TY - JOUR A1 - Ramiaramanantsoa, Tahina A1 - Moffat, Anthony F. J. A1 - Harmon, Robert A1 - Ignace, R. A1 - St-Louis, Nicole A1 - Vanbeveren, Dany A1 - Shenar, Tomer A1 - Pablo, Herbert A1 - Richardson, Noel D. A1 - Howarth, Ian D. A1 - Stevens, Ian R. A1 - Piaulet, Caroline A1 - St-Jean, Lucas A1 - Eversberg, Thomas A1 - Pigulski, Andrzej A1 - Popowicz, Adam A1 - Kuschnig, Rainer A1 - Zoclonska, Elzbieta A1 - Buysschaert, Bram A1 - Handler, Gerald A1 - Weiss, Werner W. A1 - Wade, Gregg A. A1 - Rucinski, Slavek M. A1 - Zwintz, Konstanze A1 - Luckas, Paul A1 - Heathcote, Bernard A1 - Cacella, Paulo A1 - Powles, Jonathan A1 - Locke, Malcolm A1 - Bohlsen, Terry A1 - Chené, André-Nicolas A1 - Miszalski, Brent A1 - Waldron, Wayne L. A1 - Kotze, Marissa M. A1 - Kotze, Enrico J. A1 - Böhm, Torsten T1 - BRITE-Constellation high-precision time-dependent photometry of the early O-type supergiant zeta Puppis unveils the photospheric drivers of its small- and large-scale wind structures JF - Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society N2 - From 5.5 months of dual-band optical photometric monitoring at the 1 mmag level, BRITE-Constellation has revealed two simultaneous types of variability in the O4I(n)fp star ζ Puppis: one single periodic non-sinusoidal component superimposed on a stochastic component. The monoperiodic component is the 1.78-d signal previously detected by Coriolis/Solar Mass Ejection Imager, but this time along with a prominent first harmonic. The shape of this signal changes over time, a behaviour that is incompatible with stellar oscillations but consistent with rotational modulation arising from evolving bright surface inhomogeneities. By means of a constrained non-linear light-curve inversion algorithm, we mapped the locations of the bright surface spots and traced their evolution. Our simultaneous ground-based multisite spectroscopic monitoring of the star unveiled cyclical modulation of its He ii λ4686 wind emission line with the 1.78-d rotation period, showing signatures of corotating interaction regions that turn out to be driven by the bright photospheric spots observed by BRITE. Traces of wind clumps are also observed in the He ii λ4686 line and are correlated with the amplitudes of the stochastic component of the light variations probed by BRITE at the photosphere, suggesting that the BRITE observations additionally unveiled the photospheric drivers of wind clumps in ζ Pup and that the clumping phenomenon starts at the very base of the wind. The origins of both the bright surface inhomogeneities and the stochastic light variations remain unknown, but a subsurface convective zone might play an important role in the generation of these two types of photospheric variability. KW - techniques: photometric KW - techniques: spectroscopic KW - stars: massive KW - stars: rotation KW - starspots KW - supergiants KW - stars: winds, outflows Y1 - 2017 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stx2671 SN - 0035-8711 SN - 1365-2966 VL - 473 IS - 4 SP - 5532 EP - 5569 PB - Oxford Univ. Press CY - Oxford ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Sanchez-Ayaso, María de la Estrella A1 - del Valle, Maria Victoria A1 - Marti, Josep A1 - Romero, G. E. A1 - Luque-Escamilla, Pedro Luis T1 - Possible association of two Stellar Bowshocks with Unidentified Fermi Sources JF - The astrophysical journal : an international review of spectroscopy and astronomical physics N2 - The bowshocks of runaway stars had been theoretically proposed as gamma-ray sources. However, this hypothesis has not been confirmed by observations to date. In this paper, we present two runaway stars (lambda Cep and LS 2355) whose bowshocks are coincident with the unidentified Fermi gamma-ray sources 3FLG J2210.1+5925 and 3FGL J1128.7-6232, respectively. After performing a cross-correlation between different catalogs at distinct wavelengths, we found that these bowshocks are the most peculiar objects in the Fermi position ellipses. Then we computed the inverse Compton emission and fitted the Fermi data in order to test the viability of both runaway stars as potential counterparts of the two high-energy sources. We obtained very reasonable values for the fitted parameters of both stars. We also evaluated the possibility for the source 3FGL J1128.7-6232, which is positionally coincident with a H II region, to be the result of background cosmic-ray protons interacting with the matter of the cloud, as well as the probability of a pure chance association. We conclude that the gamma rays from these Fermi sources might be produced in the bowshocks of the considered runaway stars. In such a case, these would be the first sources of this class ever detected at gamma rays. KW - stars: winds, outflows Y1 - 2018 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/aac7c7 SN - 0004-637X SN - 1538-4357 VL - 861 IS - 1 PB - IOP Publ. Ltd. CY - Bristol ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Kurfürst, P. A1 - Feldmeier, Achim A1 - Krticka, Jiri T1 - Two-dimensional modeling of density and thermal structure of dense circumstellar outflowing disks JF - Astronomy and astrophysics : an international weekly journal N2 - Context. Evolution of massive stars is affected by a significant loss of mass either via (nearly) spherically