On the origin of the 19.5 μm feature. Identifying circumstellar Mg-Fe-oxides

Autor(en)
Thomas Posch, Franz Kerschbaum, Harald Mutschke, Johann M. Dorschner, Cornelia Jäger
Abstrakt

We report the detection of a broad, prominent 19.5 μm dust emission feature in ISO-SWS spectra. It is especially conspicuous in the spectra of low mass-loss AGB stars belonging to the variability classes SRb and Lb with relatively high photospheric temperatures. The feature carrier is proposed to be Mg0.1Fe0.9O, a solid solution of MgO (periclase) and FeO (wustite). This dust species has cubic crystal symmetry like spinel, the carrier of the 13, 16.8 and 31.8 μm spectral features, together with which the 19.5 μm feature is being observed. A broad emission plateau between 11 and 15 μm, which is attributable to amorphous Al2O3, is also detected together with the 19.5 μm and the spinel features. As a consequence of our discovery, we postulate the existence of a distinct class of circumstellar shells, dominated by oxide and not by silicate dust. Based on observations with ISO, an ESA project with instruments funded by ESA Member States (especially the PI countries: France, Germany, The Netherlands and the UK) and with the participation of ISAS and NASA.

Organisation(en)
Institut für Astrophysik
Externe Organisation(en)
Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena
Journal
Astronomy & Astrophysics
Band
393
Seiten
L7 - L10
Anzahl der Seiten
4
ISSN
0004-6361
Publikationsdatum
10-2002
Peer-reviewed
Ja
ÖFOS 2012
103003 Astronomie, 103004 Astrophysik
Link zum Portal
https://ucrisportal.univie.ac.at/de/publications/1be16f9c-becf-44b0-8569-e60d4020d329