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NSCC—A New Scheme of Classification of C-Rich Stars Devised from Optical and Infrared Observations
A new classification system for carbon-rich stars is presented based onan analysis of 51 asymptotic giant branch carbon stars through the mostrelevant classifying indices available. The extension incorporated,which also represents the major advantage of this new system, is thecombination of the usual optical indices that describe the photospheresof the objects, with new infrared ones, which allow an interpretation ofthe circumstellar environment of the carbon-rich stars. This new systemis presented with the usual spectral subclasses and C2-, j-,MS-, and temperature indices, and also with the new SiC- (SiC/C.A.abundance estimation) and ?- (opacity) indices. The values for theinfrared indices were carried out through a Monte Carlo simulation ofthe radiative transfer in the circumstellar envelopes of the stars. Thefull set of indices, when applied to our sample, resulted in a moreefficient system of classification, since an examination in a widespectral range allows us to obtain a complete scenario for carbon stars.
| Infrared Study of J-Type Carbon Stars Based on Infrared Astronomical Satellite, Two Micron All Sky Survey, and Infrared Space Observatory Data
We collected 113 J-type carbon stars from the published literature.Observations from 2MASS, IRAS, and ISO show that, except for silicatecarbon stars in the J-type carbon star domain, the infrared propertiesof the other J-type carbon stars are quite similar to those of ordinarycarbon stars. The above results imply that the chemical peculiarity ofenhanced 13C for J-type carbon stars is not reflected in theinfrared region. In addition, the possible evolutionary scenario andbinarity for J-type carbon stars are also discussed.
| Reprocessing the Hipparcos data of evolved stars. III. Revised Hipparcos period-luminosity relationship for galactic long-period variable stars
We analyze the K band luminosities of a sample of galactic long-periodvariables using parallaxes measured by the Hipparcos mission. Theparallaxes are in most cases re-computed from the Hipparcos IntermediateAstrometric Data using improved astrometric fits and chromaticitycorrections. The K band magnitudes are taken from the literature andfrom measurements by COBE, and are corrected for interstellar andcircumstellar extinction. The sample contains stars of several spectraltypes: M, S and C, and of several variability classes: Mira, semiregularSRa, and SRb. We find that the distribution of stars in theperiod-luminosity plane is independent of circumstellar chemistry, butthat the different variability types have different P-L distributions.Both the Mira variables and the SRb variables have reasonablywell-defined period-luminosity relationships, but with very differentslopes. The SRa variables are distributed between the two classes,suggesting that they are a mixture of Miras and SRb, rather than aseparate class of stars. New period-luminosity relationships are derivedbased on our revised Hipparcos parallaxes. The Miras show a similarperiod-luminosity relationship to that found for Large Magellanic CloudMiras by Feast et al. (\cite{Feast-1989:a}). The maximum absolute Kmagnitude of the sample is about -8.2 for both Miras and semi-regularstars, only slightly fainter than the expected AGB limit. We show thatthe stars with the longest periods (P>400 d) have high mass lossrates and are almost all Mira variables.Based on observations from the Hipparcos astrometric satellite operatedby the European Space Agency (ESA \cite{Hipparcos}).Table \ref{Tab:data1} 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/cgi-bin/qcat?J/A+A/403/993
| 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 modelling of intermediate-age stellar populations. II. Average spectra for upper AGB stars, and their use
The upper Asymptotic Giant Branch (AGB) is populated with oxygen richand carbon rich Long Period Variables (LPVs). These stars are essentialcontributors to the near-IR light of intermediate age stellarpopulations. Individual observed spectra of LPVs are so diverse thatthey cannot be used directly in the synthesis of galaxy spectra. In thispaper, the library of individual spectra of Lançon & Wood(\cite{LM00_fluct}) is used to construct averages that can beincorporated conveniently in population synthesis work. The connectionbetween such spectra and stellar evolution tracks is discussed. In orderto select a sorting criterion and to define averaging bins for the LPVspectra, correlations between their spectrophotometric properties arereexamined. While optical properties and broad baseline colours such as(I-K) are well correlated, a large dispersion is observed when theseindices are plotted against near-IR ones. This is partly due to theintrinsic width of the upper AGB, which is illustrated by locating eachof the multiple observations of individual LPVs on the HR diagram. It isargued that broad baseline colour-temperatures are the most sensiblesorting criteria. The properties of the resulting sequence of averagespectra indeed vary regularly. We further address: (i) the bolometriccorrections and temperature scales needed to associate a spectrum with agiven point on a theoretical stellar evolution track (or isochrone),(ii) the simplifying assumptions that will be implicitely made whenusing the average spectra, (iii) potential biases in the sample ofLançon & Wood and their effects, (iv) the small contributionof LPVs to the interstellar hydrogen emission lines in galaxies. It isemphasized that an a posteriori calibration of the effective temperaturescale remains necessary, until consistent models for the evolution, thepulsation and the spectral appearance of LPVs become available. Wesuggest a recipe for the use of the average spectra at variousmetallicities.
