We compare and analyze the Spitzer mid-infrared spectrum of three fullerene-rich planetary nebulae in the Milky Way and the Magellanic Clouds: Tc1, SMP SMC 16, and SMP LMC 56. The three planetary ...nebulae share many spectroscopic similarities. The strongest circumstellar emission bands correspond to the infrared active vibrational modes of the fullerene species C sub(60) and little or no emission is present from polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. The strengths of the fullerene bands in the three planetary nebulae are very similar, while the ratios of the NeIII 15.5 mum/NeII 12.8 mum fine structure lines, an indicator of the strength of the radiation field, are markedly different. This raises questions about their excitation mechanism and we compare the fullerene emission to fluorescent and thermal models. In addition, the spectra show other interesting and common features, most notably in the 6-9 mum region, where a broad plateau with substructure dominates the emission. These features have previously been associated with mixtures of aromatic/aliphatic hydrocarbon solids. We hypothesize on the origin of this band, which is likely related to the fullerene formation mechanism, and compare it with modeled hydrogenated amorphous carbon that present emission in this region.
We introduce a new generation of PARSEC-COLIBRI stellar isochrones that includes a detailed treatment of the thermally pulsing asymptotic giant branch (TP-AGB) phase, covering a wide range of initial ...metallicities (0.0001 < Zi < 0.06). Compared to previous releases, the main novelties and improvements are use of new TP-AGB tracks and related atmosphere models and spectra for M and C-type stars; inclusion of the surface H+He+CNO abundances in the isochrone tables, accounting for the effects of diffusion, dredge-up episodes and hot-bottom burning; inclusion of complete thermal pulse cycles, with a complete description of the in-cycle changes in the stellar parameters; new pulsation models to describe the long-period variability in the fundamental and first-overtone modes; and new dust models that follow the growth of the grains during the AGB evolution, in combination with radiative transfer calculations for the reprocessing of the photospheric emission. Overall, these improvements are expected to lead to a more consistent and detailed description of properties of TP-AGB stars expected in resolved stellar populations, especially in regard to their mean photometric properties from optical to mid-infrared wavelengths. We illustrate the expected numbers of TP-AGB stars of different types in stellar populations covering a wide range of ages and initial metallicities, providing further details on the "C-star island" that appears at intermediate values of age and metallicity, and about the AGB-boosting effect that occurs at ages close to 1.6-Gyr for populations of all metallicities. The isochrones are available through a new dedicated web server.
Aims. We use parallax data from the Gaia second data release (GDR2), combined with parallax data based on HIPPARCOS and HST data, to derive the period–luminosity–metallicity (PLZ) relation for ...Galactic classical cepheids (CCs) in the V, K, and Wesenheit WVK bands. Methods. An initial sample of 452 CCs are extracted from the literature with spectroscopically derived iron abundances. Reddening values, classifications, pulsation periods, and mean V- and K-band magnitudes are taken from the literature. Based on nine CCs with a goodness-of-fit (GOF) statistic smaller than 8 and with an accurate non-Gaia parallax (σπ comparable to that in GDR2), a parallax zero-point offset of −0.049 ± 0.018 mas is derived. Selecting a GOF statistic smaller than 8 removes about 40% of the sample most likely related due to binarity. Excluding first overtone and multi-mode cepheids and applying some other criteria reduces the sample to about 200 stars. Results. The derived PL(Z) relations depend strongly on the parallax zero-point offset. The slope of the PL relation is found to be different from the relations in the LMC at the 3σ level. Fixing the slope to the value found in the LMC leads to a distance modulus (DM) to the LMC of order 18.7 mag, larger than the canonical distance. The canonical DM of around 18.5 mag would require a parallax zero-point offset of order −0.1 mas. Given the strong correlation between zero point, period and metallicity dependence of the PL relation, and the parallax zero-point offset there is no evidence for a metallicity term in the PLZ relation. Conclusions. The GDR2 release does not allow us to improve on the current distance scale based on CCs. The value of and the uncertainty on the parallax zero-point offset leads to uncertainties of order 0.15 mag on the distance scale. The parallax zero-point offset will need to be known at a level of 3 μas or better to have a 0.01 mag or smaller effect on the zero point of the PL relation and the DM to the LMC.
