SIMBAD references

CO 4.6µm vibration-rotational lines are detected in fluorescent emission from the inner regions of the Betelgeuse (α Orionis) and R Leonis stellar winds. The spatially and spectrally resolved 1-0 R(1), R(2), and R(3) line profiles are found to be highly useful probes of circumstellar shells. The current data sample only a few regions of the circumstellar shells of the program stars. However, now it should be possible to obtain envelope maps and absolute flux estimates, allowing new independent estimates of mass loss rates. This will open up new possibilities in the study of the structure and dynamics of stellar winds around red giants. The temperature 4" away from α Ori is found to be 38⁺⁶_–5K. For R Leo the temperature 4" North is derived to be 24⁺³_–2K and 4" South 35⁺⁷_–4K.