scholarly journals Ammonia in circumstellar environment of V Cyg

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 7-11
Author(s):  
B. Etmański ◽  
M. Schmidt ◽  
R. Szczerba

The HIFI instrument on board of the Herschel Space Observatory (HSO) has been very successful in detecting molecular lines from the circumstellar envelopes around evolved stars, like massive red supergiants, Asymptotic Giant Branch (AGB) and post-AGB stars, as well as the planetary nebulae. Among others, ammonia have been found in the circumstellar envelopes of C-rich AGB stars in amounts that significantly exceeded the theoretical predictions for C-rich stars. Few scenarios have been proposed to resolve this problem: formation of ammonia behind the shock front and photochemical processes in the inner part of the envelope partly transparent to UV background radiation due to the clumpy structure of the gas and formation of ammonia on dust grains. Careful analysis of observations may help to put the constraints on one or another mechanism of ammonia formation. Here, we present results of the non-LTE radiative transfer modeling of ammonia transitions including the crucial process of radiative pumping via the v2=1 vibrational band (at ∼10 μm) for V Cyg. Only the ground-based ammonia transition NH3 J = 10-00 at 572.5 GHz has been observed by HIFI. Therefore, to determine the abundance of ammonia we estimate the photodissociation radius of NH3 using chemical model of the envelope consistent with the dust grain properties concluded from the spectral energy distribution.

2020 ◽  
Vol 498 (3) ◽  
pp. 3283-3301 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giada Pastorelli ◽  
Paola Marigo ◽  
Léo Girardi ◽  
Bernhard Aringer ◽  
Yang Chen ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Reliable models of the thermally pulsing asymptotic giant branch (TP-AGB) phase are of critical importance across astrophysics, including our interpretation of the spectral energy distribution of galaxies, cosmic dust production, and enrichment of the interstellar medium. With the aim of improving sets of stellar isochrones that include a detailed description of the TP-AGB phase, we extend our recent calibration of the AGB population in the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC) to the more metal-rich Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC). We model the LMC stellar populations with the trilegal code, using the spatially resolved star formation history derived from the VISTA survey. We characterize the efficiency of the third dredge-up by matching the star counts and the Ks-band luminosity functions of the AGB stars identified in the LMC. In line with previous findings, we confirm that, compared to the SMC, the third dredge-up in AGB stars of the LMC is somewhat less efficient, as a consequence of the higher metallicity. The predicted range of initial mass of C-rich stars is between Mi ≈ 1.7 and 3 M⊙ at Zi = 0.008. We show how the inclusion of new opacity data in the carbon star spectra will improve the performance of our models. We discuss the predicted lifetimes, integrated luminosities, and mass-loss rate distributions of the calibrated models. The results of our calibration are included in updated stellar isochrones publicly available.


2018 ◽  
Vol 14 (S343) ◽  
pp. 396-397
Author(s):  
Bartosz Etmański ◽  
Mirosław R. Schmidt ◽  
Bosco H. K. Yung ◽  
Ryszard Szczerba

AbstractHIFI instrument onboard the Herschel satellite provided an unprecedented number of detections of rotational transitions of ammonia in circumstellar envelopes of evolved stars including massive red supergiants, Asymptotic Giant Branch (AGB), and post-AGB stars. The chemistry of ammonia formation in the circumstellar envelopes of evolved stars is poorly understood. The mechanisms proposed for its formation are processes behind the shock front, photochemistry in the inner part of the clumpy envelope, and formation on dust grains. We present results of the non-local thermodynamical equilibrium (non-LTE) radiative transfer modeling of ammonia transitions, mainly of the ground-state rotational one NH3 JK = 10 – 00 at 572.5 GHz, in selected AGB stars, aiming at the quantitative estimation of the NH3 abundance. The model of ammonia includes IR radiative pumping via v2 = 1 vibrational band at 10 μm.


