Secular Evolution in Mira Variable Pulsations
Stellar evolution theory predicts that asymptotic giant branch (AGB)stars undergo a series of short thermal pulses that significantly changetheir luminosity and mass on timescales of hundreds to thousands ofyears. These pulses are confirmed observationally by the existence ofthe short-lived radioisotope technetium in the spectra of some of thesestars, but other observational consequences of thermal pulses are subtleand may only be detected over many years of observations. Secularchanges in these stars resulting from thermal pulses can be detected asmeasurable changes in period if the star is undergoing Mira pulsations.It is known that a small fraction of Mira variables exhibit largesecular period changes, and the detection of these changes among alarger sample of stars could therefore be useful in evolutionary studiesof these stars. The American Association of Variable Star Observers(AAVSO) International Database currently contains visual data for over1500 Mira variables. Light curves for these stars span nearly a centuryin some cases, making it possible to study the secular evolution of thepulsation behavior on these timescales. In this paper we present theresults of our study of period change in 547 Mira variables using datafrom the AAVSO. We use wavelet analysis to measure the period changes inindividual Mira stars over the span of available data. By making linearfits to the period versus time measurements, we determine the averagerates of period change, dlnP/dt, for each of these stars. We findnonzero dlnP/dt at the 2 σ significance level in 57 of the 547stars, at the 3 σ level in 21 stars, and at the level of 6 σor greater in eight stars. The latter eight stars have been previouslynoted in the literature, and our derived rates of period change largelyagree with published values. The largest and most statisticallysignificant dlnP/dt are consistent with the rates of period changeexpected during thermal pulses on the AGB. A number of other starsexhibit nonmonotonic period change on decades-long timescales, the causeof which is not yet known. In the majority of stars, the periodvariations are smaller than our detection threshold, meaning theavailable data are not sufficient to unambiguously measure slowevolutionary changes in the pulsation period. It is unlikely that morestars with large period changes will be found among heretoforewell-observed Mira stars in the short term, but continued monitoring ofthese and other Mira stars may reveal new and serendipitous candidatesin the future.
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Polarimetry of 167 Cool Variable Stars: Data
Multicolor photoelectric polarimetry is presented for 167 stars, most ofwhich are variable stars. The observations constitute a data set thatfor some stars covers a time span of 35 yr. Complex variations are foundover time and wavelength and in both the amount of polarization and itsposition angle, providing constraints for understanding the polarizingenvironments in and around these cool stars.
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The comparative accuracy of photographic observations of radio stars observed at the Engelhardt Astronomical Observatory
At the Engelhardt Astronomical Observatory (EAO), we observedphotographic positions of 113 Galactic Radio Sources (GRS) in the systemPPM catalogue (Rizvanov & Dautov 1998). Analysis of their accuracyis made by comparison with the Hipparcos catalogue (Perryman et al.1997) and astrometric catalogue of radio stars in the radio window fromthe article of Walter et al. (1991). 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/375/670
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Mira kinematics from Hipparcos data: a Galactic bar to beyond the Solar circle
The space motions of Mira variables are derived from radial velocities,Hipparcos proper motions and a period-luminosity relation. Thepreviously known dependence of Mira kinematics on the period ofpulsation is confirmed and refined. In addition, it is found that Miraswith periods in the range 145-200d in the general Solar neighbourhoodhave a net radial outward motion from the Galactic Centre of75+/-18kms-1. This, together with a lag behind the circularvelocity of Galactic rotation of 98+/-19kms-1, is interpretedas evidence for an elongation of their orbits, with their major axesaligned at an angle of ~17° with the Sun-Galactic Centre line,towards positive Galactic longitudes. This concentration seems to be acontinuation to the Solar circle and beyond of the bar-like structure ofthe Galactic bulge, with the orbits of some local Miras probablypenetrating into the bulge. These conclusions are not sensitive to thedistance scale adopted. A further analysis is given of the short-period(SP) red group of Miras discussed in companion papers in this series. InAppendix A the mean radial velocities and other data for 842 oxygen-richMira-like variables are tabulated. These velocities were derived frompublished optical and radio observations.
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Accurate Positions for Radio Stars as Determined from CCD Observations in the Extragalactic Reference Frame.
Abstract image available at:http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-bib_query?1997AJ....114.1679S&db_key=AST
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Mean light curves of long-period variables and discrimination between carbon- and oxygen-rich stars
Using 75 years of AAVSO data, mean light curve parameters of a sample of355 long period M, S, and C mira and semi-regular variable stars areinvestigated. We present a classification of the light curves of LPVsinto 6 distinct groups. Combining this classification with IRAS colorsmakes it possible to distinguish oxygen-rich from carbon-rich miras.Table 2 is only available in electronic form at the CDS via anonymousftp to cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (130.79.128.5) or viahttp://cdsweb.u-strasbg.fr/Abstract.html
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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.
