Mass Loss From Cool Stars III

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This award supports investigations on the manner in which stars lose mass to the interstellar medium. Topics include observations informing us how red giants generate planetary nebulae, a search for temporal changes of the radio carbon monoxide line emission, and the combination of radio and infrared data to establish the total rate of stellar mass loss to the interstellar medium. There is also a project to map the newly recognized small molecular clouds and to study their composition and radiative properties. Interstellar gases are used to form new stars. Conversely, aging stars return gas to interstellar space. The returned gas is significantly altered in chemical composition and combined into different molecules and dust grains. The gases lost by stars have become observationally accessible only in the last few years. Knapp has identified several well-posed questions designed to learn more about this process. She will use several radio telescopes, in particular the new Submillimeter Observatory in Hawaii.