheless, almost all of our examplesof solitary 1665MHz masers, rather than the joint occurrence of both1665 and 1667MHz masers, are in the bluest shells. The IRAS lowresolution spectral type is the strongest factor correlating with themainline detection rate. We find that 67% of objects with a silicateemission feature exhibit masers, whereas only 27% of objects with acomparatively featureless 1n type do. These rates are colourinsensitive. We ascribe this clearcut difference to differing UVextinction properties of the two grain types, which is likely to resultfrom differing grain-size distributions. The IR colour sensitivity ofthe overall mainline detection rate is thus almost entirely anincidental artifact of the changing proportion of the two grain typeswith colour. Inferentially, since 90% of the sample exhibit watermasers, and the proportion of blue sources with silicate features issubstantially larger than an unbiased selection from the IRAS PointSource Catalog would give, the incidence of water masers is similarlysensitive to spectral type.
| Detection of Detached Dust Envelopes around Oxygen-Rich AGB Stars
Extended emission components are clearly found in the IRAS scan data ofoptically visible oxygen-rich AGB stars which show no 10µmsilicate band feature in the IRAS LRS spectra but a strong infraredexcess in the IRAS photometric data. It is most likely that these starsreally have their circumstellar dust envelopes, which are detached fromthe central stars, indicating a halting of mass loss for a significantperiod.
| 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.
| 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.
| 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.
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Observation and Astrometry data
| Constellation: | Τοξότης |
| Right ascension: | 20h06m55.25s |
| Declination: | -27°13'29.8" |
| Apparent magnitude: | 8.05 |
| Distance: | 549.451 parsecs |
| Proper motion RA: | 25.3 |
| Proper motion Dec: | -44.6 |
| B-T magnitude: | 9.607 |
| V-T magnitude: | 8.179 |
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