Magnetic Bubbles and Extramixing in Stars

The possible role of magnetic flux tubes in transporting matter from near the H shell through the radiative zone and into the convective envelope is explored. It is shown that the required rates of mass transport necessary to provide nuclear processed material to the envelope can be achieved if large magnetic fields are present just above the H shell in AGB and RGB stars. The required fields in this zone reach 5 MG for the AGB case and 0.5-0.05 MG for the RGB case. It may thus be possible that magnetic bouyancy play a major role in providing the extra mixing needed for these stars

Isotope Anomalies in the Fe-group Elements in Meteorites and Connection to Nucleosynthesis in AGB Stars

We study the effects of neutron captures in AGB stars on \oq Fe-group\cqb elements, with an emphasis on Cr, Fe, and Ni. These elements show anomalies in $^{54}$Cr, $^{58}$Fe, and $^{64}$Ni in solar-system materials, which are commonly attributed to SNe. However, as large fractions of the interstellar medium (ISM) were reprocessed in AGB stars, these elements were reprocessed, too. We calculate the effects of such reprocessing on Cr, Fe, and Ni through 1.5\msb and 3\msb AGB models, adopting solar and 1/3 solar metallicities. All cases produce excesses of $^{54}$Cr, $^{58}$Fe, and $^{64}$Ni, while the other isotopes are little altered; hence, the observations may be explained by AGB processing. The results are robust and not dependent on the detailed initial isotopic composition. Consequences for other \oq Fe group\cqb elements are then explored. They include $^{50}$Ti excesses, and some production of $^{46,47,49}$Ti. In many circumstellar condensates, Ti quantitatively reflects these effects of AGB neutron captures. Scatter in the data results from small variations (granularity) in the isotopic composition of the local ISM. For Si, the main effects are instead due to variations in the local ISM from different SNe sources. The problem of Ca is discussed, particularly with regard to $^{48}$Ca. The measured data are usually represented assuming terrestrial values for $^{42}$Ca/$^{44}$Ca. Materials processed in AGB stars or sources with variable initial $^{42}$Ca/$^{44}$Ca ratios can give apparent $^{48}$Ca excesses/deficiencies, attributed to SNe. The broader issue of Galactic Chemical Evolution is also discussed in view of the isotopic granularity in the ISM. \end{abstract

MS, S and C Stars in the Infrared. Luminosities and Mass Loss Rates

In this note I present an outline of infrared (IR) photometric AGB properties, based on two samples of Galactic Long Period Variables (C- and S-type respectively). I show the various selection criteria used during the choice of the sources and describe the motivations of observing them at near- and mid-IR wavelengths. I discuss the problems encountered in estimating their luminosity and distance and motivate the methods I choose for this purpose. Properties of the luminosity functions and of the Hertzsprung-Russell (HR) diagrams obtained from the analysis are discussed. Finally, the choices made for estimating of the mass loss rates are described and preliminary results concerning them are shown.Comment: 10 pages, 6 figures, contribution from the IX Torino Workshop, to be published by AI

Theoretical Estimates of Stellar e-Captures. I. The half-life of 7Be in Evolved Stars

The Li enrichment in the Universe still presents various puzzles to astrophysics. One open issue is that of obtaining estimates for the rate of e-captures on 7Be, for T and rho conditions different from solar. This is important to model the Galactic nucleosynthesis of Li. In this framework, we present a new theoretical method for calculating the e-capture rate in conditions typical of evolved stars. We show how our approach compares with state-of-the-art techniques for solar conditions, where various estimates are available. Our computations include: i) "traditional" calculations of the electronic density at the nucleus, to which the e-capture rate for 7Be is proportional, for different theoretical approaches including the Thomas--Fermi, Poisson--Boltzmann and Debye--Hueckel (DH) models of screening, ii) a new computation, based on a formalism that goes beyond the previous ones, adopting a mean-field "adiabatic" approximation to the scattering process. The results obtained with our approach as well as with the traditional ones and their differences are discussed in some detail, starting from solar conditions, where our method and the DH model converge to the same solution. We then analyze the applicability of the various models to a rather broad range of T and rho values, embracing those typical of red giant stars. We find that, over a wide region of the parameter space explored, the DH approximation does not stand, and the more general method we suggest is preferable. We then briefly reanalyze the 7Li abundances in RGB and AGB stars of the Galactic Disk using the new Be-decay rate. We also underline that the different values of the electron density at the nucleus we find should induce effects on electron screening (for p-captures on Li itself, as well as for other nuclei) so that our new approach might have wide astrophysical consequences.Comment: Astrophts. Journal Feb. 1, 201