| Carbon-rich giants in the HR diagram and their luminosity function
The luminosity function (LF) of nearly 300 Galactic carbon giants isderived. Adding BaII giants and various related objects, about 370objects are located in the RGB and AGB portions of the theoretical HRdiagram. As intermediate steps, (1) bolometric corrections arecalibrated against selected intrinsic color indices; (2) the diagram ofphotometric coefficients 1/2 vs. astrometric trueparallaxes varpi are interpreted in terms of ranges of photosphericradii for every photometric group; (3) coefficients CR andCL for bias-free evaluation of mean photospheric radii andmean luminosities are computed. The LF of Galactic carbon giantsexhibits two maxima corresponding to the HC-stars of the thick disk andto the CV-stars of the old thin disk respectively. It is discussed andcompared to those of carbon stars in the Magellanic Clouds and Galacticbulge. The HC-part is similar to the LF of the Galactic bulge,reinforcing the idea that the Bulge and the thick disk are part of thesame dynamical component. The CV-part looks similar to the LF of theLarge Magellanic Cloud (LMC), but the former is wider due to thesubstantial errors on HIPPARCOS parallaxes. The obtained meanluminosities increase with increasing radii and decreasing effectivetemperatures, along the HC-CV sequence of photometric groups, except forHC0, the earliest one. This trend illustrates the RGB- and AGB-tracks oflow- and intermediate-mass stars for a range in metallicities. From acomparison with theoretical tracks in the HR diagram, the initial massesMi range from about 0.8 to 4.0 Msun for carbongiants, with possibly larger masses for a few extreme objects. A largerange of metallicities is likely, from metal-poor HC-stars classified asCH stars on the grounds of their spectra (a spheroidal component), tonear-solar compositions of many CV-stars. Technetium-rich carbon giantsare brighter than the lower limit Mbol =~ -3.6+/- 0.4 andcentered at =~-4.7+0.6-0.9 at about =~(2935+/-200) K or CV3-CV4 in our classification. Much like the resultsof Van Eck et al. (\cite{vaneck98}) for S stars, this confirms theTDU-model of those TP-AGB stars. This is not the case of the HC-stars inthe thick disk, with >~ 3400 K and>~ -3.4. The faint HC1 and HC2-stars( =~ -1.1+0.7-1.0) arefound slightly brighter than the BaII giants ( =~-0.3+/-1.3) on average. Most RCB variables and HdC stars range fromMbol =~ -1 to -4 against -0.2 to -2.4 for those of the threepopulation II Cepheids in the sample. The former stars show the largestluminosities ( <~ -4 at the highest effectivetemperatures (6500-7500 K), close to the Mbol =~ -5 value forthe hot LMC RCB-stars (W Men and HV 5637). A full discussion of theresults is postponed to a companion paper on pulsation modes andpulsation masses of carbon-rich long period variables (LPVs; Paper IV,present issue). This research has made use of the Simbad databaseoperated at CDS, Strasbourg, France. Partially based on data from theESA HIPPARCOS astrometry satellite. Table 2 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?J/A+A/390/967
| New periodic variables from the Hipparcos epoch photometry
Two selection statistics are used to extract new candidate periodicvariables from the epoch photometry of the Hipparcos catalogue. Theprimary selection criterion is a signal-to-noise ratio. The dependenceof this statistic on the number of observations is calibrated usingabout 30000 randomly permuted Hipparcos data sets. A significance levelof 0.1 per cent is used to extract a first batch of candidate variables.The second criterion requires that the optimal frequency be unaffectedif the data are de-trended by low-order polynomials. We find 2675 newcandidate periodic variables, of which the majority (2082) are from theHipparcos`unsolved' variables. Potential problems with theinterpretation of the data (e.g. aliasing) are discussed.
