scholarly journals Revealing the Mass Loss Structures of Four Key Massive Binaries Using Optical Spectropolarimetry

2014 ◽  
Vol 9 (S307) ◽  
pp. 336-341
Author(s):  
Jamie R. Lomax
Keyword(s):  
Mass Loss ◽  
Binary Systems ◽  
Hot Spot ◽  
Polarized Light ◽  
Opening Angle ◽  
Geometric Information ◽  
Intrinsic Polarization ◽  
Polarization Component ◽  
Circumstellar Material ◽  
Large Opening

AbstractThe majority of massive stars are members of binary systems. However, in order to understand their evolutionary pathways, mass and angular momentum loss from these systems needs to be well characterized. Self-consistent explanations for their behavior across many wavelength regimes need to be valid in order to illuminate key evolutionary phases. I present the results of linear spectropolarimetric studies of three key binaries (β Lyrae, V356 Sgr, V444 Cyg, and WR 140) which reveal important geometric information about their circumstellar material. β Lyrae exhibits a repeatable discrepancy between secondary eclipse in the total and polarized light curves that indicates an accretion hot spot has formed on the edge of the disk in the system. The existence of this hot spot and its relationship to bipolar outflows within the system is important in the understanding of mass transfer dynamics in Roche-lobe overflow binaries. Preliminary work on V356 Sgr suggests the system maybe surrounded by a common envelope. V444 Cyg shows evidence that its shock creates a cone with a large opening angle of missing material around the WN star. This suggests the effects of radiative inhibition or braking, can be significant contributors to the location and shape of the shock within colliding wind binaries. The intrinsic polarization component of WR 140 is likely due to the formation of dust within the system near periastron passages. Continued work on these and additional objects will provide new and important constraints on the mass loss structures within binary systems.

scholarly journals Constraints on Lorentz Invariance Violation with Multiwavelength Polarized Astrophysical Sources

Galaxies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 44
Author(s):  
Qi-Qi Zhou ◽  
Shuang-Xi Yi ◽  
Jun-Jie Wei ◽  
Xue-Feng Wu
Keyword(s):  
Gamma Ray ◽  
Lorentz Invariance ◽  
Polarized Light ◽  
Polarization Plane ◽  
Polarization Angle ◽  
Intrinsic Polarization ◽  
Frequency Dependent ◽  
Invariance Violation ◽  
Linearly Polarized ◽  
Order Of Magnitude

Possible violations of Lorentz invariance (LIV) can produce vacuum birefringence, which results in a frequency-dependent rotation of the polarization plane of linearly polarized light from distant sources. In this paper, we try to search for a frequency-dependent change of the linear polarization angle arising from vacuum birefringence in the spectropolarimetric data of astrophysical sources. We collect five blazars with multiwavelength polarization measurements in different optical bands (UBVRI). Taking into account the observed polarization angle contributions from both the intrinsic polarization angle and the rotation angle induced by LIV, and assuming that the intrinsic polarization angle is an unknown constant, we obtain new constraints on LIV by directly fitting the multiwavelength polarimetric data of the five blazars. Here, we show that the birefringence parameter η quantifying the broken degree of Lorentz invariance is limited to be in the range of −9.63×10−8<η<6.55×10−6 at the 2σ confidence level, which is as good as or represents one order of magnitude improvement over the results previously obtained from ultraviolet/optical polarization observations. Much stronger limits can be obtained by future multiwavelength observations in the gamma-ray energy band.

scholarly journals Ultraviolet Observations of Some Close Binary Systems by the Astronomical Netherlands Satellite-Ans

1976 ◽  
Vol 73 ◽  
pp. 213-223
Author(s):  
Chi-Chao Wu
Keyword(s):  
Binary Systems ◽  
Hot Spot ◽  
Close Binary ◽  
Spectral Energy ◽  
Dwarf Novae ◽  
Energy Distributions ◽  
Primary Star ◽  
Higher Temperature ◽  
Far Ultraviolet ◽  
Ultraviolet Observations

Observations of δ Pic, a β Lyr type of eclipsing binary and seven dwarf novae are reported. The ultraviolet light curves of δ Pic indicate the accumulation of matter at the triangular Lagrangian points L4 and L5, the presence of a hot spot and a higher temperature for the primary star. The implication is that the cooler secondary fills its Roche lobe and is transfering mass to the primary; mass loss to the circumstellar space and possibly to the system may also be appreciable. The temperatures of dwarf novae are derived by comparing their ultraviolet spectral energy distributions with those for normal stars of luminosity classes IV and V. Piecing together observations for different objects, the SSCyg systems have temperatures of 28 500 K, 10 000 K and 9500 K, respectively, when they are at minimum, immediately before outburst and at the beginning of rise to maximum. At maximum, the temperature is 22 500 K or 17 300 K depending on the interstellar reddening correction for AR And. Immediately before outburst, there is a large excess of flux in the far ultraviolet as indicated by the large value of the ratio of flux at 1550 Å to that at 1800 Å. The observations of Z Cam during standstill gives a temperature of 14 900 K. No excess of flux in the far ultraviolet was observed during the maximum of AR And and the standstill of Z Cam.

