We review the mineralogy of circumstellar dust grains around AGB stars as investigated through infrared spectroscopic studies. The expanding envelopes of AGB stars are chemically fresh because of the strong binding force of CO molecules. O-rich dust grains (silicates and oxides) form in O-rich envelopes and C-rich dust grains (amorphous carbon and SiC) form in C-rich envelopes. Amorphous silicate grains can be crystallized by annealing processes in various environments of AGB stars. We also discuss dust mineralogy for objects that have undergone chemical transition processes.

The dramatic transformation of the spherical outflows of AGB stars into the extreme aspherical geometries seen during the planetary nebula (PN) phase is widely believed to be linked to binarity and is likely driven by the associated production of fast jets and central disks/torii. We first briefly summarize results from the imaging surveys of large samples of young PNe and pre-PNe with HST which show that almost all objects have bipolar, multipolar and elliptical morphologies, with widespread presence of point-symmetric structure. We describe a relatively new technique of using UV photometic observations of large AGB star samples to search for binarity and associated accretion activity, and follow-up studies using UV spectroscopy and X-ray observations. We present results from studies of individual objects in transition to the PN phase, highlighting observational techniques being used to determine jet properties that can constrain the accretion modes that power these jets.

The populations of planetary nebulae (PNe) probe metallicity and chemical content (and its evolution) of the parent galaxy, giving clues to galaxy formation and evolution. This sub-field of extra-galactic PN research has been particularly active in the recent years. Comparison of data and models yielded estimates of global cosmic enrichment and provided constraints to galaxy formation history. In external spiral galaxies, the chemical contents of PNe and H II regions can be compared to disclose possible evolution of the radial metallicity gradient, which is, in turn, a powerful constraint to galactic chemical evolutionary models. In the Milky Way, recent PN progenitor dating and new chemical abundances offer an updated look into our own Galaxy. Collectively, Galactic and extra-galactic radial metallicity gradients from emission-line probes (PNe and H II regions) can be compared to have a cosmological outlook on galactic evolution.

We derive azimuthally-averaged surface-brightness profiles of 16 AGB stars in the far-IR and sub-mm with the aim of studying the resolved historic mass loss in the extended circumstellar envelope. The PSF-subtracted extended component fluxes were found to be ∼40% of the total source flux. By fitting SEDs at each radial point we derive the dust temperature, column density and spectral index of emissivity via Bayesian inference. The measured dust-to-gas ratios were somewhat consistent with canonical values however with a large scatter.

The mass loss process along the AGB phase is crucial for the formation of circumstellar envelopes (CSEs), which in the post-AGB phase will evolve into planetary nebulae (PNe). There are still important issues that need to be further explored in this field; in particular, the formation of axially symmetric PNe from spherical CSEs. To address the problem, we have conducted high S/N IRAM 30 m observations of 12COJ = 1−0 and J = 2−1, and 13COJ = 1−0 in a volume-limited unbiased sample of semi-regular variables (SRs). We also conducted Yebes 40 m SiO J = 1−0 observations in 1/2 of the sample in order to complement our 12CO observations. We report a moderate correlation between mass loss rate and the 12CO(1−0)−to−12CO(2−1) line intensity ratio, introducing a possible new method for determining mass loss rates of SRs with short analysis time. We also find that for several stars the SiO profiles are very similar to the 12CO profiles, a totally unexpected result unless these are non-standard envelopes.

UV radiation plays a critical role in the chemistry of circumstellar envelopes (CSEs) around evolved stars on the asymptotic giant branch (AGB). However, the effects of all potential sources of UV radiation have not been included in models. We present preliminary results of adding an internal source of UV to the CSE chemistry and predict large enhancements of atomic and ionic species arising from photo-destruction of parent species. Observations of atomic carbon towards the UV-bright AGB star o Cet are consistent with the modelling. In addition, we calculate the precise depth dependence of the CO photodissociation rate in an expanding CSE. We incorporate this within a chemical network active in the outflows of AGB stars, which includes 933 species and 15182 reactions. Our results show that the CO envelope size is about 30% smaller at half abundance than the most commonly used radius reported by Mamon et al. (1988).