| 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).
| Spectra of carbon-rich asymptotic giant branch stars between 0.5 and 2.5 mu m: Theory meets observation
We present a hydrostatic analysis of five carbon rich stars, BH Cru, TCae, S Cen, RU Pup and Y Hya in the wavelength range between 0.5 and 2.5mu m. All except BH Cru, which is a Mira star, show only modestvariability. We identify the absorption features of the molecules CO, CNand C2. The overall energy distribution, which is verysensitive to the effective temperature in the investigated wavelengthrange, as well as the bands of these molecules put strict limits on thepossible values of effective temperature and C/O. We show that our modelatmospheres and corresponding synthetic spectra are able to reproducethe observed spectra quite accurately from about 0.7 to 2.5 mu m. Thediscrepancies are mainly due to uncertainties in the molecular inputdata. We discuss briefly why the variations of the molecular featuresare small and why dynamic phenomena do not play a very important role inthis wavelength range. We identify colour indices based on commonlyavailable filters and potentially suitable for the empiricaldetermination of fundamental parameters of carbon stars.
| Reprocessing the Hipparcos data for evolved giant stars II. Absolute magnitudes for the R-type carbon stars
The Hipparcos Intermediate Astrometric Data for carbon stars have beenreprocessed using an algorithm which provides an objective criterion forrejecting anomalous data points and constrains the parallax to bepositive. New parallax solutions have been derived for 317 cool carbonstars, mostly of types R and N. In this paper we discuss the results forthe R stars. The most important result is that the early R stars (i.e.,R0 - R3) have absolute magnitudes and V-K colors locating them among redclump giants in the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram. The average absolutemagnitude MK for early R-type stars (with V - K < 4) hasbeen derived from a Monte-Carlo simulation implicitly incorporating allpossible biases. It appears that the simulated magnitude distributionfor a population with a true Gaussian distribution of mean MK= -2.0 and intrinsic standard deviation 1.0 mag provides a satisfactorymatch to the observed distribution. These values are consistent with theaverage absolute magnitude MK = -1.6 for clump red giants inthe solar neighborhood (Alves 2000). Further, early R-type stars arenon-variable, and their infrared photometric properties show that theyare not undergoing mass loss, properties similar to those of the redclump giants. Stars with subtypes R4 - R9 tend to be cooler and havesimilar luminosity to the N-type carbon stars, as confirmed by theirposition in the (J-H, H-K) color-color diagram. The sample of earlyR-type stars selected from the Hipparcos Catalogue appears to beapproximately complete to magnitude K0 ~ 7, translating intoa completeness distance of 600 pc if all R stars had MK= -2(400 pc if MK= -1). With about 30 early R-type stars in thatvolume, they comprise about 0.04% (0.14% for MK= -1) of thered clump stars in the solar neighborhood. Identification with the redclump locates these stars at the helium core burning stage of stellarevolution, while the N stars are on the asymptotic giant branch, wherehelium shell burning occurs. The present analysis suggests that for asmall fraction of the helium core burning stars (far lower than thefraction of helium shell-burning stars), carbon produced in the interioris mixed to the atmosphere in sufficient quantities to form a carbonstar. Based on observations from the Hipparcos astrometric satelliteoperated by the European Space Agency (ESA 1997).