symmetric stellar winds or by aspherical mass-loss mechanisms, namely the outflowing equatorial disks. However, the scenario that leads to the formation of a disk or rings of gas and dust around massive stars is still under debate. It is also unclear how various forming physical mechanisms of the circumstellar environment affect its shape and density, as well as its kinematic and thermal structure. Results. Our models show the geometric distribution and contribution of viscous heating that begins to dominate in the central part of the disk for mass-loss rates higher than (M) over dot greater than or similar to 10(-10) M-circle dot yr(-1). In the models of dense viscous disks with (M) over dot > 10(-8) M-circle dot yr(-1), the viscosity increases the central temperature up to several tens of thousands of Kelvins, however the temperature rapidly drops with radius and with distance from the disk midplane. The high mass-loss rates and high viscosity lead to instabilities with significant waves or bumps in density and temperature in the very inner disk region. Conclusions. The two-dimensional radial-vertical models of dense outflowing disks including the full Navier-Stokes viscosity terms show very high temperatures that are however limited to only the central disk cores inside the optically thick area, while near the edge of the optically thick region the temperature may be low enough for the existence of neutral hydrogen, for example. KW - stars: massive KW - stars: mass-loss KW - stars: winds, outflows KW - stars: evolution KW - stars: rotation KW - hydrodynamics Y1 - 2018 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/201731300 SN - 1432-0746 VL - 613 PB - EDP Sciences CY - Les Ulis ER - TY - JOUR A1 - El Mellah, Ileyk A1 - Sander, Andreas Alexander Christoph A1 - Sundqvist, Jon Olof A1 - Keppens, Rony T1 - Formation of wind-captured disks in supergiant X-ray binaries Consequences for Vela X-1 and Cygnus X-1 JF - Astronomy and astrophysics : an international weekly journal N2 - Context. In supergiant X-ray binaries (SgXB), a compact object captures a fraction of the wind of an O/B supergiant on a close orbit. Proxies exist to evaluate the efficiency of mass and angular momentum accretion, but they depend so dramatically on the wind speed that given the current uncertainties, they only set loose constraints. Furthermore, these proxies often bypass the impact of orbital and shock effects on the flow structure. Aims. We study the wind dynamics and angular momentum gained as the flow is accreted. We identify the conditions for the formation of a disk-like structure around the accretor and the observational consequences for SgXB. Methods. We used recent results on the wind launching mechanism to compute 3D streamlines, accounting for the gravitational and X-ray ionizing influence of the compact companion on the wind. Once the flow enters the Roche lobe of the accretor, we solved the hydrodynamics equations with cooling. Results. A shocked region forms around the accretor as the flow is beamed. For wind speeds on the order of the orbital speed, the shock is highly asymmetric compared to the axisymmetric bow shock obtained for a purely planar homogeneous flow. With net radiative cooling, the flow always circularizes for sufficiently low wind speeds. Conclusions. Although the donor star does not fill its Roche lobe, the wind can be significantly beamed and bent by the orbital effects. The net angular momentum of the accreted flow is then sufficient to form a persistent disk-like structure. This mechanism could explain the proposed limited outer extension of the accretion disk in Cygnus X-1 and suggests the presence of a disk at the outer rim of the neutron star magnetosphere in Vela X-1 and has dramatic consequences on the spinning up of the accretor. KW - accretion, accretion disks KW - X-rays: binaries KW - stars: black holes KW - stars: neutron KW - supergiants KW - stars: winds, outflows Y1 - 2019 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/201834498 SN - 1432-0746 VL - 622 PB - EDP Sciences CY - Les Ulis ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Kusterer, D. -J. A1 - Nagel, T. A1 - Hartmann, S. A1 - Werner, K. A1 - Feldmeier, Achim T1 - Monte Carlo radiation transfer in CV disk winds: application to the AM CVn prototype JF - Astronomy and astrophysics : an international weekly journal N2 - Context. AMCVn systems are ultracompact binaries in which a (semi-) degenerate star transfers helium-dominated matter onto a white dwarf. They are effective gravitational-wave emitters and potential progenitors of Type Ia supernovae. Aims. To understand the evolution of AMCVn systems it is necessary to determine their mass-loss rate through their radiation-driven accretion-disk wind. We constructed models to perform quantitative spectroscopy of P Cygni line profiles that were detected in UV spectra. Methods. We performed 2.5D Monte Carlo radiative transfer calculations in hydrodynamic wind structures by making use of realistic NLTE spectra from the accretion disk and by accounting for the white dwarf as an additional photon source. Results. We present first results from calculations in which LTE opacities are used in the wind model. A comparison with UV spectroscopy of the AMCVn prototype shows that the