2003 ◽  
Vol 209 ◽  
pp. 139-140
Author(s):  
Kate Y. L. Su ◽  
Kevin Volk ◽  
Sun Kwok

Resent high-resolution optical imaging has directly revealed reflection nebulosity around proto-planetary nebulae (PPNs), the transition objects between asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars and planetary nebulae (Sahai et al. 1998, Su et al. 1998, Ueta et al. 2000, Su et al. 2001). The existence of bipolar nebulae observed in the PPN phase suggests the presence of asymmetry in the AGB circumstellar dust shell. In order to model these objects, a self-consistent radiation transfer model is necessary. As a first attempt, we construct an approximate two-dimensional dust radiative transfer model to simultaneously fit the spectral energy distribution (SED) and images of a centrally-heated dust envelope.


1998 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 383-383
Author(s):  
T. Fujii ◽  
T. Ono ◽  
Y. Nakada ◽  
M. Parthasarathy

The post-AGB stars rapidly change their spectral energy distribution on their way from the asymptotic giant branch(AGB) to planetary nebula stage. They are generally surrounded by cool and extended dust shells emitting largely in the infrared wavelengths. A selected sample of the post-AGB candidates were observed using the CCDand IR camera at Kiso and Nishi-Harima Astronomical Observatory. They were classified based on their broad band spectra from B to K’ band and their evolutionary stages have been discussed using the simple model of the dust shell around a star. The light variation of some of these objects were monitored and their light curves are also presented.


Universe ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (7) ◽  
pp. 233
Author(s):  
Ambra Nanni ◽  
Sergio Cristallo ◽  
Jacco Th. van Loon ◽  
Martin A. T. Groenewegen

Background: Most of the stars in the Universe will end their evolution by losing their envelope during the thermally pulsing asymptotic giant branch (TP-AGB) phase, enriching the interstellar medium of galaxies with heavy elements, partially condensed into dust grains formed in their extended circumstellar envelopes. Among these stars, carbon-rich TP-AGB stars (C-stars) are particularly relevant for the chemical enrichment of galaxies. We here investigated the role of the metallicity in the dust formation process from a theoretical viewpoint. Methods: We coupled an up-to-date description of dust growth and dust-driven wind, which included the time-averaged effect of shocks, with FRUITY stellar evolutionary tracks. We compared our predictions with observations of C-stars in our Galaxy, in the Magellanic Clouds (LMC and SMC) and in the Galactic Halo, characterised by metallicity between solar and 1/10 of solar. Results: Our models explained the variation of the gas and dust content around C-stars derived from the IRS Spitzer spectra. The wind speed of the C-stars at varying metallicity was well reproduced by our description. We predicted the wind speed at metallicity down to 1/10 of solar in a wide range of mass-loss rates.


Author(s):  
M P Roriz ◽  
M Lugaro ◽  
C B Pereira ◽  
N A Drake ◽  
S Junqueira ◽  
...  

Abstract Barium (Ba) stars are chemically peculiar stars that display in their atmospheres the signature of the slow neutron-capture (the s-process) mechanism that occurs in asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars, a main contributor to the cosmic abundances. The observed chemical peculiarity in these objects is not due to self-enrichment, but to mass transfer between the components of a binary system. The atmospheres of Ba stars are therefore excellent astrophysical laboratories providing strong constraints for the nucleosynthesis of the s-process in AGB stars. In particular, rubidium (Rb) is a key element for the s-process diagnostic because it is sensitive to the neutron density and therefore its abundance can reveal the main neutron source for the s-process in AGB stars. We present Rb abundances for a large sample of 180 Ba stars from high resolution spectra (R = 48000), and we compare the observed [Rb/Zr] ratios with theoretical predictions from AGB s-process nucleosynthesis models. The target Ba stars in this study display [Rb/Zr] <0, showing that Rb was not efficiently produced by the activation of branching points. Model predictions from the Monash and FRUITY data sets of low-mass (≲ 4 M⊙) AGB stars are able to cover the Rb abundances observed in the target Ba stars. These observations indicate that the 13C(α,n)16O reaction is the main neutron source of the s-process in the low-mass AGB companions of the observed Ba stars. We have not found in the present study candidate companion for IR/OH massive AGB stars.


2020 ◽  
Vol 634 ◽  
pp. A84 ◽  
Author(s):  
Á. Skúladóttir ◽  
C. J. Hansen ◽  
A. Choplin ◽  
S. Salvadori ◽  
M. Hampel ◽  
...  