| The effective temperatures of carbon-rich stars
We evaluate effective temperatures of 390 carbon-rich stars. Theinterstellar extinction on their lines of sights was determined andcircumstellar contributions derived. The intrinsic (dereddened) spectralenergy distributions (SEDs) are classified into 14 photometric groups(HCi, CVj and SCV with i=0,5 and j=1,7). The newscale of effective temperatures proposed here is calibrated on the 54angular diameters (measured on 52 stars) available at present from lunaroccultations and interferometry. The brightness distribution on stellardiscs and its influence on diameter evaluations are discussed. Theeffective temperatures directly deduced from those diameters correlatewith the classification into photometric groups, despite the large errorbars on diameters. The main parameter of our photometric classificationis thus effective temperature. Our photometric < k right >1/2 coefficients are shown to be angular diameters on arelative scale for a given photometric group, (more precisely for agiven effective temperature). The angular diameters are consistent withthe photometric data previously shown to be consistent with the trueparallaxes from HIPPARCOS observations (Knapik, et al. \cite{knapik98},Sect. 6). Provisional effective temperatures, as constrained by asuccessful comparison of dereddened SEDs from observations to modelatmosphere predictions, are in good agreement with the values directlycalculated from the observed angular diameters and with those deducedfrom five selected intrinsic color indices. These three approaches wereused to calibrate a reference angular diameter Phi 0 and theassociated coefficient CT_eff. The effective temperatureproposed for each star is the arithmetic mean of two estimates, one(``bolometric'') from a reference integrated flux F0, theother (``spectral'') from calibrated color indices which arerepresentative of SED shapes. Effective temperatures for about 390carbon stars are provided on this new homogeneous scale, together withvalues for some stars classified with oxygen-type SEDs with a total of438 SEDs (410 stars) studied. Apparent bolometric magnitudes are given.Objects with strong infrared excesses and optically thick circumstellardust shells are discussed separately. The new effective temperaturescale is shown to be compatible and (statistically) consistent with thesample of direct values from the observed angular diameters. Theeffective temperatures are confirmed to be higher than the mean colortemperatures (from 140 to 440 K). They are in good agreement with thepublished estimates from the infrared flux method forTeff>= 3170 K, while an increasing discrepancy is observedtoward lower temperatures. As an illustration of the efficiency of thephotometric classification and effective temperature scale, the C/Oratios and the Merrill-Sanford (M-S) band intensities are investigated.It is shown that the maximum value, mean value and dispersion of C/Oincrease along the photometric CV-sequence, i.e. with decreasingeffective temperature. The M-S bands of SiC2 are shown tohave a transition from ``none'' to ``strong'' at Teff =~(2800+/- 150right ) K. Simultaneously, with decreasing effectivetemperature, the mean C/O ratio increases from 1.04 to 1.36, thetransition in SiC2 strength occurring while 1.07<= C/O<= 1.18. This research has made use of the Simbad database operatedat CDS, Strasbourg, France. Table 10 is only available in electronicform at the CDS via anonymous ftp to cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (130.79.128.5)}or via http://cdsweb.u-strasbg.fr/cgi-bin/qcat?J/A+A/369/178
| General Catalog of Galactic Carbon Stars by C. B. Stephenson. Third Edition
The catalog is an updated and revised version of Stephenson's Catalogueof Galactic Cool Carbon Stars (2nd edition). It includes 6891 entries.For each star the following information is given: equatorial (2000.0)and galactic coordinates, blue, visual and infrared magnitudes, spectralclassification, references, designations in the most significantcatalogs and coordinate precision classes. The main catalog issupplemented by remarks containing information for which there was noplace in entries of the main part, as well as some occasional notesabout the peculiarities of specific stars.
| A library of 0.5 to 2.5 mu m spectra of luminous cool stars
We present a library of 0.5-2.5 mu m digital spectra of cool, mostlyvariable, giant and supergiant stars which should be useful for spectralsynthesis applications, as well as for comparison with theoretical modelatmosphere calculations. The library includes carbon stars, GalacticBulge and Magellanic Cloud stars, and OH/IR stars. The stars observedcover a range of metallicities and masses. Most variable objects wereobserved several times, at different phases of their pulsation cycle. Wediscuss the effects of various fundamental parameters and of variabilityon the spectra. Based on period-luminosity relations and stellarevolutionary tracks, we tentatively assign initial masses to eachobject.