modeling procedure is potentially a good tool for determining mass-loss rates and abundances of trace metals in the helium-rich wind. KW - radiative transfer KW - stars: winds, outflows KW - stars: individual: AM CVn KW - accretion, accretion disks Y1 - 2014 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/201321438 SN - 0004-6361 SN - 1432-0746 VL - 561 PB - EDP Sciences CY - Les Ulis ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Richardson, Noel D. A1 - Shenar, Tomer A1 - Roy-Loubier, Olivier A1 - Schaefer, Gail A1 - Moffat, Anthony F. J. A1 - St-Louis, Nicole A1 - Gies, Douglas R. A1 - Farrington, Chris A1 - Hill, Grant M. A1 - Williams, Peredur M. A1 - Gordon, Kathryn A1 - Pablo, Herbert A1 - Ramiaramanantsoa, Tahina T1 - The CHARA Array resolves the long-period Wolf-Rayet binaries WR 137 and WR 138 JF - Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society N2 - We report on interferometric observations with the CHARAArray of two classical Wolf-Rayet (WR) stars in suspected binary systems, namely WR 137 and WR 138. In both cases, we resolve the component stars to be separated by a few milliarcseconds. The data were collected in the H band, and provide a measure of the fractional flux for both stars in each system. We find that the WR star is the dominant H-band light source in both systems (fWR, 137 = 0.59 +/- 0.04; fWR, 138 = 0.67 +/- 0.01), which is confirmed through both comparisons with estimated fundamental parameters for WR stars and O dwarfs, as well as through spectral modelling of each system. Our spectral modelling also provides fundamental parameters for the stars and winds in these systems. The results on WR 138 provide evidence that it is a binary system which may have gone through a previous mass-transfer episode to create the WR star. The separation and position of the stars in the WR 137 system together with previous results from the IOTA interferometer provides evidence that the binary is seen nearly edgeon. The possible edge-on orbit of WR 137 aligns well with the dust production site imaged by the Hubble Space Telescope during a previous periastron passage, showing that the dust production may be concentrated in the orbital plane. KW - binaries: visual KW - stars: individual: WR 137 KW - stars: individual: WR 138 KW - stars: mass-loss KW - stars: winds, outflows KW - stars: Wolf-Rayet Y1 - 2016 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stw1585 SN - 0035-8711 SN - 1365-2966 VL - 461 SP - 4115 EP - 4124 PB - Oxford Univ. Press CY - Oxford ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Grinberg, Victoria A1 - Hell, Natalie A1 - El Mellah, Ileyk A1 - Neilsen, Joseph A1 - Sander, Andreas Alexander Christoph A1 - Leutenegger, Maurice A1 - Fürst, Felix A1 - Huenemoerder, David P. A1 - Kretschmar, Peter A1 - Kuehnel, Matthias A1 - Martinez-Nunez, Silvia A1 - Niu, Shu A1 - Pottschmidt, Katja A1 - Schulz, Norbert S. A1 - Wilms, Joern A1 - Nowak, Michael A. T1 - The clumpy absorber in the high-mass X-ray binary Vela X-1 JF - Astronomy and astrophysics : an international weekly journal N2 - Bright and eclipsing, the high-mass X-ray binary Vela X-1 offers a unique opportunity to study accretion onto a neutron star from clumpy winds of O/B stars and to disentangle the complex accretion geometry of these systems. In Chandra-HETGS spectroscopy at orbital phase similar to 0.25, when our line of sight towards the source does not pass through the large-scale accretion structure such as the accretion wake, we observe changes in overall spectral shape on timescales of a few kiloseconds. This spectral variability is, at least in part, caused by changes in overall absorption and we show that such strongly variable absorption cannot be caused by unperturbed clumpy winds of O/B stars. We detect line features from high and low ionization species of silicon, magnesium, and neon whose strengths and presence depend on the overall level of absorption. These features imply a co-existence of cool and hot gas phases in the system, which we interpret as a highly variable, structured accretion flow close to the compact object such as has been recently seen in simulations of wind accretion in high-mass X-ray binaries. KW - X-rays: individuals: Vela X-1 KW - X-rays: binaries KW - stars: winds, outflows KW - stars: massive Y1 - 2017 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/201731843 SN - 1432-0746 VL - 608 PB - EDP Sciences CY - Les Ulis ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Munoz, Melissa A1 - Moffat, Anthony F. J. A1 - Hill, Grant M. A1 - Shenar, Tomer A1 - Richardson, Noel D. A1 - Pablo, Herbert A1 - St-Louis, Nicole A1 - Ramiaramanantsoa, Tahina T1 - WR 148: identifying the companion of an extreme runaway massive binary JF - Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society N2 - WR 148 (HD 197406) is an extreme runaway system considered to be a potential candidate for a short-period (4.3173 d) rare WR + compact object binary. Provided with new high-resolution, high signal-to-noise spectra from the Keck observatory, we determine the orbital parameters for both the primary WR and the secondary, yielding respective projected orbital velocity amplitudes of 88.1 ± 3.8 km s−1 and 79.2 ± 3.1 km s−1 and implying a mass ratio of 1.1 ± 0.1. We then apply the shift-and-add