Asymptotic Giant Branch Stars Astronomy and Astrophysics Library

This new collection deals with the underlying astrophysical mechanisms of phenomena known as asymptotic giant branch stars, the structures that emerge during the dramatic period prior to a star's death. Over the past three decades, asymptotic giant branch stars have become a topic of their own, and the contributions to this volume all focus on these unique entities themselves (rather than their connections to other areas of astronomy).

The discussion ranges from the theoretical to more practical issues, such as new methods of high-quality infrared observation and the more detailed and realistic simulations made possible by increasingly fast computers. Asymptotic Giant Branch Stars will be useful to graduate students who work in the field, teachers who want to address the subject in their courses, and to astronomers from various backgrounds who are interested in the astrophysics of AGB stars.