Related papers: New input data for synthetic AGB evolution
Using objects found in a systematic survey of the galactic Plane in the 1612-MHz OH line, we discuss in detail two ``sequences'' of post-AGB evolution, a red and a blue. We argue that the red and the blue groups separate by initial mass at…
In this paper we present the evolution of a low mass model (initial mass M=1.5 Msun) with a very low metal content (Z=5x10^{-5}, equivalent to [Fe/H]=-2.44). We find that, at the beginning of the AGB phase, protons are ingested from the…
The composition of the most primitive Solar System condensates, such as calcium-aluminum-rich inclusions (CAI) and micron-sized corundum grains, show that short-lived radionuclides (SLR), e.g., 26Al, were present in the early Solar System.…
The evolution of AGB stars is notoriously complex. The confrontation of AGB population models with observed stellar populations is a useful alternative to the detailed study of individual stars in efforts to converge towards a reliable…
We explore modifications to the current scenario for the slow neutron capture process in asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars to account for the Pb deficiency observed in post-AGB stars of low metallicity ([Fe/H] ~ -1.2) and low initial mass…
The lowest mass at which the third dredge-up (TDU) occurs for thermally-pulsing asymptotic giant branch (TP-AGB) stars remains a key uncertainty in detailed stellar models. S-type AGB stars are an important constraint on this uncertainty as…
Almost all stars in the 1-8 Msun range evolve through the Asymptotic Giant Branch (AGB), preplanetary nebula (PPN) and planetary nebula (PN) evolutionary phases. Most stars that leave the main sequence in a Hubble time will end their lives…
Context: The stellar production of the light element lithium is still a matter of debate. Aims: We report the detection of low-mass, Li-rich Asymptotic Giant Branch (AGB) stars located in the Galactic bulge. Methods: A homogeneous and…
We study the evolution of extremely metal-poor AGB stars, with metallicities down to [Fe/H]=-5, to understand the main evolutionary properties, the efficiency of the processes able to alter their surface chemical composition and to…
We study the s-process abundances at the epoch of the Solar-system formation as the outcome of nucleosynthesis occurring in AGB stars of various masses and metallicities. The calculations have been performed with the Galactic chemical…
The characteristic variability of cool giants and supergiants is attributed to a combination of stellar pulsation and large-scale convective flows. Full 3D radiation-hydrodynamical modelling is an essential tool for understanding the nature…
The huge photometric databases that are being created for stars in the Magellanic Clouds and in Local Group galaxies not only allow detailed study of the star formation history of these systems, but also provide important information on…
Low-mass stars in the He-core-burning phase (HeCB) play a major role in stellar, galactic, and extragalactic astrophysics. The ability to predict accurately the properties of these stars, however, depends on our understanding of convection,…
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…
Contrary to previous expectations, recent evolutionary models of zero-metallicity stars show that the development of mixing episodes at the beginning of the AGB phase allows low- and intermediate-mass stars to experience thermal pulses. If…
We explore the realm of post-Asymptotic Giant Branch (post-AGB) stars from a theoretical viewpoint, by constructing synthetic population of transition objects, proto-Planetary Nebulae, Planetary Nebulae Nuclei, and post-Planetary Nebulae…
We present a complete study of the morphology of post-Asymptotic Giant Branch (AGB) stars. Post-AGB is a very short evolutionary phase between the end of the AGB and the beginning of the Planetary Nebula (PN) stage (between 100 and 10,000…
(Abridged) We demonstrate that the amount of extra mixing required to fit the observed low C/N and 12C/13C ratios in first giant branch (FGB) stars is also sufficient to explain the C and N abundances of Galactic AGB stars. We simulate the…
We report the results of an exploratory program to image the extended circumstellar envelopes of asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars in dust-scattered galactic light. The goal is to characterize the morphology of the envelopes as a probe of…
(abbreviated) Measuring the surface abundances of AGB stars is an important tool for studying the effects of nucleosynthesis and mixing in the interior of low- to intermediate mass stars during their final evolutionary phases. The…