technique to disentangle the spectra and obtain spectra compatible with a WN7ha and an O4-6 star. Considering an orbital inclination of ∼67°, derived from previous polarimetry observations, the system's total mass would be a mere 2–3M⊙⁠, an unprecedented result for a putative massive binary system. However, a system comprising a 37M⊙ secondary (typical mass of an O5V star) and a 33M⊙ primary (given the mass ratio) would infer an inclination of ∼18°. We therefore reconsider the previous methods of deriving the orbital inclination based on time-dependent polarimetry and photometry. While the polarimetric results are inconclusive requiring better data, the photometric results favour low inclinations. Finally, we compute WR 148’s space velocity and retrace the runaway's trajectory back to the Galactic plane (GP). With an ejection velocity of 198 ± 27 km s−1 and a travel time of 4.7 ± 0.8 Myr to reach its current location, WR 148 was most likely ejected via dynamical interactions in a young cluster. KW - binaries: spectroscopic KW - stars: individual: WR 148 KW - stars: kinematics and dynamics KW - stars: mass-loss KW - stars: winds, outflows KW - stars: Wolf-Rayet Y1 - 2017 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stw2283 SN - 0035-8711 SN - 1365-2966 VL - 467 SP - 3105 EP - 3121 PB - Oxford Univ. Press CY - Oxford ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Sander, Andreas Alexander Christoph A1 - Vink, Jorick S. A1 - Hamann, Wolf-Rainer T1 - Driving classical Wolf-Rayet winds BT - a Gamma- and Z-dependent mass-loss JF - Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society N2 - Classical Wolf-Rayet (cWR) stars are at a crucial evolutionary stage for constraining the fates of massive stars. The feedback of these hot, hydrogen-depleted stars dominates their surrounding by tremendous injections of ionizing radiation and kinetic energy. The strength of a Wolf-Rayet (WR) wind decides the eventual mass of its remnant, likely a massive black hole. However, despite their major influence and importance for gravitational wave detection statistics, WR winds are particularly poorly understood. In this paper, we introduce the first set of hydrodynamically consistent stellar atmosphere models for cWR stars of both the carbon (C) and the nitrogen (N) sequence, i.e. WC and WN stars, as a function of stellar luminosity-to-mass ratio (or Eddington Gamma) and metallicity. We demonstrate the inapplicability of the CAK wind theory for cWR stars and confirm earlier findings that their winds are launched at the (hot) iron (Fe) opacity peak. For log Z/Z(circle dot) > -2, Fe is also the main accelerator throughout the wind. Contrasting previous claims of a sharp lower mass-loss limit forWR stars, we obtain a smooth transition to optically thin winds. Furthermore, we find a strong dependence of the mass-loss rates on Eddington Gamma, both at solar and subsolar metallicity. Increases inWCcarbon and oxygen abundances turn out to slightly reduce the predicted mass-loss rates. Calculations at subsolar metallicities indicate that below the metallicity of the Small Magellanic Cloud, WR mass-loss rates decrease much faster than previously assumed, potentially allowing for high black hole masses even in the local Universe. KW - stars: atmospheres KW - stars: early-type KW - stars: fundamental parameters KW - stars: mass-loss KW - stars: winds, outflows KW - stars: Wolf-Rayet Y1 - 2019 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stz3064 SN - 0035-8711 SN - 1365-2966 VL - 491 IS - 3 SP - 4406 EP - 4425 PB - Oxford Univ. Press CY - Oxford ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Kubatova, Brankica A1 - Szecsi, D. A1 - Sander, Andreas Alexander Christoph A1 - Kubat, Jiří A1 - Tramper, F. A1 - Krticka, Jiri A1 - Kehrig, C. A1 - Hamann, Wolf-Rainer A1 - Hainich, Rainer A1 - Shenar, Tomer T1 - Low-metallicity massive single stars with rotation BT - II. Predicting spectra and spectral classes of chemically homogeneously evolving stars JF - Astronomy and astrophysics : an international weekly journal N2 - Context. Metal-poor massive stars are assumed to be progenitors of certain supernovae, gamma-ray bursts, and compact object mergers that might contribute to the early epochs of the Universe with their strong ionizing radiation. However, this assumption remains mainly theoretical because individual spectroscopic observations of such objects have rarely been carried out below the metallicity of the Small Magellanic Cloud. Aims. Here we explore the predictions of the state-of-the-art theories of stellar evolution combined with those of stellar atmospheres about a certain type of metal-poor (0.02 Z(circle dot)) hot massive stars, the chemically homogeneously evolving stars that we call Transparent Wind Ultraviolet INtense (TWUIN) stars. Methods. We computed synthetic spectra corresponding to a broad range in masses (20 130 M-circle dot) and covering several evolutionary phases from the zero-age main-sequence up to the core helium-burning stage. We investigated the influence of mass loss and wind clumping on spectral appearance and classified the spectra according to the Morgan-Keenan (MK) system. Results. We find that TWUIN stars show almost no emission lines during most of their core hydrogen-burning lifetimes. Most