Physics and Chemistry of Circumstellar Dust Shells

Circumstellar dust, the astronomical dust that forms around a star, provides todays researchers with important clues for understanding how the Universe has evolved. This volume examines the structure, dynamics and observable consequences of the dust clouds surrounding highly evolved stars on the Giant Branch. Early chapters cover the physical and chemical basis of the formation of dust shells, the outflow of matter, and condensation processes, while offering detailed descriptions of techniques for calculating dust formation and growth. Later chapters showcase a wide range of modeling strategies, including chemical and radiative transfer and dust-induced non-linear dynamics, as well as the latest data obtained from AGB stars and other giants. This volume introduces graduate students and researchers to the theoretical description for modeling the dusty outflows from cool stars and provides a full understanding of the processes involved.

Part I. Setting the Stage:
1. Introduction
2. Evolutionary status of dust-enshrouded objects
Part II. Theoretical Description of Circumstellar Dust Shells:
3. Theory of circumstellar dust shells
4. The energy equation for matter
5. Radiative transfer
6. Interaction between gas and dust particles
7. Extinction by dust grains and gas
8. Approaches to the temperature equations
9. Chemistry in thermodynamic equilibrium
10. Gas-phase chemical composition
11. Gas-solid chemical equilibria
12. Growth of dust grains
13. Formation of seed nuclei
14. Moment equations
Part III. Applications:
15. Modeling of circumstellar dust shells
16. Miras and long-period variables
17. Mass loss formulae
18. R Coronae Borealis stars
Part IV. Appendices
Bibliography
Index.