IR photometry and models for the dust envelopes of two carbon stars

The results of JHKLM photometry of two carbon stars are presented: the irregular variable NQ Cas and the Mira star BD Vul. Data on the mean fluxes supplemented with mid-IR observations with the IRAS, AKARI, andWISE satellites are used to compute spherically symmetrical model dust envelopes for the stars, consisting of particles of amorphous carbon and silicon carbide. The optical depth in the visible for the comparatively cool dust envelope of BD Vul, with a dust temperature at its inner boundary T 1 = 610 K, is fairly low: τ V = 0.13. The dust envelope of NQ Cas is appreciably hotter (T 1 = 1550 K), and has τ V = 0.32. The estimated mass-loss rates are 1.5 × 10−7 M ⊙/yr for NQ Cas and 5.9 × 10−7 M ⊙/yr for BD Vul.