metal lines are completely absent, including nitrogen. During their core helium-burning stage, lines switch to emission, and even some metal lines (oxygen and carbon, but still almost no nitrogen) are detected. Mass loss and clumping play a significant role in line formation in later evolutionary phases, particularly during core helium-burning. Most of our spectra are classified as an early-O type giant or supergiant, and we find Wolf-Rayet stars of type WO in the core helium-burning phase. Conclusions. An extremely hot, early-O type star observed in a low-metallicity galaxy could be the result of chemically homogeneous evolution and might therefore be the progenitor of a long-duration gamma-ray burst or a type Ic supernova. TWUIN stars may play an important role in reionizing the Universe because they are hot without showing prominent emission lines during most of their lifetime. KW - stars: massive KW - stars: winds, outflows KW - stars: rotation KW - galaxies: dwarf KW - radiative transfer Y1 - 2019 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/201834360 SN - 1432-0746 SN - 0004-6361 VL - 623 PB - EDP Sciences CY - Les Ulis ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Krticka, Jiri A1 - Feldmeier, Achim T1 - Light variations due to the line-driven wind instability and wind blanketing in O stars JF - Astronomy and astrophysics : an international weekly journal N2 - A small fraction of the radiative flux emitted by hot stars is absorbed by their winds and redistributed towards longer wavelengths. This effect, which leads also to the heating of the stellar photosphere, is termed wind blanketing. For stars with variable winds, the effect of wind blanketing may lead to the photometric variability. We have studied the consequences of line driven wind instability and wind blanketing for the light variability of O stars. We combined the results of wind hydrodynamic simulations and of global wind models to predict the light variability of hot stars due to the wind blanketing and instability. The wind instability causes stochastic light variability with amplitude of the order of tens of millimagnitudes and a typical timescale of the order of hours for spatially coherent wind structure. The amplitude is of the order of millimagnitudes when assuming that the wind consists of large number of independent concentric cones. The variability with such amplitude is observable using present space borne photometers. We show that the simulated light curve is similar to the light curves of O stars obtained using BRITE and CoRoT satellites. KW - stars: winds, outflows KW - stars: mass-loss KW - stars: early-type KW - stars: variables: general KW - hydrodynamics Y1 - 2018 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/201731614 SN - 1432-0746 VL - 617 PB - EDP Sciences CY - Les Ulis ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Hainich, Rainer A1 - Pasemann, Diana A1 - Todt, Helge Tobias A1 - Shenar, Tomer A1 - Sander, Andreas Alexander Christoph A1 - Hamann, Wolf-Rainer T1 - Wolf-Rayet stars in the Small Magellanic Cloud I. Analysis of the single WN stars JF - Astronomy and astrophysics : an international weekly journal N2 - Context. Wolf-Rayet (WR) stars have a severe impact on their environments owing to their strong ionizing radiation fields and powerful stellar winds. Since these winds are considered to be driven by radiation pressure, it is theoretically expected that the degree of the wind mass-loss depends on the initial metallicity of WR stars. Aims. Following our comprehensive studies of WR stars in the Milky Way, M31, and the LMC, we derive stellar parameters and mass-loss rates for all seven putatively single WN stars known in the SMC. Based on these data, we discuss the impact of a low-metallicity environment on the mass loss and evolution of WR stars. Methods. The quantitative analysis of the WN stars is performed with the Potsdam Wolf-Rayet (PoWR) model atmosphere code. The physical properties of our program stars are obtained from fitting synthetic spectra to multi-band observations. Results. In all SMC WN stars, a considerable surface hydrogen abundance is detectable. The majority of these objects have stellar temperatures exceeding 75 kK, while their luminosities range from 10(5.5) to 10(6.1) L-circle dot. The WN stars in the SMC exhibit on average lower mass-loss rates and weaker winds than their counterparts in the Milky Way, M31, and the LMC. Conclusions. By comparing the mass-loss rates derived for WN stars in different Local Group galaxies, we conclude that a clear dependence of the wind mass-loss on the initial metallicity is evident, supporting the current paradigm that WR winds are driven by radiation. A metallicity effect on the evolution of massive stars is obvious from the HRD positions of the SMC WN stars at high temperatures and high luminosities. Standard evolution tracks are not able to reproduce these parameters and the observed surface hydrogen abundances. Homogeneous evolution might provide a better explanation for their evolutionary past. KW - stars: Wolf-Rayet KW - Magellanic Clouds KW - stars: early-type KW - stars: atmospheres KW - stars: winds, outflows KW - stars: mass-loss Y1 - 2015 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/201526241 SN - 1432-0746 VL - 