The sculpting of the Egg Nebula continues to defy a coherent explanation. Bipolar outflows from the center of the nebula have created bipolar optical lobes that are illuminated by searchlight beams; multiple bipolar outflows orthogonal to the lobes create the appearance of a dark lane; and quasi-circular arcs are imprinted on an approximately spherically-symmetric wind from the progenitorAGB-star. Here, we use archival data from ALMA to study at high angular resolution dust and molecular gas at the center of the nebula. We find that: (i) dust is concentrated in multiple blobs that outline the base of the northern optical lobe; (ii) dense molecular gas forms the wall of a channel swept up and compressed by the outflows that created the bipolar optical lobes; (iii) the expansion and illumination center of the nebula lies at or close to center of the outflow channel. We present a simple working model for the Egg Nebula, and highlight the difficulties that any model face for explaining all the features seen in this nebula.

Stars with masses between ∼0.7 and 8 M⊙ end their lives as Planetary Nebulae (PNe). With the MegaCam at CFHT, we have carried out a survey of the central 16 sq. degrees of Andromeda (M31) reaching the outer disk and halo, using a narrow-band [OIII]5007 and a broad-band g filter. This survey extends previous PN samples both in uniform area coverage and depth. We identify ∼4000 PNe in M31, of which ∼3000 are new discoveries. We detect PNe down to ∼6 mag below the bright cut-off of the PN luminosity function (PNLF), ∼2 mag deeper than in previous works. We detect a steep rise in the number of PNe at ∼4.5 mag fainter than the bright cut-off. It persists as we go radially outwards and is steeper than that seen in the Magellanic clouds. We explore possible reasons for this rise, which give insights into the stellar population of M31.

Binary interactions can alter the intrinsic properties of stars (such as: pulsation, mass-loss, photospheric chemistry, dust-formation, circumstellar envelope morphology etc.) and can even play a dominant role in determining its ultimate fate. While past studies have shown that binarity can end the AGB life of a star, recent studies have revealed that in specific cases binarity also pre-maturely terminate the RGB evolution. A characteristic feature of evolved binaries is the presence of a Keplerian circumbinary disc of gas and dust which plays a lead role in the evolution of the systems. In this article, I will review our advances in the research landscape of post-RGB and post-AGB binary stars, focussing on their observational properties, spectral energy distribution, photospheric chemistry, the evolution of their stable circumbinary discs, and the evolutionary connection between the enigmatic post-AGB/post-RGB binaries, and other systems whose primary component is a white dwarf.

One may argue that, today, proceedings articles are not useful. Results belong in refereed papers and even reviews are best in publications that are long enough to do justice to the topic reviewed. In this short review, reflecting a presentation that was given at the IAU343 symposium, Why Galaxies Care about AGB Stars, I have therefore endeavoured to include some practical snippets that, while remaining true to the presentation, also provide a quick look up reference. After a reminder of how few AGB stars actually interact with a companion, and a pictorial summary of the types of interactions that can happen, I list the rapidly growing body of 3D common envelope simulations. Next, I highlight shortfalls and successes of simulations, and then spend some time comparing the two simulations of planetary nebulae from common envelope interactions to date. Finally, I summarise a handful of results pertaining to common envelope interactions between giants and planets.

We present the results of a decade-long radial velocity monitoring campaign of post-AGB binaries. We derived the orbital elements of 33 post-AGB binaries. We find a companion mass distribution centred around 1.09 M⊙ with a very large spread. All the post-AGB binaries in our sample are expected to have filled their Roche lobes while at giant dimensions. Current binary evolution models are unable to explain the observed distribution of orbits.