| Optical and near-infrared spectrophotometric properties of Long Period Variables and other luminous red stars
Based on a new and large sample of optical and near-infrared spectraobtained at the Mount Stromlo and Siding Spring Observatories(Lançon & Wood 1998; Lançon & Wood, inpreparation), spectrophotometric properties of cool oxygen- andcarbon-rich Long Period Variables and supergiants are presented.Temperatures of oxygen-rich stars are assigned by comparison withsynthetic spectra computed from up-to-date oxygen-rich model atmospheregrids. The existence of reliable optical and near-infrared temperatureindicators is investigated. A narrow relation between the bolometriccorrection BC_I and the broad-band colour I-J is obtained foroxygen-rich cool stars. The ability of specific near-infrared indices toseparate luminosity classes, atmospheric chemistry or variabilitysubtypes is discussed. Some comments are also given on extinctioneffects, water band strengths in Long Period Variables and theevaluation of \element[][12]{CO}/\element[][13]{CO} ratio in red giants.
| How to search for AGB stars in near-IR post-starburst spectra
Based on evolutionary spectral synthesis models explicitly including thespectra of variable AGB stars, we select near-IR features that dentifythe strong O-rich or C-rich AGB contributions to the near-IR light ofpost-starburst populations. AGB temperature scales and lifetimes remainmajor sources of uncertainties. We discuss applications and suggestmassive post-starburst clusters as prime targets for observationaltests.
| Dust extinction and intrinsic SEDs of carbon-rich stars. III. The Miras, CS, and SC stars
The present work is an extension of a recent study by Knapik &Bergeat (\cite{knapik97}), and Bergeat et al. (\cite{berge98b})henceforth called Papers I and II, respectively. The spectral energydistributions (SEDs) of about 440 carbon-rich stars and the interstellarextinction observed on their line of sights were analysed. The methodsoriginally developed for Semi-Regular (SR) and Irregular (L) variables(Paper I: our groups CV1 to CV6) were then extended (Paper II) to thehot carbon (HC) stars (our groups HC0 to HC5) and related objects (RCB,BaII and HdC stars). Shortly, this is a kind of a pair method making usesimultaneously of the whole SED from UV to IR. Our approach is appliedhere to the galactic cool carbon-rich variables which were notconsidered in Paper I, namely the carbon Miras and very cool non-Miras,and the CS and SC variables. The carbon Miras with infrared silicateemission are also studied. The photometric CV1 to CV6 classificationscheme of paper I is implemented, and we add here a later CV7-group anda specific SCV-group which corresponds to spectroscopic SC stars. Acontinuous S-SC-CS-C sequence is clearly supported by our results. Thecarbon stars with IR silicate emission included in our study do havecarbon-rich SEDs of the three consecutive groups HC5, CV1 and CV2. Theystand among the relatively hot carbon variables, in the 3600-3000 Krange in effective temperature. The carbon Miras are satisfactorilydescribed in this enlarged scheme. No specific extension is requiredsince non-Miras are also found in the CV7 and SCV-groups. The derivedgroup is however frequently phase-dependent in these large amplitudevariables. Additional selective extinction of circumstellar (CS) originis observed in variable amounts. The mean extinction law for theinterstellar diffuse medium as tabulated by Mathis (\cite{mathis}) isshown to be relevant. It applies to both interstellar and circumstellarextinction with a possible CS neutral extinction in addition which wouldremain undetected here. The corresponding colour excess E(B-V) is largerat minimum light or intermediate phases than what it is at maximum light(where it can amount to zero). It is associated to large IR excessesattributed to the emission from CS dust. Long-term variations onthousands of days may be interpreted in terms of varying CS dust opacityon the line of sight. The dust influence is discussed. It is shown thatscattering, if substantial on the line of sight in the observing lobe,has to be essentially wavelength-independent, i.e. due to large neutralscatterers, especially in high opacity objects like IRC +10216. Finally,with the HC0 to HC5 classification of HC stars (Paper II), we obtain afourteen groups sequence (HC0 to HC5 and then CV1 to CV7 from theearlier one to the latest one, and SCV for SC stars apart). The numberof studied stars amounts now to about 600 that is about 40 stars pergroup on the average when the oxygen-type SEDs are subtracted. Theeffective temperature calibration of this classification scheme iscurrently in preparation. This research has made use of the Simbaddatabase operated at CDS, Strasbourg, France.}\fnmsep\thanks{Partiallybased on data from the ESA HIPPARCOS astrometrysatellite}\fnmsep\thanks{Table~5 is only available in electronic form atthe CDS via anonymous ftp 130.79.128.5
