Far-infrared data for symbiotic stars. I - The IRAS pointed observations

Abstract

The authors present IRAS pointed observations of eight symbiotic stars. Five S-type symbiotics (EG And, T CrB, RS Oph, AR Pav, and AX Per) have IR energy distributions that are very similar to those of normal M giants. Free-free emission may supply a fraction of the observed 12 and 25 μm flux in RS Oph, AR Pav, and AX Per. Three D-type symbiotics (RX Pup, HM Sge, and RR Tel) have IR energy distributions that are consistent with those of Mira variables only if the giants are heavily reddened (A<SUB>K</SUB> ≡ 1-2). The hot components in these binaries appear to lie outside the dust shell that enshrouds their Mira companions.