Tracing the s-Process: Spectroscopic Insights into Chemical Abundances in O- and C-rich Evolved Stars

TL;DR

This paper reviews spectroscopic studies of oxygen- and carbon-rich AGB stars, focusing on chemical abundances of s-elements to understand nucleosynthesis and mixing in late stellar evolution.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive overview of recent advances and ongoing challenges in measuring s-element abundances in evolved stars.

Findings

Spectroscopic data reveal detailed s-element abundance patterns.

Recent progress enhances understanding of nucleosynthesis in AGB stars.

Current problems include uncertainties in abundance determinations.

Abstract

Oxygen and carbon-rich AGB stars - and objects directly polluted by them - are excellent laboratories to investigate the nucleosynthesis and mixing processes occurring during the later phases of the of low- and intermediate-mass star evolution. The determination of the abundances of several s-elements is a key tool for constraining theoretical AGB models. This contribution discusses the main results, recent advances, and current problems on this subject.