| The PL relation of galactic carbon LPVs. The distance modulus to LMC
We present a period-luminosity (PL) diagram of 115 galactic carbon-richlong period variables (LPVs) observed by the HIPPARCOS satellite, in theform of the (MK,log P) relation. Our plot is compared to thediagram of carbon variables observed in the Large Magellanic Cloud(LMC). Both diagrams are found very similar and three samples aredelineated: long period variables close to the PL relation of Feast etal. (1989), short period-overluminous variables and a few underluminousLPVs, respectively Samples 1, 2 and 3. The used data were deduced fromexpectations of true parallaxes (Knapik et al. 1997) which arestatistically free of the Lutz-Kelker effect. The remaining bias due tothe non-gaussian distribution of absolute magnitudes is avoided: anon-linear parametric method is applied in Sect. 4 to the analysis ofthe PL relation for Sample 1 (72 LPVs). We obtainMK=(-3.99+/-0.13)log P+(2.07+/-0.15), in good agreement withthe slope found for LMC variables by Reid et al. (1995). The LMCdistance modulus then derived is mu =18.50+/-0.17. A well-defined upperlimit (ul) for long period stars in Sample 1 is found, with similarslopes in both the Galaxy (-4.85) and LMC (-4.72). No correction formetallicity was applied to the results. This research has made use ofthe Simbad database operated at CDS, Strasbourg, France.
| 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.
| Interstellar extinction and the intrinsic spectral distribution of variable carbon stars.
We present a new method of evaluation of the extinction by interstellardust on cool carbon variables. These late-type stars show no markedrelationship between spectral classification (the R, N- and C-types) andphotometric colour indices. The pair method is thus ruled out, at leastin the form currently in use for early-type or intermediate stars. Ourmethod makes use of the whole spectral energy distributions from UV toIR. A sample of 60 unreddened carbon variables is delineated and newcolour-colour diagrams are proposed where the reddening vector is nearlyperpendicular to their narrow intrinsic locus. Six photometric groups(or boxes : CV1 to 6) are derived among unreddened stars. They show acontinuous range of spectral energy distributions from "bluer" to"redder", and mean colour indices are obtained. A pair method isdescribed where each presumably reddened star is compared to these meanunreddened stars, a given extinction law being assumed. As anillustration, the results are shown for a sample of 133 well-documentedstars. The mean extinction law usually adopted for the diffuseinterstellar medium (R_V_=~3.1) is shown to provide good fits. Thethreshold for reddening detection turns to be E(B-V)=~0.02-0.03A goodcorrelation is observed when the derived colour excesses are compared tovalues from maps in the literature. The mean rate of visual extinctionamounts to =~1.25+/-1.1 , ranging from 0.37 nearl=~240° (intercloud) to 2.1 (cloud + intercloud) in two structurescorrelated with Gould's belt.
| History of the Discovery of Mira Stars
This year we celebrate the 400th anniversary of Fabricius' discovery ofMira, "The Wonderful," in 1596. But was he the first? Within the firstcentury following Fabricius, four Mira-type variables were discovered,and in all cases it has been found that the stars were suspected ofbeing novae long before their "official" discovery in the Western World.Three of the four had been recorded as novae in early Chinese or Koreanrecords. By 1896, 251 Mira-type variabes had been discovered, most ofthem after the beginning of photographic experimentation. Now in theyear of the fourth centennial, over 6000 Miras are known. Because oftheir ease of discovery relative to stars of small amplitude, no newMira stars reaching naked-eye visibility have been discovered since1899. The history of the discovery of Mira-type variables illustratesthat (1) some new discoveries are re-discoveries of objects previouslyassumed to be novae; and (2) apparently logical deductions that earlyobservations of a guest star correspond to a later discovered Mire-typemay nevertheless be wrong.
| A Moderate-Resolution Spectral Atlas of Carbon Stars: R, J, N, CH, and Barium Stars
Abstract image available at:http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-bib_query?1996ApJS..105..419B&db_key=AST
| Vitesses radiales. Catalogue WEB: Wilson Evans Batten. Subtittle: Radial velocities: The Wilson-Evans-Batten catalogue.