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Mainline OH detection rates from blue circumstellar shells.
We identified 240 accessible circumstellar shells with water and/or SiOmasers, and used the Arecibo and Nancay radio telescopes to search formainline OH emission from them. Our targets are often Mira variableswithout previously known mainline masers. This search results in 89detections, of which 77 are new. The probability of detecting a maser islarger once a water maser is known, and becomes progressively larger thethicker and redder the shell. Nevertheless, almost all of our examplesof solitary 1665MHz masers, rather than the joint occurrence of both1665 and 1667MHz masers, are in the bluest shells. The IRAS lowresolution spectral type is the strongest factor correlating with themainline detection rate. We find that 67% of objects with a silicateemission feature exhibit masers, whereas only 27% of objects with acomparatively featureless 1n type do. These rates are colourinsensitive. We ascribe this clearcut difference to differing UVextinction properties of the two grain types, which is likely to resultfrom differing grain-size distributions. The IR colour sensitivity ofthe overall mainline detection rate is thus almost entirely anincidental artifact of the changing proportion of the two grain typeswith colour. Inferentially, since 90% of the sample exhibit watermasers, and the proportion of blue sources with silicate features issubstantially larger than an unbiased selection from the IRAS PointSource Catalog would give, the incidence of water masers is similarlysensitive to spectral type.
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Spectral evolution of the H2O maser in late-type stars
We have carried out almost simultaneous observations of H2O and SiO (J =1-0, v = 1) masers for 171 known late-type maser stars with the 34 mradio telescope at Kashima. We found a systematic change in the H2Omaser spectra related to the evolution of the stars. Typically, H2Omaser spectral profiles are singly peaked in Mira variables, but doublypeaked in IRC/AFGL objects and OH/IR stars. The expansion velocity ofH2O masers increases with decreasing IRAS color temperature. This isexplained by the shock excitation model proposed by Cooke and Elitzur(1985). The blue shifted peak in the profiles is more prominent than thered shifted peak in most of the IRC/AFGL objects and OH/IR stars. Ablocking model of the redshifted peak is introduced.
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Supplement to the Arecibo 1612 MHz survey of color-selected IRAS sources
The completeness of the Arecibo 1612 MHz survey of color-selected IRASsources is extended to (25-12) micrometer greater than -0.7. In addition(1) most IR sources with spectral types normally associated with OH/IRstars and colors outside the coverage of the original survey have beenexamined; (2) most ambiguous observations during the survey have beenreobserved; (3) most single peaked sources have been reexamined, and 17found with second peaks. We report 39 new 1612 MHz detections, of which34 are original. These are also surveyed in the mainlines. Analysis ofthe complete flux-limited survey confirms the existence of a longitudesensitivity effect in the detection of sources, which reduces the totalnumber detected by approximately equals 4%. This analysis sets an upperlimit of 16% on the proportion of a color-selected sample that may beidentified with carbon stars and/or star-formation regions.
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Classification and Statistical Properties of Galactic H2O Masers
Abstract image available at:http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-bib_query?1993A&AS..101..153P&db_key=AST
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SiO maser emission and the intrinsic properties of Mira variables
Observations of SiO maser emission from 161 Mira variables distributedover a wide range of intrinsic parameters like spectral type, bolometricmagnitude, and amplitude of pulsation are reported. The observationswere made at 86.243 GHz, using the 10.4 m millimeter-wave telescope ofthe Raman Research Institute at Bangalore, India. The maser emission isfound to be restricted to Miras having mean spectral types between M6and M10. The IR period-luminosity relation for Mira variables isemployed to calculate their distances and hence estimate their maserluminosities from the observed fluxes. The maser luminosity is found tobe correlated with the bolometric magnitude of the Mira variable. On anH-R diagram, the masing Mira variables are shown to lie in a regiondistinct from that for the nonmasing ones.
