Bibcode
García-Hernández, D. A.; Kameswara Rao, N.; Lambert, David L.
Bibliographical reference
The Astrophysical Journal, Volume 739, Issue 1, article id. 37 (2011).
Advertised on:
9
2011
Journal
Citations
33
Refereed citations
32
Description
Spitzer/infrared spectrograph (IRS) spectra from 5 to 37 μm for a
complete sample of 31 R Coronae Borealis stars (RCBs) are presented.
These spectra are combined with optical and near-infrared photometry of
each RCB at maximum light to compile a spectral energy distribution
(SED). The SEDs are fitted with blackbody flux distributions and
estimates are made of the ratio of the infrared flux from circumstellar
dust to the flux emitted by the star. Comparisons for 29 of the 31 stars
are made with the Infrared Astronomical Satellite (IRAS) fluxes from
three decades earlier: Spitzer and IRAS fluxes at 12 μm and 25 μm
are essentially equal for all but a minority of the sample. For this
minority, the IRAS to Spitzer flux ratio exceeds a factor of three. The
outliers are suggested to be stars where formation of a dust cloud or
dust puff is a rare event. A single puff ejected prior to the IRAS
observations may have been reobserved by Spitzer as a cooler puff at a
greater distance from the RCB. RCBs which experience more frequent
optical declines have, in general, a circumstellar environment
containing puffs subtending a larger solid angle at the star and a
quasi-constant infrared flux. Yet, the estimated subtended solid angles
and the blackbody temperatures of the dust show a systematic evolution
to lower solid angles and cooler temperatures in the interval between
IRAS and Spitzer. Dust emission by these RCBs and those in the LMC is
similar in terms of total 24 μm luminosity and [8.0]-[24.0]
color index.