Matsuura M., Barlow M.J., Zijlstra A.A., Whitelock P.A., Cioni M.-R.L., Groenewegen M.A.T., Volk K., Kemper F., Kodama T., Lagadec E., Meixner M., Sloan G.C., Srinivasan S.
National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, Osawa 2-21-1, Mitaka, Tokyo 181-8588, Japan; Department of Physics and Astronomy, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom; Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Manchester, Oxford Street, Manchester M13 9PL, United Kingdom; South African Astronomical Observatory, PO Box 9, 7935 Observatory, South Africa; NASSP, Astronomy Department, University of Cape Town, 7701 Rondebosch, South Africa; Department of Mathematics and Applied Mathematics, University of Cape Town, 7701 Rondebosch, South Africa; Centre for Astrophysics Research, University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield AL10 9AB, United Kingdom; Royal Observatory of Belgium, Ringlaan 3, B-1180 Brussels, Belgium; Gemini Observatory, Hilo, HI 96720, United States; Space Telescope Science Institute, 3700 San Martin Drive, Baltimore, MD 21218, United States; Astronomy Department, Cornell University, 610 Space Sciences Building, Ithaca, NY 14853-6801, United States; Department of Physics and Astronomy, Johns Hopkins University, Homewood Campus, Baltimore, MD 21218, United States
Matsuura, M., National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, Osawa 2-21-1, Mitaka, Tokyo 181-8588, Japan, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom; Barlow, M.J., Department of Physics and Astronomy, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom; Zijlstra, A.A., Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Manchester, Oxford Street, Manchester M13 9PL, United Kingdom; Whitelock, P.A., South African Astronomical Observatory, PO Box 9, 7935 Observatory, South Africa, NASSP, Astronomy Department, University of Cape Town, 7701 Rondebosch, South Africa, Department of Mathematics and Applied Mathematics, University of Cape Town, 7701 Rondebosch, South Africa; Cioni, M.-R.L., Centre for Astrophysics Research, University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield AL10 9AB, United Kingdom; Groenewegen, M.A.T., Royal Observatory of Belgium, Ringlaan 3, B-1180 Brussels, Belgium; Volk, K., Gemini Observatory, Hilo, HI 96720, United States; Kemper, F., Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Manchester, Oxford Street, Manchester M13 9PL, United Kingdom; Kodama, T., National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, Osawa 2-21-1, Mitaka, Tokyo 181-8588, Japan; Lagadec, E., Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Manchester, Oxford Street, Manchester M13 9PL, United Kingdom; Meixner, M., Space Telescope Science Institute, 3700 San Martin Drive, Baltimore, MD 21218, United States; Sloan, G.C., Astronomy Department, Cornell University, 610 Space Sciences Building, Ithaca, NY 14853-6801, United States; Srinivasan, S., Department of Physics and Astronomy, Johns Hopkins University, Homewood Campus, Baltimore, MD 21218, United States
We report on an analysis of the gas and dust budget in the interstellar medium (ISM) of the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC). Recent observations from the Spitzer Space Telescope enable us to study the mid-infrared dust excess of asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars in the LMC. This is the first time we can quantitatively assess the gas and dust input from AGB stars over a complete galaxy, fully based on observations. The integrated mass-loss rate over all intermediate and high mass-loss rate carbon-rich AGB candidates in the LMC is 8.5 × 10 -3 M ⊙ yr -1, up to 2.1 × 10 -2 M ⊙ yr -1. This number could be increased up to 2.7 × 10 -2 M ⊙ yr -1 if oxygen-rich stars are included. This is overall consistent with theoretical expectations, considering the star formation rate (SFR) when these low- and intermediate-mass stars where formed, and the initial mass functions. AGB stars are one of the most important gas sources in the LMC, with supernovae (SNe), which produces about 2-4 × 10 -2 M ⊙ yr -1. At the moment, the SFR exceeds the gas feedback from AGB stars and SNe in the LMC, and the current star formation depends on gas already present in the ISM. This suggests that as the gas in the ISM is exhausted, the SFR will eventually decline in the LMC, unless gas is supplied externally. Our estimates suggest 'a missing dust-mass problem' in the LMC, which is similarly found in high-z galaxies: the accumulated dust mass from AGB stars and possibly SNe over the dust lifetime (400-800 Myr) is significant less than the dust mass in the ISM. Another dust source is required, possibly related to star-forming regions. © 2009 RAS.