Investigating mass loss from evolved stars: First results and perspectives using VLTI-MATISSE

Cool evolves stars, including asymptotic giant branch (AGB) red supergiants (RSGs) form molecules and dust in their atmospheres, which are subsequently expelled into the interstellar medium via stellar winds. For AGB stars, it has been shown that pulsation and convection lead to strongly extended molecular atmospheres, where the temperature is cool enough for dust to form. For RSGs, however, current dynamic model atmospheres of RSGs, based on pulsation and convection alone, cannot explain observed extensions of RSG atmospheres by far. Here, we present first preliminary results of our mid-infrared interferometric imaging of one AGB star, R Aqr, and one RSG, AH Sco, obtained with the newly available VLTI-MATISSE instrument during science verification and early science operations. We also present our plans to further follow up on evolved star imaging at near- and mid-infrared to constrain latest dynamic models of the mass loss process