581 PB - EDP Sciences CY - Les Ulis ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Ramachandran, Varsha A1 - Hamann, Wolf-Rainer A1 - Hainich, Rainer A1 - Oskinova, Lida A1 - Shenar, Tomer A1 - Sander, Andreas Alexander Christoph A1 - Todt, Helge Tobias A1 - Gallagher, John S. T1 - Stellar population of the superbubble N206 in the LMC II. Parameters of the OB and WR stars, and the total massive star feedback JF - Astronomy and astrophysics : an international weekly journal N2 - Context. Clusters or associations of early-type stars are often associated with a "superbubble" of hot gas. The formation of such superbubbles is caused by the feedback from massive stars. The complex N206 in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) exhibits a superbubble and a rich massive star population. Aims. Our goal is to perform quantitative spectral analyses of all massive stars associated with the N206 superbubble in order to determine their stellar and wind parameters. We compare the superbubble energy budget to the stellar energy input and discuss the star formation history of the region. Results. We present the stellar and wind parameters of the OB stars and the two Wolf-Rayet (WR) binaries in the N206 complex. Twelve percent of the sample show Oe/Be type emission lines, although most of them appear to rotate far below critical. We found eight runaway stars based on their radial velocity. The wind-momentum luminosity relation of our OB sample is consistent with the expectations. The Hertzsprung-Russell diagram (HRD) of the OB stars reveals a large age spread (1-30 Myr), suggesting different episodes of star formation in the complex. The youngest stars are concentrated in the inner part of the complex, while the older OB stars are scattered over outer regions. We derived the present day mass function for the entire N206 complex as well as for the cluster NGC2018. The total ionizing photon flux produced by all massive stars in the N206 complex is Q(0) approximate to 5 x 10(50) s(-1), and the mechanical luminosity of their stellar winds amounts to L-mec = 1.7 x 10(38) erg s(-1). Three very massive Of stars are found to dominate the feedback among 164 OB stars in the sample. The two WR winds alone release about as much mechanical luminosity as the whole OB star sample. The cumulative mechanical feedback from all massive stellar winds is comparable to the combined mechanical energy of the supernova explosions that likely occurred in the complex. Accounting also for the WR wind and supernovae, the mechanical input over the last five Myr is approximate to 2.3 x 10(52) erg. Conclusions. The N206 complex in the LMC has undergone star formation episodes since more than 30 Myr ago. From the spectral analyses of its massive star population, we derive a current star formation rate of 2.2 x 10(-3) M-circle dot yr(-1). From the combined input of mechanical energy from all stellar winds, only a minor fraction is emitted in the form of X-rays. The corresponding input accumulated over a long time also exceeds the current energy content of the complex by more than a factor of five. The morphology of the complex suggests a leakage of hot gas from the superbubble. KW - stars: massive KW - Magellanic Clouds KW - stars: winds, outflows KW - Hertzsprung-Russell and C-M diagrams KW - techniques: spectroscopic KW - ISM: bubbles Y1 - 2018 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/201832816 SN - 1432-0746 VL - 615 PB - EDP Sciences CY - Les Ulis ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Sander, A. A1 - Hamann, Wolf-Rainer A1 - Todt, Helge Tobias T1 - The Galactic WC stars Stellar parameters from spectral analyses indicate a new evolutionary sequence JF - Astronomy and astrophysics : an international weekly journal N2 - Context. The life cycles of massive stars from the main sequence to their explosion as supernovae or gamma ray bursts are not yet fully clear, and the empirical results from spectral analyses are partly in conflict with current evolutionary models. The spectral analysis of Wolf-Rayet stars requires the detailed modeling of expanding stellar atmospheres in non-LTE. The Galactic WN stars have been comprehensively analyzed with such models of the latest stage of sophistication, while a similarly comprehensive study of the Galactic WC sample remains undone. Aims. We aim to establish the stellar parameters and mass-loss rates of the Galactic WC stars. These data provide the empirical basis of studies of (i) the role of WC stars in the evolution of massive stars, (ii) the wind-driving mechanisms, and (iii) the feedback of WC stars as input to models of the chemical and dynamical evolution of galaxies. Methods. We analyze the nearly complete sample of un-obscured Galactic WC stars, using optical spectra as well as ultraviolet spectra when available. The observations are fitted with theoretical spectra, using the Potsdam Wolf-Rayet (PoWR) model atmosphere code. A large grid of line-blanked models has been established for the range of WC subtypes WC4 - WC8, and smaller grids for the WC9 parameter domain. Both WO stars and WN/WC transit types are also analyzed using special models. Results. Stellar and atmospheric parameters are derived for more than 50 Galactic WC and two WO stars, covering almost the whole