scholarly journals IUE Observations of the Two Peculiar Binary Systems Beta Lyrae and Upsilon Sagittarii

1980 ◽  
Vol 88 ◽  
pp. 271-286 ◽  
Author(s):  
Margherita Hack ◽  
Umberto Flora ◽  
Paolo Santin
Keyword(s):  
Mass Transfer ◽  
Mass Loss ◽  
Radial Velocity ◽  
Effective Temperature ◽  
Binary Systems ◽  
Close Binaries ◽  
Infrared Excess ◽  
Show Evidence ◽  
The Common ◽  
Ultraviolet Observations

The common peculiarities of these two systems are: a) the companion is a massive object (probably m2≥10) whose spectrum is not observable; b) both systems show evidence, though in different degrees, of mass-transfer and mass-loss; c) both present, in different degrees, hydrogen deficiency; d) ultraviolet observations have shown, in both cases, the presence of lines of highly ionized elements like N V, C IV, Si IV, probably formed in an extended envelope because they do not show orbital radial velocity shifts, and cannot be explained by the effective temperature of the star whose spectrum we observe. The latter property seems to be common to several close binaries, as shown by the ultraviolet observations with IUE by Plavec and Koch (1979); e) both systems present infrared excess, suggesting the presence of an extended envelope (Gehrz et al. 1974; Lee and Nariai, 1967; Humphreys and Ney, 1974; Treffers et al. 1976).

scholarly journals High-resolution observations of gas and dust around Mira using ALMA and SPHERE/ZIMPOL

2018 ◽  
Vol 620 ◽  
pp. A75 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Khouri ◽  
W. H. T. Vlemmings ◽  
H. Olofsson ◽  
C. Ginski ◽  
E. De Beck ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mass Loss ◽  
Polarized Light ◽  
Aluminium Oxide ◽  
Significant Fraction ◽  
Agb Stars ◽  
Dust Grains ◽  
Density Region ◽  
Gas Density ◽  
Stellar Pulsation ◽  
Solar Composition

Context. The outflows of oxygen-rich asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars are thought to be driven by radiation pressure due to the scattering of photons on relatively large grains, with sizes of tenths of microns. The details of the formation of dust in the extended atmospheres of these stars and, therefore, the mass-loss process, is still not well understood. Aims. We aim to constrain the distribution of the gas and the composition and properties of the dust grains that form in the inner circumstellar environment of the archetypal Mira variable o Cet. Methods. We obtained quasi-simultaneous observations using ALMA and SPHERE/ZIMPOL on the Very Large Telescope (VLT) to probe the distribution of gas and large dust grains, respectively. Results. The polarized light images show dust grains around Mira A, but also around the companion, Mira B, and a dust trail that connects the two sources. The ALMA observations show that dust around Mira A is contained in a high-gas-density region with a significant fraction of the grains that produce the polarized light located at the edge of this region. Hydrodynamical and wind-driving models show that dust grains form efficiently behind shock fronts caused by stellar pulsation or convective motions. The distance at which we observe the density decline (a few tens of au) is, however, significantly larger than expected for stellar-pulsation-induced shocks. Other possibilities for creating the high-gas-density region are a recent change in the mass-loss rate of Mira A or interactions with Mira B. We are not able to determine which of these scenarios is correct. We constrained the gas density, temperature, and velocity within a few stellar radii from the star by modelling the CO v = 1, J = 3−2 line. We find a mass (~3.8 ± 1.3) × 10−4 M⊙ to be contained between the stellar millimetre photosphere, R⋆338 GHz, and 4 R⋆338 GHz. Our best-fit models with lower masses also reproduce the 13CO v = 0, J = 3−2 line emission from this region well. We find TiO2 and AlO abundances corresponding to 4.5% and <0.1% of the total titanium and aluminium expected for a gas with solar composition. The low abundance of AlO allows for a scenario in which Al depletion into dust happens already very close to the star, as expected from thermal dust emission observations and theoretical calculations of Mira variables. The relatively large abundance of aluminium for a gas with solar composition allows us to constrain the presence of aluminium oxide grains based on the scattered light observations and on the gas densities we obtain. These models imply that aluminium oxide grains could account for a significant fraction of the total aluminium atoms in this region only if the grains have sizes ≲0.02 μm. This is an order of magnitude smaller than the maximum sizes predicted by dust-formation and wind-driving models. Conclusions. The study we present highlights the importance of coordinated observations using different instruments to advance our understanding of dust nucleation, dust growth, and wind driving in AGB stars.

scholarly journals The influence of stellar wind mass loss on the evolution of massive close binaries.