We give a common version of the two catalogues of Mean Radial Velocitiesby Wilson (1963) and Evans (1978) to which we have added the catalogueof spectroscopic binary systems (Batten et al. 1989). For each star,when possible, we give: 1) an acronym to enter SIMBAD (Set ofIdentifications Measurements and Bibliography for Astronomical Data) ofthe CDS (Centre de Donnees Astronomiques de Strasbourg). 2) the numberHIC of the HIPPARCOS catalogue (Turon 1992). 3) the CCDM number(Catalogue des Composantes des etoiles Doubles et Multiples) byDommanget & Nys (1994). For the cluster stars, a precise study hasbeen done, on the identificator numbers. Numerous remarks point out theproblems we have had to deal with.
| New Spectra of Carbon Stars from the IRAS Low-Resolution Spectrometer
Abstract image available at:http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-bib_query?1994MNRAS.268..113C&db_key=AST
| Evolution of the chromospheres and winds of low- and intermediate-mass giant stars
Results are presented of an empirical analysis of the globalthermodynamical requirements of the winds in the outer atmospheres of arepresentative sample of red giant stars of low- and intermediate-massrange. Results indicate that the mass-loss rates in these stars are notstrongly dependent on the actual physical processes driving the winds.It is suggested that nonlinear processes act to regulate wind energyfluxes. Possible mechanisms responsible for the chromospheric heatingand the mass loss in the low- and intermediate-mass giant stars arediscussed.
| A general catalogue of cool carbon stars
Not Available
| The transition from oxygen-rich to carbon stars
Evolutionary tracks for the transition from oxygen-rich to carbon-richstars are calculated, using the model of Willems and de Jong (1988). Itis found that model spectra produce excellent fits to the observedenergy distributions of carbon stars. The mass-loss rate and the timesince shell detachment can be determined for each individual object bycomparing observed data with the models.
| Ultraviolet spectra and chromospheres of cool carbon stars
The authors assemble and discuss all available low-resolution IUEspectra of N-type carbon stars - including TW Hor, BL Ori, UU Aur, NPPup, U Hya, T Ind, and TX Psc. Identification of spectral features isaided by a composite spectrum. Shortward of 2850 A only emission linesof C II, Mg II, Al II, and Fe II are seen, while the spectrum longwardof 2850 A appears to be a photospheric absorption spectrum with a fewsuperposed emission lines of Fe II. The most prominent absorptionfeatures are due to Fe I, CH, and CaCl. The emission feature at 2325 A,second only to Mg II in strength, is conclusively identified as C II (UV0.01). Ultraviolet spectra of N-type carbon stars are similar to, thoughthe emission-line fluxes are generally weaker than, those of the coolestM-giant stars available, such as HD 18191 (M6 III).
| Ultraviolet spectra and chromospheres of R stars
Long-wavelength IUE spectra of 13 normal R stars and twohydrogen-deficient R0 supergiants were obtained. Early R stars are notedto have line spectra and levels of flux in the ultravioletcharacteristic of G5-K2 III stars, whereas late R stars were observed tohave colors and line spectra similar to late K and M stars, but withgreatly enhanced strength of low-lying multiplets of neutral metals.Hydrogen-deficient carbon stars show readily apparent differences fromthe normal early R stars, reflecting their luminosity and somewhathigher temperatures. The lines of neutral metals in these stars areweakened, while those of ionized metals are strengthened.
| Photometry and Radial Velocities of Southern Carbon Stars
Not Available
| The violet opacity of carbon stars.
Abstract image available at:http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-bib_query?1976MNRAS.174..609W&db_key=AST
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Member of following groups:
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Observation and Astrometry data
| Constellation: | Centaurus |
| Right ascension: | 12h24m33.92s |
| Declination: | -49°26'24.7" |
| Apparent magnitude: | 7.57 |
| Distance: | 537.634 parsecs |
| Proper motion RA: | -10.3 |
| Proper motion Dec: | -3.2 |
| B-T magnitude: | 10.192 |
| V-T magnitude: | 7.787 |
Catalogs and designations:
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