Observations of a complete sample of carbon stars in the Large Magellanic Cloud

Abstract

Listen

Translate article

view Abstract Citations (101) References (59) Co-Reads Similar Papers Volume Content Graphics Metrics Export Citation NASA/ADS Observations of a complete sample of C stars in the Large Magellanic Cloud. Richer, H. B. Abstract Photometric and spectroscopic observations of a complete sample of 71 cool carbon stars found in the western edge of the bar of the Large Magellanic Cloud are presented. Colors in the Johnson VRI system obtained photoelectrically are found to be similar to those of carbon stars observed in incomplete galactic and Small Magellanic Cloud samples, although the data suggest that the SMC stars may be a few tenths of a magnitude brighter if the difference in distance moduli of the two galaxies is 0.5 mag. A bolometric magnitude/log temperature diagram derived for the LMC carbon stars confirms that they tend to lie in an evolutionary state subsequent to the onset of helium shell flashes in asymptotic branch stars. Spectra obtained in the wavelength region 5000-7000 A for 25 of the sample stars confirm the carbon star classifications in all but possibly one case. The surface density of carbon stars in the field is found to be at least a factor of 10 greater than that in the Galaxy, possibly representing the end product of a burst of star formation 3-5 billion years ago. The core mass-luminosity relation for double shell source stars suggests a range in core masses of 0.56-0.81 solar masses, and estimates of carbon star lifetimes and mass-loss rates obtained indicate that all stars in the mass range 1.2-2 solar masses evolve through the carbon star phase. Publication: The Astrophysical Journal Pub Date: February 1981 DOI: 10.1086/158642 Bibcode: 1981ApJ...243..744R Keywords: Carbon Stars; Magellanic Clouds; Stellar Luminosity; Stellar Spectrophotometry; Electrophotometers; Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram; Statistical Analysis; Stellar Mass Ejection; Stellar Spectra; Astrophysics full text sources ADS | data products SIMBAD (75) NED (1) GCPD (1)