We present various infrared two-color diagrams (2CDs) using WISE data for asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars and Planetary Nebulae (PNe) and investigate possible evolutionary tracks. We use the sample of 5036 AGB stars, 660 post-AGB stars, and 2748 PNe in our Galaxy. For each object, we cross-identify the IRAS, AKARI, WISE, and 2MASS counterparts. To investigate the spectral evolution from AGB stars to PNe, we compare the theoretical model tracks of AGB stars and post-AGB stars with the observations on the IR 2CDs. We find that the theoretical dust shell model tracks can roughly explain the observations of AGB stars, post-AGB stars, and PNe on the various IR 2CDs. WISE data are useful in studying the evolution of AGB stars and PNe, especially for dim objects. We find that most observed color indices generally increase during the evolution from AGB stars to PNe. We also find that Fe0.9Mg0.1O dust is useful to fit the observed WISE W3-W4 colors for O-rich AGB stars with thin dust shells.

We present a new catalog of AGB stars based on infrared two-color diagrams (2CDs) and known properties of the pulsations and spectra. We exclude some misclassified objects from previous catalogs. We identify color areas in two IR 2CDs where most O-rich and C-rich objects listed in previous catalogs of AGB stars are found. By collecting new objects in these color selection areas in the two IR 2CDs, we find candidate objects for AGB stars. By using the color selection method, we identify 3996 new objects in the O-rich areas, 1487 new objects in the C-rich areas, and 295 new objects in the overlap areas of the two 2CDs simultaneously. We have found that 470 O-rich and 9 C-rich objects are Mira variables with positive spectral identification and they are newly identified AGB stars. We present a new catalog of 3828 O-rich AGB stars and 1168 C-rich AGB stars excluding misclassified objects and adding newly identified objects.

Debris disks are important observational clues to understanding on-going planetary system formation. They are usually identied by signicant mid-infrared excess on top of the photospheric emission of a central star on the basis of prediction from J-, H-, and Ks-band uxes and the stellar model spectra. For bright stars, 2MASS near-infrared uxes suffer large uncertainties due to the near-infrared camera satu- ration. Therefore we have performed follow-up observations with the IRSF 1.4 m near-infrared telescope located in South Africa to obtain accurate J-, H-, and Ks-band uxes of the central stars. Among 754 main-sequence stars which are detected in the AKARI 18 m band, we have performed photometry for 325 stars with IRSF. As a result, we have successfully improved the ux accuracy of the central stars from 9.2 % to 0.5 % on average. Using this dataset, we have detected 18 m excess emission from 57 stars in our samples with a 3 level. We nd that some of them have high ratios of the excess to the photospheric emission even around very old stars, which cannot be explained by the current planet-formation theories.

In order to study properties of the pulsation in the infrared emission for long period variables, we collect and analyze the infrared observational data at L band for 12 OH/IR. The observation data cover about three decades including recent data from the ISO and Spitzer. We use the Marquardt-Levenberg algorithm to determine the pulsation period and amplitude for each star and compare them with results of previous investigations at infrared and radio bands. We obtain the relationship between the pulsation periods and the amplitudes at L band. Contrary to the results at K band, there is no difference of the trends in the short and long period regions of the period-luminosity relation at L band. This may be due to the molecular absorption effect at K band. The correlations among the L band parameters, IRAS [12-25] colors, and K band parameters may be explained as results of the dust shell parameters affected by the stellar pulsation. The large scatter of the correlation could be due to the existence of a distribution of central stars with various masses and pulsation modes.

Infrared spectroscopic observations and their analysis revealed many physical and chemical characteristics of the various stars with dust envelopes. Especially, AGB stars and young stellar objects are believed to be major contributors of infrared radiation from galaxies. The wavelength of the peak spectral energy for typical galaxies is about 100μm 100μm . Therefore, infrared spectral observations of galaxies provide important information for their overall properties. The qualitative analysis of the infrared spectra which are made of various stars and interstellar matter will be possible through a new population synthesis.

Near infrared JHK magnitudes are presented for two hundred two high proper motion stars. We have observed high proper motion stars in the near-infrared bands(JHK) using the COB detector on the Kitt Peak 1.3m, 2.1m and 4m telescopes. The observations and data reduction procedures are described. The infrared color magnitude diagram and color-color diagrams for the program stars are presented.