Galactic WC population as far as the stars are single, and un-obscured in the visual. In the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram, the WC stars reside between the hydrogen and the helium zero-age main sequences, having luminosities L from 10(4.9) to 10(5.6) L-circle dot. The mass-loss rates scale very tightly with L-0.8. The two WO stars in our sample turn out to be outstandingly hot (approximate to 200 kK) and do not fit into the WC scheme. Conclusions. By comparing the empirical WC positions in the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram with evolutionary models, and from recent supernova statistics, we conclude that WC stars have evolved from initial masses between 20 solar masses and 45 M-circle dot. In contrast to previous assumptions, it seems that WC stars in general do not descend from the most massive stars. Only the WO stars might stem from progenitors that have been initially more massive than 45 M-circle dot. KW - stars: massive KW - stars: mass-loss KW - stars: Wolf-Rayet KW - stars: evolution KW - stars: atmospheres KW - stars: winds, outflows Y1 - 2012 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/201117830 SN - 0004-6361 VL - 540 PB - EDP Sciences CY - Les Ulis ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Sander, Andreas Alexander Christoph A1 - Hamann, Wolf-Rainer A1 - Todt, Helge Tobias A1 - Hainich, Rainer A1 - Shenar, Tomer T1 - Coupling hydrodynamics with comoving frame radiative transfer I. A unified approach for OB and WR stars JF - Astronomy and astrophysics : an international weekly journal N2 - Context. For more than two decades, stellar atmosphere codes have been used to derive the stellar and wind parameters of massive stars. Although they have become a powerful tool and sufficiently reproduce the observed spectral appearance, they can hardly be used for more than measuring parameters. One major obstacle is their inconsistency between the calculated radiation field and the wind stratification due to the usage of prescribed mass-loss rates and wind-velocity fields. Aims. We present the concepts for a new generation of hydrodynamically consistent non-local thermodynamical equilibrium (nonLTE) stellar atmosphere models that allow for detailed studies of radiation-driven stellar winds. As a first demonstration, this new kind of model is applied to a massive O star. Methods. Based on earlier works, the PoWR code has been extended with the option to consistently solve the hydrodynamic equation together with the statistical equations and the radiative transfer in order to obtain a hydrodynamically consistent atmosphere stratification. In these models, the whole velocity field is iteratively updated together with an adjustment of the mass-loss rate. Results. The concepts for obtaining hydrodynamically consistent models using a comoving-frame radiative transfer are outlined. To provide a useful benchmark, we present a demonstration model, which was motivated to describe the well-studied O4 supergiant zeta Pup. The obtained stellar and wind parameters are within the current range of literature values. Conclusions. For the first time, the PoWR code has been used to obtain a hydrodynamically consistent model for a massive O star. This has been achieved by a profound revision of earlier concepts used for Wolf-Rayet stars. The velocity field is shaped by various elements contributing to the radiative acceleration, especially in the outer wind. The results further indicate that for more dense winds deviations from a standard beta-law occur. KW - stars: mass-loss KW - stars: winds, outflows KW - stars: early-type KW - stars: atmospheres KW - stars: fundamental parameters KW - stars: massive Y1 - 2017 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/201730642 SN - 1432-0746 VL - 603 PB - EDP Sciences CY - Les Ulis ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Sander, Andreas Alexander Christoph A1 - Shenar, Tomer A1 - Hainich, Rainer A1 - Gimenez-Garcia, Ana A1 - Todt, Helge Tobias A1 - Hamann, Wolf-Rainer T1 - On the consistent treatment of the quasi-hydrostatic layers in hot star atmospheres JF - Astronomy and astrophysics : an international weekly journal N2 - Context. Spectroscopic analysis remains the most common method to derive masses of massive stars, the most fundamental stellar parameter. While binary orbits and stellar pulsations can provide much sharper constraints on the stellar mass, these methods are only rarely applicable to massive stars. Unfortunately, spectroscopic masses of massive stars heavily depend on the detailed physics of model atmospheres. Aims. We demonstrate the impact of a consistent treatment of the radiative pressure on inferred gravities and spectroscopic masses of massive stars. Specifically, we investigate the contribution of line and continuum transitions to the photospheric radiative pressure. We further explore the effect of model parameters, e.g., abundances, on the deduced spectroscopic mass. Lastly, we compare our results with the plane-parallel TLUSTY code, commonly used for the analysis of massive stars with photospheric spectra. Methods. We calculate a small set of O-star models with the Potsdam Wolf-Rayet (PoWR) code using different approaches for the quasi-hydrostatic part. These models allow us to