| |
 |
| Paper: |
Mass-Loss Rates of MS and S Stars Compared with their Infrared
Photometry |
| Volume: |
445, Why Galaxies Care about AGB Stars II: Shining Examples and Common Inhabitants |
| Page: |
331 |
| Authors: |
Guandalini, R. |
| Abstract: |
The Asymptotic Giant Branch (AGB) phase marks the end of the evolution
of low- and intermediate-mass stars, which are fundamental contributors
to the mass-return to the interstellar medium and to the chemical
evolution of galaxies. The detailed understanding of mass-loss processes
is hampered by poor knowledge of the luminosities and distances of AGB
stars. This contribution is focused on the study of the mass-loss rates
for a sample of Galactic S stars. The properties of the stellar winds
are re-analyzed with reliable estimates of distance on the basis of
criteria determined in previous works. Stellar winds in S stars are on
average less efficient than those of C-rich AGB stars of the same
luminosity. Infrared colors appear to be crucial in this study.
They show a good correlation with mass-loss rates for the Mira stars.
This relation between the mass-loss rates of the stellar winds and
infrared colors improves our understanding of the late evolutionary
stages of low-mass stars and could be the origin of the correlation
between mass-loss rates of the stellar winds and bolometric magnitudes. |
|
|
|
|
|
