Wareing, CJ (2008) Wonderful Mira. Philosophical Transactions A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences, 366 (1884). 4429 - 4440. ISSN 1364-503X
Abstract
Since being named 'wonderful' in the seventeenth century for its peculiar brightness variability, Mira A has been the subject of extensive research and become the prototype for a whole class of 'Mira' variable stars. The primary star in a binary system, Mira A is reaching the end of its life and currently undergoing an extended period of enhanced mass loss. Recent observations have revealed a surrounding arc-like structure and a stream of material stretching 12 light years away in opposition to the arc. In this article, I review recent modelling of this cometary appearance as a bow shock with an accompanying tail of material ram pressure stripped from the head of the bow shock, place Mira in an evolutionary context, predict its future with reference to the similar star R Hya and planetary nebula Sh 2-188, and speculate some avenues of research both on Mira itself and on other 'Mira-like' stars with bow shocks and tails. I also discuss the implications of this discovery for our own star, the Sun.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
---|---|
Authors/Creators: |
|
Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | (c) 2008 The Royal Society. This is an author produced version of a paper published in Philosophical Transactions A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences. Uploaded in accordance with the publisher's self-archiving policy |
Keywords: | Hydrodynamics; stars: individual (Mira); stars: asymptotic giant branch and post-asymptotic giant branch; circumstellar matter; interstellar medium: bubble; stars: mass loss |
Dates: |
|
Institution: | The University of Leeds |
Academic Units: | The University of Leeds > Faculty of Engineering & Physical Sciences (Leeds) |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Publications |
Date Deposited: | 19 Feb 2015 16:39 |
Last Modified: | 30 Jun 2020 14:49 |
Published Version: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rsta.2008.0167 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | The Royal Society |
Identification Number: | 10.1098/rsta.2008.0167 |
Related URLs: | |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:83151 |