Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: http://hdl.handle.net/1959.3/210875

Title

The period-luminosity relation for long-period variables in M31

Author(s)

Mould, Jeremy;  Saha, Abhijit;  Hughes, Shaun

Abstract

A significant fraction of the disk of M31 has been surveyed for long-period variable stars. We report the results, including near-infrared photometry of almost 2000 variables, and light curves in the i band. The period-luminosity relation suggests that most of the variables are asymptotic giant branch stars, and their luminosity function can be understood in terms of mass-loss rates, which increase with increasing luminosity on the giant branch, and star formation rates, which were a few times higher a billion years ago in M31 than they are today. We see some supergiant long-period variables, but somewhat fewer than expected based on their frequency in M33, and confined to the ring of star formation in M31 seen in the IRAS and 2MASS surveys.

Publication type

Journal article

Source

The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series, Vol. 154, no. 2 (Oct 2004), pp. 623-631

Publication year

2004

FOR Code(s)

0201 Astronomical and Space Sciences;  0305 Organic Chemistry;  0306 Physical Chemistry (Incl. Structural)

Keyword(s)

Galaxies: individual (M31);  Infrared: stars;  Stars: AGB and post-AGB;  Stars: variables: other

Publisher

University of Chicago Press

ISSN

0067-0049

Publisher URL

http://dx.doi.org/10.1086/422875

Copyright

Copyright © 2004 The American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved. The American Astronomical Society does not allow institutions to archive either the accepted manuscript or the published version of the article.

Peer reviewed