Long-period variables in the Large Magellanic Cloud. II. Infrared photometry, spectral classification, AGB evolution, and spatial distribution

Journal Article · Wed Feb 28 23:00:00 EST 1990 · Astronomical Journal; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1086/115374· OSTI ID:6966405

Hughes, S M.G.; Wood, P R ^[1]

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1. Mount Stromlo and Siding Spring Observatories, Canberra (Australia)

Infrared JHK photometry and visual spectra have been obtained for a large sample of long-period variables (LPVs) in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC). Various aspects of the asymptotic giant branch (AGB) evolution of LPVs are discussed using these data. The birth/death rate of LPVs of different ages in the LMC is compared with the birth rates of appropriate samples of planetary nebulas, clump stars, Cepheids, and OH/IR stars. It appears that there are much fewer large-amplitude LPVs per unit galactic stellar mass in the LMC than in the Galaxy. It is suggested that this may be due to the fact that the evolved intermediate-age AGB stars in the LMC often turn into carbon stars, which tend to have smaller pulsation amplitudes than M stars. There is also a major discrepancy between the number of LPVs in the LMC (and in the Galaxy) and the number predicted by the theories of AGB evolution, pulsation, and mass loss. A distance modulus to the LMC of 18.66 + or - 0.05 is derived by comparing the LMC LPVs with P about 200 days with the 47 Tucanae Mira variables in the (K, log P) plane. 64 refs.

• OSTI ID: 6966405
• Journal Information: Astronomical Journal; (USA), Journal Name: Astronomical Journal; (USA) Vol. 99; ISSN 0004-6256; ISSN ANJOA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640102* -- Astrophysics & Cosmology-- Stars & Quasi-Stellar
Radio & X-Ray Sources
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
CARBON STARS
CEPHEIDS
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
DENSITY
DISTANCE
DISTRIBUTION
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
GALAXIES
INFRARED RADIATION
LUMINOSITY
MAGELLANIC CLOUDS
MAIN SEQUENCE STARS
MASS
MILKY WAY
NEBULAE
OPTICAL PROPERTIES
PHOTOMETRY
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
PLANETARY NEBULAE
PULSATING VARIABLE STARS
RADIATIONS
SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION
SPECTRA
SPECTROPHOTOMETRY
STAR EVOLUTION
STARS
VARIABLE STARS
VISIBLE SPECTRA