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Short- and intermediate-period oxygen-rich Miras
Available IR photometry and the period-IR luminosity relationship areused to analyze a nearly complete sample of oxygen-rich Miras atGalactic latitudes with /b/ greater than 30 deg. In agreement withprevious kinematic studies, a marked difference is found in the spatialdistributions between the stars with periods less than and those withperiods greater than 300 d. For stars with periods in the range 300-400d, the exponential scale height from the Galactic plane is close to 240pc, the projected surface density is about 100/sq kpc, and the localspace density is about 210/cu kpc. The progenitors of the Miras withperiods greater than 300 d appear to be disk dwarfs with typicalmain-sequence masses of between 1.0 and 1.2 solar masses. The masses ofthe main-sequence progenitors of the short-period Miras are 1.1 solarmasses or less. The duration of the Mira phase for theintermediate-period stars is estimated to be about 20,000 yr, somewhatlonger than other recent estimates. Both short- and intermediate-periodoxygen-rich Miras characteristically lose mass at about 10 exp -7 solarmass/yr.
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Stellar Maser Characteristics and Their Analysis Based on IRAS Data
Not Available
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Optical positions of 221 radio stars obtained with the Bordeaux automatic meridian circle
From 1984 to 1990 the Bordeaux automatic meridian circle was used todetermine accurate J2000 positions of 221 radio stars. The observationswere strictly differential, a convenient number of FK5 stars being usedeach night to calculate the instrumental parameters. The mean positionswere corrected for chromatic refraction and also for photocenter effectin the case of duplicity. The asymptotic accuracy is expected to beabout 0.05 arcsec for the Northern stars with a number of observationsgreater than 25. Mean position of 3C273B is also given from 35measurements obtained in the same conditions.
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Observational properties of V = 1, J = 1 - 0 SiO masers
Complete results of an extensive survey of v = 1 and v = 0, J = 1 - 0SiO emission from evolved stellar objects are reported. All results aretabulated and all spectra are displayed. The large data base of SiOobservations acquired in this project allows the following conclusions:(1) SiO maser emission provides, on average, a good estimate of thestellar systemic velocity and there is no statistical evidence that gastends to recede from or approach the star. This result suggests that theSiO masers exist inside the expanding circumstellar envelope; (2) SiOmaser intensity is correlated with 12-micron IR flux; (3) SiO maserintensity is not correlated with 1612 MHz OH maser intensity, or byinference, with stellar mass loss rate; (4) maser action, as well asthermal emission, is common in v = 0, J = 1 - 0 emission.
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The Arcetri atlas of H2O maser sources
Results are reported from a 22.2-GHz H2O line survey of all the knownmaser sources north of -30 deg. Of the 509 sources observed, 203 weredetected with an average detection limit of 9 Jy. The data are presentedin an atlas and a table form and are intended to constitute anhomogeneous reference data base for further study of the sourcevariability. A brief description of the instrumentation is given.Comparison of the present results with those given in the literatureindicates that most of the masers vary, with only 20 percent of thesources remaining constant, within the observational uncertainty.
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A catalogue of H2O maser sources north of delta = - 30 deg
A catalog of all H2O maser sources north of declination - 30 deg ispresented. The catalog is derived from the literature up to 1987 and isintended to be used for single-dish observations.
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Classification of Mira variables based on visual light curve shape
The paper presents classifications of 368 Mira variables of M, S and Cspectral classes based on the shape of their visual light curve. Theclassification is esentially based on Ludendorff's (1928) scheme and thelight curves used are mainly from the compilation of Campbell (1955).The distribution of light curves over period, mean amplitude, lightcurve asymmetry factor, period variability, and spectral class atmaximum is discussed.
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Criteria for OH maser emission from circumstellar envelopes of oxygen-rich Mira-type red giants
A large and representative sample of oxygen-rich Mira stars was selectedand observed in the 18 cm OH lines at their optical maximum. A total of14 new OH sources were detected. The OH maser emission is found in theintrinsically bright far-IR objects with late M spectral type. Othercharacteristics of the Miras are high (H-K) and (K-L) colors. Theirperiods are on average longer and their (25-12) colors on average redderthan those of non-OH Miras. The (J-H) and (60-25) colors are the samefor OH and non-OH stars. In most cases, OH and H2O masers existsimultaneously. The observed stars form a sequence along which theperiod and the stellar luminosity increase, the stellar radiusincreases, the dust shell radius increases by a smaller factor, thephotospheric temperature decreases but the dust shell temperature isroughly constant, and the mass loss rate and thus the thickness and thebrighntess of the envelope increase considerably.
