Multi-Color Interferometric Observations of Mira Stars

Probing the Extended Atmosphere Structure and Chemistry
  • B. Mennesson
  • M. J. Creech-Eakman
  • R. R. Thompson
  • G. Perrin
  • V. Coudé du Foresto
  • A. Merand
  • S. Ridgway
Chapter
Part of the Astrophysics and Space Science Library book series (ASSL, volume 283)

Abstract

Interferometric observations in the atmospheric windows of the near infrared (1 to 4 μm) can be efficiently used to probe the chemical composition of Miras atmosphere and provide direct measurements of extended gas layers around these stars. This is illustrated by recent Miras observations carried out with the FLUOR instrument of the IOTA interferometer (Mennesson et al. 2002, and Perrin et al. proceedings of this conference) and with the PTI test-bed (Thompson 2002, Thompson et al. 2002). These visibility measurements show evidence for continuum emission from very extended (2–3 stellar radii) semi-transparent gaseous atmospheric layers, and large apparent diameter changes with pulsation phase. Interestingly these observations are consistent with the extended molecular gas layers (H 2 O, CO …) already inferred around some of these objects from ISO and high resolution ground-based FTS infrared spectra

Keywords

Mira atmosphere, infrared interferometry 
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Copyright information

© Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2003

Authors and Affiliations

  • B. Mennesson
    • 1
  • M. J. Creech-Eakman
    • 1
  • R. R. Thompson
    • 1
  • G. Perrin
    • 2
  • V. Coudé du Foresto
    • 2
  • A. Merand
    • 2
  • S. Ridgway
    • 3
  1. 1.Jet Propulsion LaboratoryCalifornia Institute of TechnologyPasadenaUSA
  2. 2.Laboratoire d’Etudes Spatiales et d’Instrumentation en AstrophysiqueMeudonFrance
  3. 3.National Optical Astronomy ObservatoriesTucsonUSA

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