1979 ◽  
Vol 83 ◽  
pp. 409-414
Author(s):  
D. Vanbeveren ◽  
J.P. De Grève ◽  
C. de Loore ◽  
E.L. van Dessel
Keyword(s):  
Mass Loss ◽  
Stellar Wind ◽  
Binary Systems ◽  
Mass Loss Rate ◽  
Radiation Force ◽  
Roche Lobe ◽  
Close Binaries ◽  
Massive Binary Systems ◽  
Binary Evolution ◽  
X Ray Binaries

It is generally accepted that massive (and thus luminous) stars lose mass by stellar wind, driven by radiation force (Lucy and Solomon, 1970; Castor et al. 1975). For the components of massive binary systems, rotational and gravitational effects may act together with the radiation force so as to increase the mass loss rate. Our intention here is to discuss the influence of a stellar wind mass loss on the evolution of massive close binaries. During the Roche lobe overflow phase, mass and angular momentum can leave the system. Possible reasons for mass loss from the system are for example the expansion of the companion due to accretion of the material lost by the mass losing star (Kippenhahn and Meyer-Hofmeister, 1977) or the fact that due to the influence of the radiation force in luminous stars, mass will be lost over the whole surface of the star and not any longer through a possible Lagrangian point as in the case of classical Roche lobe overflow (Vanbeveren, 1978). We have therefore investigated the influence of both processes on binary evolution. Our results are applied to 5 massive X-ray binaries with a possible implication for the existence of massive Wolf Rayet stars with a very close invisible compact companion. A more extended version of this talk is published in Astronomy and Astrophysics (Vanbeveren et al. 1978; Vanbeveren and De Grève, 1978). Their results will be briefly reviewed.

scholarly journals Wolf-Rayet Binaries: Observational Aspects

1991 ◽  
Vol 143 ◽  
pp. 187-200
Author(s):  
A. M. Cherepashchuk
Keyword(s):  
Mass Loss ◽  
Binary Systems

New data concerning observational aspects of Wolf-Rayet binaries are summarised. WR+O and WR+c binary systems are considered. All the data concerning WR binaries agree well with the modern understanding of WR stars as the helium remnants formed as a result of mass loss by massive O-type stars.

scholarly journals Observational properties of massive black hole binary progenitors

2018 ◽  
Vol 609 ◽  
pp. A94 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Hainich ◽  
L. M. Oskinova ◽  
T. Shenar ◽  
P. Marchant ◽  
J. J. Eldridge ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mass Loss ◽  
Binary Systems ◽  
Spectral Characteristics ◽  
Broad Band ◽  
Stellar Atmosphere ◽  
High Mass ◽  
Massive Black Hole ◽  
Synthetic Spectra ◽  
Binary Evolution ◽  
Loss Rates

Context. The first directly detected gravitational waves (GW 150914) were emitted by two coalescing black holes (BHs) with masses of ≈ 36 M⊙ and ≈ 29 M⊙. Several scenarios have been proposed to put this detection into an astrophysical context. The evolution of an isolated massive binary system is among commonly considered models. Aims. Various groups have performed detailed binary-evolution calculations that lead to BH merger events. However, the question remains open as to whether binary systems with the predicted properties really exist. The aim of this paper is to help observers to close this gap by providing spectral characteristics of massive binary BH progenitors during a phase where at least one of the companions is still non-degenerate. Methods. Stellar evolution models predict fundamental stellar parameters. Using these as input for our stellar atmosphere code (Potsdam Wolf-Rayet), we compute a set of models for selected evolutionary stages of massive merging BH progenitors at different metallicities. Results. The synthetic spectra obtained from our atmosphere calculations reveal that progenitors of massive BH merger events start their lives as O2-3V stars that evolve to early-type blue supergiants before they undergo core-collapse during the Wolf-Rayet phase. When the primary has collapsed, the remaining system will appear as a wind-fed high-mass X-ray binary. Based on our atmosphere models, we provide feedback parameters, broad band magnitudes, and spectral templates that should help to identify such binaries in the future. Conclusions. While the predicted parameter space for massive BH binary progenitors is partly realized in nature, none of the known massive binaries match our synthetic spectra of massive BH binary progenitors exactly. Comparisons of empirically determined mass-loss rates with those assumed by evolution calculations reveal significant differences. The consideration of the empirical mass-loss rates in evolution calculations will possibly entail a shift of the maximum in the predicted binary-BH merger rate to higher metallicities, that is, more candidates should be expected in our cosmic neighborhood than previously assumed.

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