Water in K and M giant stars unveiled by ISO

Abstract

Based on the spectra obtained with Infrared Space Observatory, ISO, we detected the 6.3 mu m bands of water in the late K giant Aldebaran (alpha Tau) and several early M giant stars (between M0 and M3.5), which have been deemed to be too warm for tri-atomic H₂O molecule to reside in their photospheres. The water column densities range (0.2 - 2) *E¹⁸ molecules cm^-2 in our sample of K and M giant stars and the excitation temperatures are 1500 K or higher. Thus, the water bands are not originating in cool stellar winds either. The presence of water in the K and early M giant stars was quite unexpected from the traditional picture of the atmosphere of the red giant star consisting of the photosphere, hot chromosphere, and cool wind. We confirm that a rather warm molecule forming region should exist as a new component of the atmosphere of red giant stars and that this should be a general phenomenon in late-type stars. Based on the data archives of ISO, an ESA project with instruments funded by ESA member states (especially the PI countries: France, Germany, The Netherlands, and the UK) and with the participation of ISAS and NASA.