The Chemical Composition of Asymptotic Giant Branch Stars-the s-process

Abstract

This review discusses the chemical composition of AGB stars in the light of predictions for intermediate-mass (3-8 M⊙, 22Ne(α,n) = the neutron source) and low-mass (< 3 M⊙, 13C(α,n) = the neutron source) stars. LM-AGB models can be constructed with envelopes having a composition quite similar to that of solar system material, the SiC grains recently discovered in meteorites, and real AGB stars in the sequence of spectral types M → S → C. Stellar counterparts of the IM-AGB models have yet to be discovered.