Common envelope evolution (CEE) occurs in some binary systems involving asymptotic giant branch (AGB) or red giant branch (RGB) stars, and understanding this process is crucial for understanding the origins of various transient phenomena. CEE has been shown to be highly asymmetrical and global 3D simulations are needed to help understand the dynamics. We perform and analyze hydrodynamic CEE simulations with the adaptive mesh refinement (AMR) code AstroBEAR, and focus on the role of accretion onto the companion star. We bracket the range of accretion rates by comparing a model that removes mass and pressure using a subgrid accretion prescription with one that does not. Provided a pressure-release valve, such as a bipolar jet, is available, super-Eddington accretion could be common. Finally, we summarize new results pertaining to the energy budget, and discuss the overall implications relating to the feasibility of unbinding the envelope in CEE simulations.

Most planetary nebulae (PNe) show beautiful, axisymmetric morphologies despite their progenitor stars being essentially spherical. Angular momentum provided by a close binary companion is widely invoked as the main agent that would help eject an axisymmetric nebula, after a brief phase of engulfment of the secondary within the envelope of the Asymptotic Giant Branch (AGB) star, known as a common envelope (CE). The evolution on the AGB would thus be interrupted abruptly, its (still quite) massive envelope fully ejected to form the PN, which should be more massive than a PN coming from the same star were it single. We test this hypothesis by deriving the ionised+molecular masses of a pilot sample of post-CE PNe and comparing them to a regular PNe sample. We find the mass of post-CE PNe to be actually lower, on average, than their regular counterparts, raising some doubts on our understanding of these intriguing objects.

The role of asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars in chemical enrichment is significant for producing 12,13C, 14N, F, 25,26Mg, 17O and slow neutron-capture process (s-process) elements. The contribution from super-AGB stars is negligible in classical, one-zone chemical evolution models, but the mass ranges can be constrained through the contribution from electron-capture supernovae and possibly hybrid C+O+Ne white dwarfs, if they explode as Type Iax supernovae. In addition to the recent s-process yields of AGB stars, we include various sites for rapid neutron-capture processes (r-processes) in our chemodynamical simulations of a Milky Way type galaxy. We find that neither electron-capture supernovae or neutrino-driven winds are able to adequately produce heavy neutron-capture elements such as Eu in quantities to match observations. Both neutron-star mergers (NSMs) and magneto-rotational supernovae (MRSNe) are able to produce these elements in sufficient quantities. Using the distribution in [Eu/(Fe, α)] – [Fe/H], we predict that NSMs alone are unable to explain the observed Eu abundances, but may be able to together with MRSNe. In order to discuss the role of long-lifetime sources such as NSMs and AGB stars at the early stages of galaxy formation, it is necessary to use a model that can treat inhomogeneous chemical enrichment, such as in our chemodynamical simulations. In our cosmological, chemodynamical simulations, we succeed in reproducing the observed N/O-O/H relations both for global properties of galaxies and for local inter-stellar medium within galaxies, without rotation of stars. We also predict the evolution of CNO abundances of disk galaxies, from which it will be possible to constrain the star formation histories.

Theoretical and observational studies of dust condensed in outflows of AGB stars have substantially advanced the understanding of dust mixture from individual stars. This detailed information incorporated in models of the lifecycle of interstellar grains provides a flexible tool to study the contribution of AGB stars to the galactic dust budget. The role of these stars in dust production depends on the morphological type and age of galaxy. While AGB stars are sub-dominant dust sources in evolved systems as the Milky Way, the observed relation between the dust-to-gas ratio and metallicity suggests that the dust input in young dwarf galaxies with 7≲12+log(O/H)≲8 can be dominated by the AGB stars. In application to post-starburst and early-type galaxies, the models for stardust evolution in combination with modern infrared observations give insights in the origin of their high dust content and its implications for their evolutionary scenarios.

