Publications
of the
MPIfR
Optical & Infrared
Interferometry Group
T. Blöcker, K.-H. Hofmann, and G.
Weigelt:
Spectral observations of envelopes around
stars in late stages of stellar evolution
invited lecture given at Observing
with the Very Large Telescope Interferometer ,
European Winter School, Les Houches, France, Feb 3-8, 2002,
G. Perrin and F. Malbet (eds.), EAS Publ. Ser., v.6, p.203 (2003)
Abstract.
Interferometric observations of stars in late stages of stellar
evolution
and the impact of VLTI observations are discussed. Special attention is
paid to the spectral information that can be derived from these
observations
and on the corresponding astrophysical interpretation of the data
by radiative transfer modelling.
It is emphasized that for the robust and non-ambiguous construction of
dust-shell models it is essential to take diverse and independent
observational
constraints into account. Apart from matching the spectral energy
distribution, the use of spatially resolved information plays a crucial
role for
obtaining reliable models. The combination of long-baseline
interferometry data with high-resolution single-dish data (short
baselines), as obtained, for example, by bispectrum speckle
interferometry, provide complementary information and will improve
modelling and interpretation.