1995A&A...302..169N

We present results of the observations of infrared HI recombination lines (namely Paβ, Brγ, Brα, Pfγ and Pfβ) from 14 Herbig Ae/Be stars. From line luminosities, and using an ionized wind model, we have determined the wind mass loss rates of these stars. The values obtained are in the range 10^–8 to 10^–6xM_☉/yr. For those stars for which {dot}(M)_w has also been independently determined from CO observations, we find a reasonable agreement between the two estimates. We find a correlation between {dot}(M)_w and the star's bolometric luminosity, which is in agreement with previous results for Young Stellar Objects (YSOs): a similar relation holds also for classical Be stars, although at a significantly lower level, suggesting a continuity of the mass loss mechanism during the evolution of intermediate mass stars. From the analysis of the correlation between mass loss rates and different indicators of the source stellar and circumstellar environment, we conclude that a proportionality between the mass loss rate and the stellar mass can account for the observed results.