Improved Mass Loss Rates for WC7-9 Stars: Their Effect on the Wolf-Rayet Stellar Wind Momentum Problem

Author(s):  
J. P. Cassinelli ◽  
K. A. van der Hucht
Keyword(s):  
1979 ◽  
Vol 83 ◽  
pp. 431-445 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter S. Conti

The stellar wind mass loss rates of at least some single Of type stars appear to be sufficient to remove much if not all of the hydrogen-rich envelope such that nuclear processed material is observed at the surface. This highly evolved state can then be naturally associated with classic Population I WR stars that have properties of high luminosity for their mass, helium enriched composition, and nitrogen or carbon enhanced abundances. If stellar wind mass loss is the dominant process involved in this evolutionary scenario, then stars with properties intermediate between Of and WR types should exist. The stellar parameters of luminosity, temperature, mass and composition are briefly reviewed for both types. All late WN stars so far observed are relatively luminous like Of stars, and also contain hydrogen. All early WN stars, and WC stars, are relatively faint and contain little or no hydrogen. The late WN stars seem to have the intermediate properties required if a stellar wind is the dominant mass loss mechanism that transforms an Of star to a WR type.


1980 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
pp. 541-547
Author(s):  
H. F. Henrichs

A number of massive stars of early type is found in X-ray binary systems. The catalog of Bradt et al. (1979) contains 21 sources optically identified with massive stars ranging in spectral type from 06 to B5 out of which 13 are (nearly) unevolved stars and 8 are supergiants. Single stars of this type generally show moderate to strong stellar winds. The X-rays in these binaries originate from accretion onto a compact companion (we restrict the discussion to this type of X-rays).We consider the compact star as a probe traveling through the stellar wind. This probe enables us to derive useful information about the mass outflow of massive stars.After presenting the basic data we derive an upper limit to mass loss rates of unevolved early type stars by studying X-ray pulsars. Next we consider theoretical predictions concerning the influence of X-rays on the stellar wind and compare these with the observations. Finally, using new data from IUE, we draw some conclusions about mass loss rates and velocity laws as derived from X-ray binaries.


1982 ◽  
Vol 99 ◽  
pp. 53-56 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. De Loore ◽  
P. Hellings ◽  
H.J.G.L.M. Lamers

With the assumption of planparallel hydrostatic atmospheres, used generally for the computation of evolutionary models, the radii of WR stars are seriously underestimated. The true atmospheres may be very extended, due to the effect of the stellar wind. Instead of these hydrostatic atmospheres we consider dynamical atmospheres adopting a velocity law. The equation of the optical depth is integrated outwards using the equation of continuity.The “hydrostatic” radii are to be multiplied with a factor 2 to 8, and the effective temperatures with a factor 0.8 to 0.35 when Wolf Rayet characteristics for the wind are considered, and WR mass loss rates are used. With these corrections the effective temperatures of the theoretical models, which are helium burning Roche lobe overflow remnants, range between 30 000 K and 50 000 K. Effective temperatures calculated in the hydrostatic hypothesis can be as high as 150 000 K for helium burning RLOF-remnants with WR mass loss rates.


2019 ◽  
Vol 632 ◽  
pp. A38
Author(s):  
H. Andrews ◽  
D. Fenech ◽  
R. K. Prinja ◽  
J. S. Clark ◽  
L. Hindson

Context. Massive stars and their stellar winds are important for a number of feedback processes. The mass lost in the stellar wind can help determine the end-point of the star as a neutron star (NS) or a black hole (BH). However, the impact of mass loss on the post-main sequence evolutionary stage of massive stars is not well understood. Westerlund 1 is an ideal astrophysical laboratory in which to study massive stars and their winds in great detail over a large range of different evolutionary phases. Aims. We aim to study the radio emission from Westerlund 1, in order to measure radio fluxes from the population of massive stars, and determine mass-loss rates and spectral indices where possible. Methods. Observations were carried out in 2015 and 2016 with the Australia Telescope Compact Array (ATCA) at 5.5 and 9 GHz using multiple configurations, with maximum baselines ranging from 750 m to 6 km. Results. Thirty stars are detected in the radio from the fully concatenated dataset, ten of which are Wolf-Rayet stars (WRs) (predominantly late type WN stars), five yellow hypergiants (YHGs), four red supergiants (RSGs), one luminous blue variable (LBV), the sgB[e] star W9, and several OB supergiants. New source detections in the radio are found for five WR stars, and five OB supergiants. These detections lead to evidence for three new OB supergiant binary candidates, which is inferred from derived spectral index limits. Conclusions. Spectral indices and index limits were determined for massive stars in Westerlund 1. For cluster members found to have partially optically thick emission, mass-loss rates were calculated. Under the approximation of a thermally emitting stellar wind and a steady mass-loss rate, clumping ratios were then estimated for eight WRs. Diffuse radio emission was detected throughout the cluster. Detections of knots of radio emission with no known stellar counterparts indicate the highly clumped structure of this intra-cluster medium, likely shaped by a dense cluster wind.