The asymptotic-giant-branch star R Sculptoris is surrounded by a detached shell of dust and gas. The shell originates from a thermal pulse during which the star underwent a brief period of increased ...mass loss. It has hitherto been impossible to constrain observationally the timescales and mass-loss properties during and after a thermal pulse--parameters that determine the lifetime of the asymptotic giant branch and the amount of elements returned by the star. Here we report observations of CO emission from the circumstellar envelope and shell around R Sculptoris with an angular resolution of 1.3″. What was previously thought to be only a thin, spherical shell with a clumpy structure is revealed to also contain a spiral structure. Spiral structures associated with circumstellar envelopes have been previously seen, leading to the conclusion that the systems must be binaries. Combining the observational data with hydrodynamic simulations, we conclude that R Sculptoris is a binary system that underwent a thermal pulse about 1,800 years ago, lasting approximately 200 years. About 3 × 10(-3) solar masses of material were ejected at a velocity of 14.3 km s(-1) and at a rate around 30 times higher than the pre-pulse mass-loss rate. This shows that about three times more mass was returned to the interstellar medium during and immediately after the pulse than previously thought.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IJS, IZUM, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Context. Mass loss is one of the fundamental properties of asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars, and through the enrichment of the interstellar medium, AGB stars are key players in the life cycle of ...dust and gas in the universe. However, a quantitative understanding of the mass-loss process is still largely lacking. Aims. We aim to investigate mass loss and luminosity in a large sample of evolved stars in several Local Group galaxies with a variety of metalliticies and star-formation histories: the Small and Large Magellanic Cloud, and the Fornax, Carina, and Sculptor dwarf spheroidal galaxies (dSphs). Methods. Dust radiative transfer models are presented for 225 carbon stars and 171 oxygen-rich evolved stars in several Local Group galaxies for which spectra from the Infrared Spectrograph on Spitzer are available. The spectra are complemented with available optical and infrared photometry to construct spectral energy distributions. A minimization procedure was used to determine luminosity and mass-loss rate (MLR). Pulsation periods were derived for a large fraction of the sample based on a re-analysis of existing data. Results. New deep K-band photometry from the VMC survey and multi-epoch data from IRAC (at 4.5 μm) and AllWISE and NEOWISE have allowed us to derive pulsation periods longer than 1000 days for some of the most heavily obscured and reddened objects. We derive (dust) MLRs and luminosities for the entire sample. The estimated MLRs can differ significantly from estimates for the same objects in the literature due to differences in adopted optical constants (up to factors of several) and details in the radiative transfer modelling. Updated parameters for the super-AGB candidate MSX SMC 055 (IRAS 00483−7347) are presented. Its current mass is estimated to be 8.5 ± 1.6 M⊙, suggesting an initial mass well above 8 M⊙ in agreement with estimates based on its large Rubidium abundance. Using synthetic photometry, we present and discuss colour-colour and colour-magnitude diagrams which can be expected from the James Webb Space Telescope.
A WISE view on extreme AGB stars Groenewegen, M. A. T.
Astronomy and astrophysics (Berlin),
03/2022, Letnik:
659
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
Context.
Variability is a key property of stars on the asymptotic giant branch (AGB). Their pulsation period is related to the luminosity and mass-loss rate (MLR) of the star. Long-period variables ...(LPVs) and Mira variables are the most prominent of all types of variability of evolved stars. However, the reddest, most obscured AGB stars are too faint in the optical and have eluded large variability surveys.
Aims.
Our goal is to obtain a sample of LPVs with large MLRs by analysing WISE
W
1 and
W
2 light curves (LCs) for about 2000 sources, photometrically selected to include known C-stars with the 11.3 μm silicon carbide dust feature in absorption, and Galactic O-stars with periods longer than 1000 days.
Methods.
Epoch photometry was retrieved from the AllWISE and NEOWISE database and fitted with a sinus curve. Photometry from other variability surveys was also downloaded and fitted. For a subset of 316 of the reddest stars, spectral energy distributions (SEDs) were constructed, and, together with mid-infrared (MIR) spectra when available, fitted with a dust radiative transfer programme in order to derive MLRs.
