Mass loss upper limits for A and F dwarfs

Abstract

The upper limits of the ionized mass losses of A- and F-type main sequence stars are obtained with the VLA to investigate the theory that pulsationally driven winds contribute to substantial mass loss in the stars. The upper limits are found to be at least one order of magnitude lower than the mass-loss loci proposed by Willson et al. (1987). Because any wind flowing from the stars should be detectable, the notion that A dwarfs are evolving into G dwarfs cannot be supported by the amount of mass that A and F dwarfs are shown to be losing.