The atmospheres of red giant stars: theory and observation.

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When stars near the end of their lives, they swell many hundred-fold in size (or million-fold in volume), entering a brief but enigmatic phase which astronomers call a Red Giant. Although this is a crucial episode in the life cycle of stars, the dramatic scale change precipitates a wealth of complex phenomena not seen in normal stars such as pulsation and mass loss. With this study we aim at understanding the detailed atmospheric structure of these giant stars by marrying leading theoretical/numerical modelling with state-of-the-art observational technology, capable of imaging the surfaces of these stars for the first time.