Long period variable stars: galactic populations and infrared luminosity calibrations

In this paper HIPPARCOS astrometric and kinematic data are used to calibrat e both infrared luminosities and kinematical parameters of Long Period Vari able stars (LPVs). Individual absolute K and IRAS 12 and 25 luminosities of 800 LPVs are determined and made available in electronic form(star). The e stimated mean kinematics is analyzed in terms of galactic populations. LPVs are found to belong to galactic populations ranging from the thin disk to the extended disk. An age range and a lower limit of the initial mass is gi ven for stars of each population. A difference of 1.3 mag in K for the uppe r limit of the Asymptotic Giant Branch is found between the disk and old di sk galactic populations, confirming its dependence on the mass in the main sequence. LPVs with a thin envelope are distinguished using the estimated m ean IRAS luminosities. The level of attraction (in the classification sense ) of each group for the usual classifying parameters of LPVs (variability a nd spectral types) is examined.