AGB Stars New Models:Lithium Production in the Galaxy and Magellanic Clouds

Abstract

The discovery in the Galaxy and in the Magellanic Clouds of several Asymptotic Giant Branch (AGB) sources which display a surface lithium abundance (log(ε(⁷ Li)) up to 4, where log(ε(⁷ Li)) = log(⁷ Li/H) + 12) which is much larger than those commonly observed in galactic giants (log(ε(⁷ Li)) < 0.5) (Abia et al. 1993; Smith & Lambert 1989, 1990; Smith et al. 1995) is a clear hint on the fact that AGB stars manufacture lithium, despite the fact that this latter is heavily destroyed within the interiors of stars via the reaction ⁷ Li + p –2α