For stars a few times more massive than our Sun, the last phase in their evolution is the asymptotic giant branch (AGB). EU-funded scientists looked into the superwind of these stars' atmospheres to elucidate their role in the galactic ecology.
As stars evolve through the AGB phase, they cool down and at the same time grow in brightness by burning their nuclear fuel faster and faster. The stars can cool down to such an extent that dust begins to condensate in the outer convective envelope. The dust formation together with large pulsations drives a superwind off the surface of these stars.
Further details: Evolution of asymptotic giant branch stars