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A classification of miras from their visual and near-infrared light curves - an attempt to correlate them with their evolution
Abstract image available at:http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-bib_query?1985A&A...144..463M&db_key=AST
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Stellar OH masers with polarized features at intermediate velocities
Peculiar profiles were discovered in EY And, one of five new sourcesfound in an OH maser search. The 1612-MHz emission has a typical,double-peak structure, but the main-line masers show polarized featuresat the central velocity of the 1612-MHz emission. The line shape of theSiO maser resembles that of the 1665-MHz emission. Maser sources withpolarized OH emission at intermediate velocities are discussed in thecontext of two kinematic models. Expanding envelopes with a smoothvelocity field would require some of the polarized OH features to arisein the innermost part of the envelopes. Distortion of a smooth outflowby interaction with the ambient gas cannot explain the peculiar OHemission. It is interpreted as a fluctuation of the velocity field ofthe expanding envelope. The polarized features in both main-line spectrahave the same sense of circular polarization when they appear at nearlythe same velocity. This evidence is consistent with the mechanismproposed by Cook and Shklovskii.
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Kinematics and ages of Mira variables in the greater solar neighborhood
The kinematical information at hand for 124 Mira variables in thegreater solar neighborhood leads to a new assessment of the galacticvelocity components of each star relative to local circular velocity,and period-spectrum data for the same stars lead to an estimate of theirindividual main sequence masses and ages. The U, V, and W velocitydispersions are larger for the oldest group of Miras. A comparison ofthese results with previous investigations of the motions of mainsequence stars, in view of two major selection effects, yields goodaccord between the kinematical properties of the two groups. A study ofthe motions of planetary nebulae in the greater solar neighborhood leadsto the conclusions that the star-spawning interstellar clouds haveapparently undergone a slow and largely linear collapse toward thegalactic plane, and that the rotary motions of the interstellar mediumin the plane have slowly but steadily become less eccentric.
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Near infrared photometry and OH observations of Mira variables - Implications for stellar evolution
Abstract image available at:http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-bib_query?1981A&A....93..325M&db_key=AST
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OH maser luminosity and expansion velocity gradient in Mira envelopes
Eleven newly-detected Mira variables in which hydroxyl emission has beendetected (OH-Miras), together with the 37 other known sources, arestudied in order to investigate OH maser emission from the circumstellarenvelopes of Mira variables. The search for OH emission from Miravariables was conducted at frequencies of 1612 and 1667 MHz. Peakintrinsic luminosities of the sources are found to range from 5 x 10 tothe 15th to 5 x 10 to the 17th W for Type I OH-Miras and from 10 to the17th to 5 x 10 to the 18th W for Type II OH-Miras. The more luminousType II sources are considered rarer, and thus are found at greaterdistances. The mean velocity separation between the two main OH peaks isfound to be smaller for OH-Miras than for OH-IR sources, howver thevelocity gradient in OH-Mira envelopes is higher. The maser action ofOH-Miras can be explained in terms of infrared pumping models in whichthe main lines are excited by hot dust grains of 350 to 450 K.
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A low-detection limit search for OH emission from infrared stars
We have used the 300 m telescope of the Arecibo Observatory to examine154 cool luminous stars for 18 cm OH emission. Six of the stars (RU Ari,R Com, T Com, RX Oph, UU Peg, and RT Vir) were found to show OHemission. For the stars without OH emission, we have establisheddetection limits several times smaller than those of previous surveys.
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Stellar H2O masers
Preliminary results of an observational program to determine theincidence of H2O maser emission among cool stars are discussed. To date,17 new H2O masers have been found which are associated with stars in theTwo-Micron Sky Survey or General Catalog of Variable Stars. An updatedcatalog of all known H2O/IR stars, including the most accurate availablepositions, is presented, and an analysis is given of the 0.9-20-micronphotometry of these sources from the Two-Micron Sky Survey and the AFGLInfrared Sky Survey. These photometric data suggest that there is astrong dependence of the detectability of H2O maser emission on2.2-micron brightness and that pumping by radiation near 2 microns isunlikely for some stars, but the flux near the 6.3-micron vibrationaltransition may be sufficient for all of them.
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A study of Mira variables - Implications of OH stars and galactic evolution
A maximum likelihood method has been used to study the properties oftype I OH Mira variables and the kinematical evolution of the Galaxy.The method takes into account dispersion in magnitude and employs propermotions and radial velocities. The V-I excess of type I OH stars withrespect to non OH stars is confirmed, and interpreted in terms of a hot,circumstellar disk around the OH Mira variables. The results support thenotion of a gradual flattening of the Galaxy as proposed by theories ofcollisional collapse.
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Revised Catalog of Spectra of Mira Variables of Types ME and Se
Abstract image available at:http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-bib_query?1974ApJS...28..271K&db_key=AST
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An 0BSERVATIONAL Study of Mira Variables. I. The Near-Infrared Photometry
Abstract image available at:http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-bib_query?1973ApJS...25..369B&db_key=AST
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