The Physical and Chemical Properties of Circumstellar Matter

质量与太阳相似或略大于太阳的演化恒星在所谓的红巨星区演化。它们是凉爽、明亮的恒星，它们通过强烈的恒星风失去质量。这些风形成了环绕恒星的气体和尘埃外壳，被称为行星状星云。首席研究员建议研究这种质量损失和行星状星云的形成。观察和理论都将是这项工作的一部分。重点将放在质量损失过程的物理和化学上。

Evolved stars of masses similar or slightly greater than that of the sun evolve through the so-called red giant region. They are cool, luminous stars, and they lose mass via strong stellar winds. The winds form circumstellar shells of gas and dust, known as planetary nebulae. The Principal Investigator proposes to study this kind of mass loss and the formation of planetary nebulae. Both observations and theory will be part of this work. The emphasis will be on the physics and chemistry of the mass loss process.