The availability of asteroseismic constraints for a large number of red giants with CoRoT and, in the near future with Kepler, paves the way for detailed studies of populations of galactic-disk red giants. We investigate which information on the observed population can be recovered by the distribution of the observed seismic constraints: the frequency of maximum power of solar-like oscillations...

The onset of variability in red giant stars is studied from the data collected by the ‘Long-Term Photometry of Variables’ project which operates at ESO (La Silla) since 1982. The differential nature of the observations combined with a multinight reduction algorithm enables to study the variability of over 50 red giants with an accuracy of the order of 2 to 3 millimagnitudes on time scales rangi...

We critically examine the use of the Washington photometric system (with the 51 filter) for identifying distant halo giants. While this is the most powerful photometric technique for isolating G and K giant stars, spectroscopic follow-up of giant candidates is vital. There are two situations in which interlopers outnumber genuine giants in the diagnostic M−51/M−T2 plot, and are indistinguishabl...

We critically examine the use of the Washington photometric system (with the 51 filter) for identifying distant halo giants. While this is the most powerful photometric technique for isolating G and K giant stars, spectroscopic follow-up of giant candidates is vital. There are two situations in which interlopers outnumber genuine giants in the diagnostic M−51/M−T2 plot, and are indistinguishabl...

Aims. Exo-planets are preferentially found around high metallicity main sequence stars. We aim at investigating whether evolved stars share this property, and what this tells about planet formation. Methods. Statistical tools and the basic concepts of stellar evolution theory are applied to published results as well as our own radial velocity and chemical analyses of evolved stars. Results. We ...

The analyses of high resolution infrared spectra have been done for CN lines in oxygen-rich cool evolved stars including 2 K giants, 20 M giants and 1 S-type star. Since CN lines analyzed in the present work are weak and resolved well, they are appropriate for quantitative analyses. CN lines of ∆v =−2 and −1 sequences (red system) which are in the Kand the H-window regions, respectively, give t...

I have news for the older generation who regale us with tales of presenting before the giants in Atlantic City. Pronouncements regarding the demise of such encounters are premature. The giants now convene in Chicago, but they are just as imposing.