MS, S and C Stars in the Infrared. Luminosities and Mass Loss Rates

TL;DR

This paper analyzes infrared properties of C- and S-type AGB stars, focusing on luminosities and mass loss rates, using IR photometry and discussing methods, challenges, and preliminary findings.

Contribution

It provides an outline of IR photometric analysis of Galactic AGB stars, detailing selection criteria, luminosity estimation methods, and preliminary mass loss rate results.

Findings

Luminosity functions and HR diagrams for C- and S-type stars are characterized.

Methods for estimating luminosity and distance are discussed and applied.

Preliminary mass loss rate estimates are presented.

Abstract

In this note I present an outline of infrared (IR) photometric AGB properties, based on two samples of Galactic Long Period Variables (C- and S-type respectively). I show the various selection criteria used during the choice of the sources and describe the motivations of observing them at near- and mid-IR wavelengths. I discuss the problems encountered in estimating their luminosity and distance and motivate the methods I choose for this purpose. Properties of the luminosity functions and of the Hertzsprung-Russell (HR) diagrams obtained from the analysis are discussed. Finally, the choices made for estimating of the mass loss rates are described and preliminary results concerning them are shown.