Detection of Rotational CO Emission From the Red-supergiants in the Large Magellanic Cloud

Matsuura, M.; Sargent, B.; Swinyard, B.; Yates, J.A.; Royer, P.; Barlow, M.J.; Boyer, M.L.; Decin, L.; Khouri, T.; Meixner, M.; van Loon, J.Th.; Woods, P.M.

Abstract

It is yet well understood how mass-loss rates from evolved stars depend on metallicities. With a half of the solar metallicity and the distance of only 50 kpc, the evolved stars of the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) are an ideal target for studying mass loss at low metallicity. We have obtained spectra of red-supergiants in the LMC, using the Hershel Space Observatory, detecting CO thermal lines fro J=6–5 up to 15–14 lines. Modelling CO lines with non-LTE Radiative transfer code suggests that CO lines intensities can be well explained with high gas-to-dust ratio, with no obvious reduction in mass-loss rate at the LMC. We conclude that the luminosities of the stars are dominant factors on mass-loss rates, rather than the metallicity.

Citation

Matsuura, M., Sargent, B., Swinyard, B., Yates, J., Royer, P., Barlow, M., …Woods, P. (2015). Detection of Rotational CO Emission From the Red-supergiants in the Large Magellanic Cloud. EAS Publications Series, 71-72, 53-56. https://doi.org/10.1051/eas/1571010

• Journal Article Type: Conference Paper
• Conference Name: PHYSICS OF EVOLVED STARS: A CONFERENCE DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY OF OLIVIER CHESNEAU
• Online Publication Date: Dec 1, 2015
• Publication Date: 2015
• Deposit Date: Jun 15, 2023
• Journal: EAS Publications Series
• Print ISSN: 1633-4760
• Electronic ISSN: 1638-1963
• Publisher: EDP Sciences
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 71-72
• Pages: 53-56
• Series Title: EAS Publications Series
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1051/eas/1571010
• Keywords: General Engineering; Astronomy and Astrophysics; Space and Planetary Science
• Publisher URL: https://www.eas-journal.org/articles/eas/abs/2015/01/eas1571010/eas1571010.html