Production of n-rich nuclei in red giant stars

We outline a partial historical summary of the steps through which the nucleosynthesis phenomena induced by {\it slow} neutron captures (the {\it s-process}) were clarified, a scientific achievement in which Franz K\"appeler played a major role. We start by recalling the early phenomenological approach, which yielded a basic understanding of the subject even before models for the parent stellar evolutionary stages were developed. Through such a tool, rough limits for the neutron density and exposure were set, and the crucial fact was understood that more than one nucleosynthesis component is required to account for solar abundances of $s$-process nuclei up to the Pb-Bi region. We then summarize the gradual understanding of the stellar processes actually involved in the production of nuclei from Sr to Pb (the so-called {\it Main Component}, achieved in the last decade of the past century and occurring in red giants of low and intermediate mass, ($M \lesssim$ 8 $M_{\odot}$), populating, in the {\it HR} diagram, the {\it Asymptotic Giant Branch} or {\it AGB} region. We conclude by giving some details on more recent research concerning mixing mechanisms inducing the activation of the main neutron source, $^{13}$C($\alpha$,n)$^{16}$O.Comment: 35 page, 8 figure

Dynamos and Chemical Mixing in Evolved Stars

In low-mass Red Giant Branch (RGB) and Asymptotic Giant Branch (AGB) stars, anomalous mixing must transport material near the hydrogen-burning shell to the convective envelope. Recently, it was suggested that buoyant magnetic flux tubes could supply the necessary transport rate (Busso et al. 2007). The fields are assumed to originate from a dynamo operating in the stellar interior. Here, we show what is required of an $\alpha-\Omega$ dynamo in the envelope of an AGB star to maintain these fields. Differential rotation and rotation drain via turbulent dissipation and Poynting flux, so if shear can be resupplied by convection, then large-scale toroidal field strengths of \left\simeq3\times10^4 G can be sustained at the base of the convection zone.Comment: 7 pages, 3 figures. To appear in AIP Proceedings of the IXth Torino Workshop on AGB Nucleosynthesi

Low temperature mean opacities for the carbon-rich regime

Asymptotic Giant Branch (AGB) stars undergo a change in their chemical composition during their evolution. This in turn leads to an alteration of the radiative opacities, especially in the cool layers of the envelope and the atmosphere, where molecules are the dominant opacity sources. A key parameter in this respect is the number ratio of carbon to oxygen atoms (C/O). In terms of low temperature mean opacities, a variation of this parameter usually cannot be followed in stellar evolution models, because up to now tabulated values were only available for scaled solar metal mixtures (with C/O ~ 0.5). We thus present a set of newly generated tables containing Rosseland mean opacity coefficients covering both the oxygen-rich (C/O 1) regime. We compare our values to existing tabular data and investigate the relevant molecular opacity contributors.Comment: 8 pages, 5 figures. To appear in the AIP Proceedings of the IXth Torino Workshop on AGB Nucleosynthesi

Spitzer/IRAC Observations of AGB stars

We present here the first observation of galactic AGB stars with the InfraRed Array Camera (IRAC) onboard the Spitzer Space Telescope. Our sample consists of 48 AGB stars of different chemical signature, mass loss rate and variability class. For each star we have measured IRAC photometry and colors. Preliminary results shows that IRAC colors are sensitive to spectroscopic features associated to molecules and dust in the AGB wind. Period is only loosely correlated to the brightness of the stars in the IRAC bands. We do find, however, a tight period-color relation for sources classified as semiregular variables. This may be interpreted as the lack of warm dust in the wind of the sources in this class, as opposed to Mira variables that show higher infrared excess in all IRAC bands.Comment: 8 pages, to be published in proceedings "IX Torino Workshop on Evolution and Nucleosynthesis in AGB Stars", 22-26 October 2007, Perugia, Ital