The chemical composition of red giants. III - Further CNO isotopic and s-process abundances in thermally pulsing asymptotic giant branch stars

Abstract

Near-IR and IR spectra are analyzed to obtain elemental and isotopic C, N, and O abundance, iron peak abundances, and heavy element s-process abundances for a sample of M, MS, and S giants. The compositions of the M giants are similar to those of G and K giants and consistent with predictions for giants that have deep convective envelopes and so have experienced the first dredge-up. The MS and S giants have compositions that show the signatures of the third dredge-up that occurs in thermally pulsing AGB stars. The sample shows that C-12, a principal product of the He-burning shell, has been added to the envelopes of MS and S stars. The C-12 enrichment is correlated with a more marked enrichment of the s-process elements that are predicted to be synthesized when a neutron source is ignited in the He-burning shell. The MS and S giants show a higher N abundance than the M giants, attributed to the expected deep mixing that occurs with the onset of the episodic third dredge-up.