2006/01/18 by M. J. Ireland, M. Scholz · 31 citations
Physics and Astronomy · #Astro and Planetary Science #Astrophysics and Star Formation Studies #Cosmic dust #Grain size #Interferometry #Observable #Opacity #Silicate #Solar and Space Plasma Dynamics #Variable star #Wavelength #astro-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.1111/j.1365-2966.2006.10064.x
published in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society 367(4), 1585-1593 (Oxford University Press) · Accepted for MNRAS; 9 pages, 5 figures
arxiv created 2006/01/18 · openalex publication_date 2006/03/03 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01 · openalex created_date 2016/06/24 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05
The formation of dust with temperature-dependent non-grey opacity is considered in a series of self-consistent model atmospheres at different phases of an O-rich Mira variable of mass 1.2 M⊙. Photometric and interferometric properties of these models are predicted under different physical assumptions regarding the dust formation. The iron content of the initial silicate that forms and the availability of grain nuclei are found to be critical parameters that affect the observable properties. For certain plausible parameter values, dust would form at 2–3 times the average continuum photospheric radius. This work provides a consistent physical explanation for the larger apparent size of Mira variables at wavelengths shorter than 1 μm than that predicted by dust-free fundamental-mode pulsation models.