The Chemical Composition of Asymptotic Giant Branch Stars

Abstract

AbstractLow resolution spectroscopic and photometric studies of Magellanic Cloud AGB stars have shown that the M → S → C sequence is the result of the third dredge-up of 12C and s-process elements in AGB stars of low mass. In this paper, data on the chemical compositions of normal Galactic M → S → C stars are reviewed and shown to be broadly consistent with expectations for the third dredge-up on the AGB.