The slow (s) and intermediate (i) neutron (n) capture processes occur both in asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars, and in massive stars. To study the build-up of the s- and i-products at low metallicity, we investigate the abundances of Y, Ba, La, Nd, and Eu in 98 stars, at −2.4 <  [Fe/H] <  −0.9, in the Sculptor dwarf spheroidal galaxy. The chemical enrichment from AGB stars becomes apparent at [Fe/H] ≈ −2 in Sculptor, and causes [Y/Ba], [La/Ba], [Nd/Ba] and [Eu/Ba] to decrease with metallicity, reaching subsolar values at the highest [Fe/H] ≈ −1. To investigate individual nucleosynthetic sites, we compared three n-rich Sculptor stars with theoretical yields. One carbon-enhanced metal-poor (CEMP-no) star with high [Sr, Y, Zr] >  +0.7 is best fit with a model of a rapidly-rotating massive star, the second (likely CH star) with the i-process, while the third has no satisfactory fit. For a more general understanding of the build-up of the heavy elements, we calculate for the first time the cumulative contribution of the s- and i-processes to the chemical enrichment in Sculptor, and compare with theoretical predictions. By correcting for the r-process, we derive [Y/Ba]s/i = −0.85 ± 0.16, [La/Ba]s/i = −0.49 ± 0.17, and [Nd/Ba]s/i = −0.48 ± 0.12, in the overall s- and/or i-process in Sculptor. These abundance ratios are within the range of those of CEMP stars in the Milky Way, which have either s- or i-process signatures. The low [Y/Ba]s/i and [La/Ba]s/i that we measure in Sculptor are inconsistent with them arising from the s-process only, but are more compatible with models of the i-process. Thus we conclude that both the s- and i-processes were important for the build-up of n-capture elements in the Sculptor dwarf spheroidal galaxy.


1991 ◽  
Vol 148 ◽  
pp. 363-364
Author(s):  
Neill Reid ◽  
J. R. Mould

Since the pioneering objective prism surveys by Westerlund (1960) and Blanco et al. (1980), the Magellanic Clouds have proved a fruitful site for exploring the evolution of AGB stars. We have used photometric techniques to extend the prism C-star surveys to M- and S-type AGB stars, constructing luminosity functions and obtaining spectra of individual stars for comparison with theoretical predictions. We have concentrated on the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC), but we have recently obtained observations of luminous red giants in a region of the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC). In this paper we compare the results from these studies of the two satellite systems.


2019 ◽  
Vol 490 (2) ◽  
pp. 1489-1497 ◽  
Author(s):  
Massimo Persic ◽  
Yoel Rephaeli

ABSTRACT Radio and γ-ray measurements of large lobes of several radio galaxies provide adequate basis for determining whether emission in these widely separated spectral regions is largely by energetic electrons. This is very much of interest as there is of yet no unequivocal evidence for a significant energetic proton component to account for γ-ray emission by neutral pion decay. A quantitative assessment of the pion yield spectral distribution necessitates full accounting of the local and background radiation fields in the lobes; indeed, doing so in our recent analysis of the spectral energy distribution of the Fornax A lobes considerably weakened previous conclusions on the hadronic origin of the emission measured by the Fermi satellite. We present the results of similar analyses of the measured radio, X-ray, and γ-ray emission from the lobes of Centaurus A, Centaurus B, and NGC 6251. The results indicate that the measured γ-ray emission from these lobes can be accounted for by Compton scattering of the radio-emitting electrons off the superposed radiation fields in the lobes; consequently, we set upper bounds on the energetic proton contents of the lobes.


2012 ◽  
Vol 8 (S295) ◽  
pp. 272-281 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claudia Maraston

AbstractModelling stellar populations in galaxies is a key approach to gain knowledge on the still elusive process of galaxy formation as a function of cosmic time. In this review, after a summary of the state-of-art, I discuss three aspects of the modelling, that are particularly relevant to massive galaxies, the focus of this symposium, at low and high-redshift. These are the treatment of the Thermally-Pulsating Asymptotic Giant Branch phase, evidences of an unusual Initial Mass Function, and the effect of modern stellar libraries on the model spectral energy distribution.


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