1981 ◽  
Vol 59 ◽  
pp. 19-25
Author(s):  
Henny J.G.L.M. Lamers

We determined the dependence of mass loss on the stellar parameters for O and B stars of various luminosities. We used four homogenous sets of mass loss rates derived by different authors from the radioflux, the infrared excess, the UV lines and Hα emission. As the rates derived from the radio flux are the least dependent on model assumptions for the stellar wind, these will be adopted as our standards. The others sets of mass loss rates will be corrected for the differences in the adopted wind model, especially in the velocity law, by scaling the rates to those derived from radio data, using the stars which the different sets have in common.


2010 ◽  
Vol 6 (S272) ◽  
pp. 99-100
Author(s):  
Brenda Pérez-Rendón ◽  
Horacio Pineda-León ◽  
Alfredo Santillán ◽  
Liliana Hernández-Cervantes

AbstractMassive main sequence stars are fast rotators. Stellar rotation affects massive stellar rotation due to rotationally induced mixing processes, the increase of mass loss rates, etc. and also affects the circumstellar medium due to their interaction with the stellar wind. The parameters of stellar winds depends on stellar parameters so the wind parameters change as the star evolves, coupling the evolution of circumstellar medium to the star itself. In this work we used a stellar code to build models of two massive stars (30 and 40 M⊙) and we used their wind parameters to simulate the hydrodynamics of their surrounding gas with the ZEUS-3D code in order to explore the effects of stellar rotation in the pre-supernova environments.


1991 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 275-276
Author(s):  
Jong Ok Woo

AbstractThe absolute measurements of flux emitted in the visible continua of some Galactic Wolf-Rayet stars were carried out by means of a two-channel scanner. The measurements lead to the determination of stellar angular diameters which enable us to compute log L*/L⊙. The stellar wind terminal velocity, V∞ was obtained from the empirical relation of the effective temperatures by Underbill (1983) and V∞, adopted from the work of Willis (1982). Also, we derived the rate of mass loss for the WR stars from the formula Ṁ = є(Teff)L/(V∞c) by using the obtained effective temperatures, luminosity and V∞ in this work. The values of the rates range from 1.4 × 10−5 to 5.8 × 10−5M⊙yr−1.


1979 ◽  
Vol 83 ◽  
pp. 155-163
Author(s):  
Donald C. Morton ◽  
Alan E. Wright

Radio fluxes of 7.2 ± 1.1 and 69 ± 5 mJy at 14.7 GHz have been detected from the stars ζ Pup (O4If) and γ Vel (WC8+O9I) respectively with the 64-m telescope at Parkes, and upper limits have been determined for 9 more hot stars. The interpretation of these fluxes as free-free emission from a shell of ionized gas resulting from a stellar wind gives mass-loss rates = (6.5 ± 1.4) x 10−6 M⊙ yr−1 for ζ Pup and (3.9 ± 0.7) x 10−5 M⊙ yr−1 for γ Vel if H/He = 10 by number and the He is fully ionized. If the gas around γ Vel originates mainly from the WC8 star, the helium predominates and = (5.2 ± 0.9) x 10−5 or (17 ± 3) x 10−5 M⊙ yr−1 depending on whether the helium is doubly or singly ionized.


2016 ◽  
Vol 12 (S329) ◽  
pp. 448-448
Author(s):  
Yasuharu Sugawara ◽  
Yoshitomo Maeda ◽  
Yohko Tsuboi

AbstractWe report the results of the stellar wind measurement for two colliding wind binaries. The X-ray spectrum is the best measurement tool for the hot postshock gas. By monitoring the changing of the the X-ray luminosity and column density along with the orbital phases, we derive the mass-loss rates of these stars.


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