Physics and Chemistry of Circumstellar Dust Shells

Physics and Chemistry of Circumstellar Dust Shells
Author: Hans-Peter Gail
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Total Pages: 699
Release: 2014
Genre: Science
ISBN: 0521833795

This book explores why dust forms around stars, and how to model stellar dust formation and dust-forming environments consistently.

Extremely Extended Dust Shells Around Evolved Intermediate Mass Stars

Extremely Extended Dust Shells Around Evolved Intermediate Mass Stars
Author: Basil Menzi Mchunu
Publisher:
Total Pages: 312
Release: 2011
Genre: Electronic Dissertations
ISBN:

Intermediate mass stars ( %0 .8 - 8 solar masses), at the asymptotic giant branch phase (AGB) suffer intensive mass loss, which leads to the formation of a circumstellar shell (s) of gas and dust in their circumstellar envelope. At the end of the AGB phase, the mass-loss decreases or stops and the circumstellar envelope begins to drift away from the star. If the velocity of the AGB phase wind has been relatively constant, then dust or molecular emission furthest from the star represents the oldest mass loss, while material closer to the star represents more recent mass loss. Therefore, the history of mass loss during the AGB phase is imprinted on the dust shells of the post-AGB envelope. Thus, by studying the distribution of material in the form of dust emission in the circumstellar shells of late evolved stars (i.e. the post AGB phases are pre - planetary nebula (PPN) and the planetary nebula (PN)) we can gain a better understanding of the mass-loss processes involved in the evolution of intermediate mass stars. I studied two groups of intermediate mass stars, namely six oxygen rich and six carbon rich candidates. In this thesis a study of evolution of intermediate mass stars is confronted by means of observations, in which far - infrared (FIR) images, are used to study the physical properties and the material distribution of dust shells of AGB and post AGB circumstellar envelope. Infrared radiation from thermal dust emission can be used to probe the entire dust shell because, near to mid-infrared radiation arises solely from the hottest regions close to the star; while the outer regions away from the star are cool such that they emit at longer infrared wavelengths. Essentially, radiation in the FIR to sub-millimeter wavelengths is emitted by the entire dust shell and hence can be used to probe the entire dusty envelope. Therefore far-infrared emission by late evolved stars can be used to probe the large scale - structure of AGB and post - AGB circumstellar shells.Our results from space observations indicated the following: The sizes of the circumstellar dust shell observed in oxygen rich stars are within %1 pc. We derived the dust masses derived from far infrared ISO PHT 32 observation of oxygen rich stars that are between 1.7 -- 4 x 10-4 solar masses. These results provides us with a lower limit in the progenitor masses of stars estimated to be within 0.56 -- 0.76 solar masses. These results indicate that the initial main sequence masses fro oxygen rich stars are within 1 - 3.5 solar masses. The time scales derived since the oldest mass was ejected during the evolution of oxygen rich stars are 4 - 13 x 104 years. For the carbon rich stars: The size of the circumstellar dust shells are within 1 - 1.6 pc. The masses of dust in the shells are a approximated to be within 0.1 - 1.44 x 10-4 solar masses. A lower limit to the progenitor masses of carbon rich stars that are between 0.61 - 0.9 solar mass, suggesting that these stars evolved from the main sequence masses between 2. - 6 solar masses.

The Structure of Circumstellar Shells

The Structure of Circumstellar Shells
Author: National Aeronautics and Space Adm Nasa
Publisher: Independently Published
Total Pages: 26
Release: 2019-01-04
Genre:
ISBN: 9781792939587

This document provides a report on research activities carried out with the support of NASA grant NAG 5-1174, the Structure of Circumstellar Shells, funded under the Astrophysics Data Program. The research carried out with the support of this grant is a study of the properties of circumstellar dust shells for which spectra are available through IRAS low resolution spectrometry (LRS). This research consisted of the development and application of models of axisymmetric circumstellar shells and a preliminary survey of the applicability of neural nets for analysis of the IRAS LRS spectra of circumstellar dust shells. Fix, John D. NASA-CR-192337, NAS 1.26:192337 NAG5-1174...