Results.
WISE based LCs and fits to the data are presented for all stars. Periods from the literature and periods from refitting other literature data are presented. The results of the spatial correlation with several (IR) databases is presented. About one-third of the sources are found to be not real, but it appears that these cannot be easily filtered out by using WISE flags. Some are clones of extremely bright sources, and in some cases the LCs show the known pulsation period. Inspired by a recent paper, a number of non-variable OH/IRs are identified. Based on a selection on amplitude, a sample of about 750 (candidate) LPVs is selected of which 145 have periods > 1000 days, many of them being new. For the subset of the stars with the colours of C-rich extremely red objects (EROs) the fitting of the SEDs (and available MIR spectra) separates them into C- and O-rich objects. Interestingly, the fitting of MIR spectra of mass-losing C-stars is shown to be a powerful tracer of interstellar reddening when
A
V
≳ 2 mag. The number of Galactic EROs appears to be complete up to about 5 kpc and a total dust return rate in the solar neighbourhood for this class is determined. In the LMC 12 additional EROs are identified. Although this represents only about 0.15% of the total known LMC C-star population adding their MLRs increases the previously estimated dust return by 8%. Based on the EROs in the Magellanic Clouds, a bolometric period luminosity is derived. It is pointed out that due to their faintness, EROs and similar O-rich objects are ideal targets for a NIR version of
Gaia
to obtain distances, observing in the
K
-band or, even more efficiently, in the
L
-band.
We report on an analysis of the gas and dust budget in the interstellar medium (ISM) of the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC). Recent observations from the Spitzer Space Telescope enable us to study the ...mid-infrared dust excess of asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars in the LMC. This is the first time we can quantitatively assess the gas and dust input from AGB stars over a complete galaxy, fully based on observations. The integrated mass-loss rate over all intermediate and high mass-loss rate carbon-rich AGB candidates in the LMC is 8.5 × 10−3 M⊙ yr−1, up to 2.1 × 10−2 M⊙ yr−1. This number could be increased up to 2.7 × 10−2 M⊙ yr−1 if oxygen-rich stars are included. This is overall consistent with theoretical expectations, considering the star formation rate (SFR) when these low- and intermediate-mass stars where formed, and the initial mass functions. AGB stars are one of the most important gas sources in the LMC, with supernovae (SNe), which produces about 2–4 × 10−2 M⊙ yr−1. At the moment, the SFR exceeds the gas feedback from AGB stars and SNe in the LMC, and the current star formation depends on gas already present in the ISM. This suggests that as the gas in the ISM is exhausted, the SFR will eventually decline in the LMC, unless gas is supplied externally. Our estimates suggest ‘a missing dust-mass problem’ in the LMC, which is similarly found in high-z galaxies: the accumulated dust mass from AGB stars and possibly SNe over the dust lifetime (400–800 Myr) is significant less than the dust mass in the ISM. Another dust source is required, possibly related to star-forming regions.
Carbon monoxide is the most abundant molecule after H2 and is important for chemistry in circumstellar envelopes around late-type stars. The size of the envelope is important when modelling low-J ...transition lines and deriving mass-loss rates from such lines. Now that ALMA is coming to full power the extent of the CO emitting region can be measured directly for nearby asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars. In parallel, it has become obvious in the past few years that the strength of the interstellar radiation field (ISRF) can have a significant impact on the interpretation of the emission lines. In this paper an update and extension of the classical Mamon et al. (1988, ApJ, 328, 797) paper is presented; these authors provided the CO abundance profile, described by two parameters, as a function of mass-loss rate and expansion velocity. Following recent work an improved numerical method and updated H2 and CO shielding functions are used and a larger grid is calculated that covers more parameter space, including the strength of the ISRF. The effect of changing the photodissociation radius on the low-J CO line intensities is illustrated in two cases.
