Personalities of Mira Variables as Revealed by their Spectra-Verdict: Bizarre!

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Robert F. Carrison

University of Toronto

David Dunlap Observatory

Richmond Hill, Ontario L4C 4Y6

Canada

 

Presented at the AAVSO Session on Mira Stars (part of the 85th Annual Meeting), November 1, 1996

 

Abstract

 

The spectra of Mira variables are beautiful to the eye. They are also full of information about the temperature, pressure, chemical composition, and structure of the star. A general overview of some of the techniques for extracting this information will be given, with the strange behavior of the aluminum oxide molecule as a specific example.