Carbon-enhanced metal-poor stars are probes of the early universe, that teach us about metal-poor AGB stars and supernovae physics in the very first stars. We find a large fraction of CEMP-no stars with large absolute carbon abundance to be in binary systems. This may be an indication of binary interaction with ultra or extremely metal-poor AGB stars, curiously without enhancement in s-process elements.

Most of the physical processes driving the TP-AGB evolution are not yet fully understood and they need to be modelled with parameterised descriptions. We present the results of the on-going calibration of the TP-AGB phase based on a complete sample of AGB stars in the Small Magellanic Cloud (SAGE-SMC survey). We computed large grids of TP-AGB models with several combinations of third dredge-up and mass-loss prescriptions with the COLIBRI code. The SMC AGB population is modelled with the population synthesis code TRILEGAL according to the space-resolved star formation history derived with the deep photometry from the VISTA survey of the Magellanic Clouds. We put quantitative constraints on the efficiencies of the third dredge-up and mass loss by requiring the models to reproduce the star counts and the luminosity functions of the observed Oxygen-, Carbon-rich and extreme-AGB stars and we investigate the impact of the best-fitting prescriptions on the chemical yields.

Certain types of large amplitude AGB variable are proving to be powerful distance indicators that will rival Cepheids in the James Webb Space Telescope era of high precision infrared photometry. These are predominantly found in old populations and have low mass progenitors. At the other end of the AGB mass-scale, large amplitude variables, particularly those undergoing hot bottom burning, are the most luminous representatives of their population. These stars are < 1 Gyr old, are often losing mass copiously and are vital to our understanding of the integrated light of distant galaxies as well as to chemical enrichment. However, the evolution of such very luminous AGB variables is rapid and remains poorly understood. Here I discuss recent infrared observations of both low- and intermediate-mass Mira variables in the Local Group and beyond.

The evolution of galaxies is driven by the birth and death of stars. AGB stars are at the end points of their evolution and therefore their luminosities directly reflect their birth mass; this enables us to reconstruct the star formation history. These cool stars also produce dust grains that play an important role in the temperature regulation of the interstellar medium (ISM), chemistry, and the formation of planets. These stars can be resolved in all of the nearby galaxies. Therefore, the Local Group of galaxies offers us a superb near-field cosmology site. Here we can reconstruct the formation histories, and probe the structure and dynamics, of spiral galaxies, of the many dwarf satellite galaxies surrounding the Milky Way and Andromeda, and of isolated dwarf galaxies. It also offers a variety of environments in which to study the detailed processes of galaxy evolution through studying the mass-loss mechanism and dust production by cool evolved stars. In this paper, I will first review our recent efforts to identify mass-losing Asymptotic Giant Branch (AGB) stars and red supergiants (RSGs) in Local Group galaxies and to correlate spatial distributions of the AGB stars of different mass with galactic structures. Then, I will outline our methodology to reconstruct the star formation histories using variable pulsating AGB stars and RSGs and present the results for rates of mass–loss and dust production by pulsating AGB stars and their analysis in terms of stellar evolution and galaxy evolution.

The results from high-resolution spectroscopy and accurate photometry have challenged the traditional paradigm that stars in globular clusters (GC) are simple stellar populations, rather suggesting that these structures harbor distinct groups of stars, differing in the chemical composition, particularly in the abundances of the light elements, from helium to silicon. Because this behavior is not shared by field stars, it is generally believed that some self-enrichment mechanism must have acted in GC, such that new stellar generations formed from the ashes of stars belonging to the original population. In this review, after presenting the state-of-the-art of the observations of GC stars, we discuss the possibility that the pollution of the intra-cluster medium was provided by the winds of AGB stars of initial mass above ∼3 M⊙. These objects evolve with time scales of 40 − 100 Myr and contaminate their surroundings with gas processed by p-capture nucleosynthesis, in agreement with the chemical patterns traced by GC stars.