Groenewegen, M.

published in 38th COSPAR Scientific Assembly, 38, pp. 2 (2010)

Abstract: MESS, Mass Loss of Evolved Stars, is a Guaranteed Time Key Program of about 310 hours that will observe a large sample of post-main-sequence objects with both PACS and SPIRE in both imaging and spectroscopy. The overall aim is to study the mass loss process in a variety of objects, from asymptotic giant branch (AGB), and post-AGB stars, Planetary Nebulae, young supernova remnants, to the more massive luminous blue variables and Wolf-Rayet stars. With the imaging the goal is to derive information on the time evolution of the mass loss process, and the morphology. In spectroscopy the goal is to trace the mass loss process in an independent way, through analysis of the molecular lines and the dust emission. I will present an overview of the MESS program, and first scientific highlights.

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