Context. The metallicity dependence of the Cepheid period–luminosity (PL) relation is of importance in establishing the extragalactic distance scale. Aims. The aim of this paper is to investigate the ...metallicity dependence of the PL relation in V and K, based on a sample of 128 Galactic, 36 Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC), and 6 Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC) Cepheids with individual Baade-Wesselink (BW) distances (some of the stars also have an Hubble Space Telescope (HST) based and Hipparcos parallax or are in clusters) and individually determined metallicities from high-resolution spectroscopy. Methods. Literature values of the V-band, K-band, and radial velocity data were collected for the sample of Cepheids. Based on a (V − K) surface–brightness relation and a projection factor, distances were derived from a BW analysis. Results. The p-relation finally adopted is 1.50–0.24log P. The slope of this relation is based on the condition that the distance to the LMC does not depend on period or (V − K) colour and that the slope of the PL relation based on the BW distances agrees with that based on apparent magnitude. The zero point of the relation is tight to the Cepheids with HST and revised Hipparcos parallaxes as well as to Cepheids in clusters. The slope of the Galactic and LMC K-band relation formally agrees within the errors, and combining all Cepheids (including the SMC) results in a negligible metallicity dependence and a relation of MK = (−2.50 ± 0.08) + (−3.06 ± 0.06)log P. A similar conclusion is found for the reddening-free Wesenheit relation (W(VK) = K − 0.13(V − K)), with MWVK = (−2.68 ± 0.08) + (−3.12 ± 0.06)log P. In the V-band the situation is more complex. The slope of the LMC and the Galactic PL relation differ at the 3σ level. Combining the sample nevertheless results in a metallicity term significant at the 2σ level: MV = (−1.55 ± 0.09) + (−2.33 ± 0.07)log P + (+0.23 ± 0.11)Fe/H. Taking only the Galactic Cepheids, the metallicity term is no longer significant, namely ( + 0.17 ± 0.25). Compared to the recent works by Storm et al. (2011a, A&A, 534, A94; 2011b, A&A, 534, A95), there is both agreement and disagreement. A similar dependence of the p-factor on period is found, but the zero point found here implies a shorter distance scale. The distance modulus (DM) to the LMC and SMC found here are 18.29 ± 0.02 and 18.73 ± 0.06 (statistical error on the mean), respectively. Systematic differences in reddening could have an effect of order +0.05 in DM. The details of the comparison of BW-based distances and Cepheids with HST and revised Hipparcos parallaxes also play a role. The method used by Storm et al. would lead to larger DM of 18.37 and 18.81 for the LMC and SMC, respectively. The LMC DM is shorter than the currently accepted value, which is in the range 18.42 to 18.55, and it is speculated that the p-factor may depend on metallicity. This is not predicted by theoretical investigations, but these same investigations do not predict a steep dependence on period either, indicating that additional theoretical work is warranted.
The second data release of
Gaia
revealed a parallax zero-point offset of −0.029 mas based on quasars. The value depended on the position on the sky, and also likely on magnitude and colour. The ...offset and its dependence on other parameters inhibited improvement in the local distance scale using for example the Cepheid and RR Lyrae period–luminosity relations. Analysis of the recent
Gaia
Early Data Release 3 (EDR3) reveals a mean parallax zero-point offset of −0.021 mas based on quasars. The
Gaia
team addresses the parallax zero-point offset in detail and proposes a recipe to correct for it based on ecliptic latitude,
G
-band magnitude, and colour information. This paper presents a completely independent investigation into this issue focusing on the spatial dependence of the correction based on quasars and the magnitude dependence based on wide binaries. The spatial and magnitude corrections are connected to each other in the overlap region in the range 17 <
G
< 19. The spatial correction is presented at several spatial resolutions based on the HEALPix formalism. The colour dependence of the parallax offset is unclear and in any case secondary to the spatial and magnitude dependence. The spatial and magnitude corrections are applied to two samples of brighter sources, namely a sample of approximately 100 stars with independent trigonometric parallax measurements from
Hubble
Space Telescope data, and a sample of 75 classical cepheids using photometric parallaxes. The mean offset between the observed GEDR3 parallax and the independent trigonometric parallax (excluding outliers) is about −39 μas, and after applying the correction it is consistent with being zero. For the classical cepheid sample the analysis presented here suggests that the photometric parallaxes may be underestimated by about 5%.
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