A census of AGB stars in local group galaxies - III. The dwarf spheroidal And II

Our photometric survey of Local Group galaxies, using a four filter technique based on the method of Wing ( 1971) allows the identification and subsequent characterization of their late-type stellar content. Two narrow band filters centred on molecular bands of TiO and CN allow us to distinguish between AGB stars of different chemistries [M-type (O-rich) and C-type (C-rich)]. The faint dwarf spheroidal galaxy And II, a member of the M 31 subgroup, was surveyed. From photometry in V and i as well as in the narrow band filters TiO and CN we were able to identify 7 new AGB carbon stars, to derive their mean absolute <M-i> and bolometric magnitude M-bol, their luminosity function, and their spatial distribution. We are unable to establish the true C/M ratio because the few M stars of And II are overwhelmed by foreground Galactic M stars.