quantify the effect of accounting for the radiative pressure consistently. We further use PoWR models to show how the Doppler widths of line profiles and abundances of elements such as iron affect the radiative pressure, and, as a consequence, the derived spectroscopic masses. Results. Our study implies that errors on the order of a factor of two in the inferred spectroscopic mass are to be expected when neglecting the contribution of line and continuum transitions to the radiative acceleration in the photosphere. Usage of implausible microturbulent velocities, or the neglect of important opacity sources such as Fe, may result in errors of approximately 50% in the spectroscopic mass. A comparison with TLUSTY model atmospheres reveals a very good agreement with PoWR at the limit of low mass-loss rates. KW - stars: early-type KW - stars: mass-loss KW - stars: winds, outflows KW - stars: atmospheres KW - stars: fundamental parameters KW - stars: massive Y1 - 2015 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/201425356 SN - 0004-6361 SN - 1432-0746 VL - 577 PB - EDP Sciences CY - Les Ulis ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Todt, Helge Tobias A1 - Sander, Angelika A1 - Hainich, Rainer A1 - Hamann, Wolf-Rainer A1 - Quade, Markus A1 - Shenar, Tomer T1 - Potsdam Wolf-Rayet model atmosphere grids for WN stars JF - Astronomy and astrophysics : an international weekly journal N2 - We present new grids of Potsdam Wolf-Rayet (PoWR) model atmospheres for Wolf-Rayet stars of the nitrogen sequence (WN stars). The models have been calculated with the latest version of the PoWR stellar atmosphere code for spherical stellar winds. The WN model atmospheres include the non-LTE solutions of the statistical equations for complex model atoms, as well as the radiative transfer equation in the co-moving frame. Iron-line blanketing is treated with the help of the superlevel approach, while wind inhomogeneities are taken into account via optically thin clumps. Three of our model grids are appropriate for Galactic metallicity. The hydrogen mass fraction of these grids is 50%, 20%, and 0%, thus also covering the hydrogen-rich late-type WR stars that have been discovered in recent years. Three grids are adequate for LMC WN stars and have hydrogen fractions of 40%, 20%, and 0%. Recently, additional grids with SMC metallicity and with 60%, 40%, 20%, and 0% hydrogen have been added. We provide contour plots of the equivalent widths of spectral lines that are usually used for classification and diagnostics. KW - stars: evolution KW - stars: mass-loss KW - stars: winds, outflows KW - stars: Wolf-Rayet KW - stars: atmospheres KW - stars: massive Y1 - 2015 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/201526253 SN - 0004-6361 SN - 1432-0746 VL - 579 PB - EDP Sciences CY - Les Ulis ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Sanjurjo-Ferrrin, G. A1 - Torrejon, J. M. A1 - Postnov, K. A1 - Oskinova, Lida A1 - Rodes-Roca, J. J. A1 - Bernabeu, Guillermo T1 - XMM-Newton spectroscopy of the accreting magnetar candidate 4U0114+65 JF - Astronomy and astrophysics : an international weekly journal N2 - Methods. We analysed the energy-resolved light curve and the time-resolved X-ray spectra provided by the EPIC cameras on board XMM-Newton. We also analysed the first high-resolution spectrum of this source provided by the Reflection Grating Spectrometer. Results. An X-ray pulse of 9350 +/- 160 s was measured. Comparison with previous measurements confirms the secular spin up of this source. We successfully fit the pulse-phase-resolved spectra with Comptonisation models. These models imply a very small (r similar to 3 km) and hot (kT similar to 2-3 keV) emitting region and therefore point to a hot spot over the neutron star (NS) surface as the most reliable explanation for the X-ray pulse. The long NS spin period, the spin-up rate, and persistent X-ray emission can be explained within the theory of quasi-spherical settling accretion, which may indicate that the magnetic field is in the magnetar range. Thus, 4U0114+65 could be a wind-accreting magnetar. We also observed two episodes of low luminosity. The first was only observed in the low-energy light curve and can be explained as an absorption by a large over-dense structure in the wind of the B1 supergiant donor. The second episode, which was deeper and affected all energies, may be due to temporal cessation of accretion onto one magnetic pole caused by non-spherical matter capture from the structured stellar wind. The light curve displays two types of dips that are clearly seen during the high-flux intervals. The short dips, with durations of tens of seconds, are produced through absorption by wind clumps. The long dips, in turn, seem to be associated with the rarefied interclump medium. From the analysis of the X-ray spectra, we found evidence of emission lines in the X-ray photoionised wind of the B1Ia donor. The Fe K alpha line was found to be highly variable and much weaker than in other X-ray binaries with supergiant donors. The degree of wind clumping, measured through the covering fraction, was found to be much lower than in supergiant donor stars with earlier spectral types. Conclusions. The XMM-Newton spectroscopy provided further support for the magnetar nature of the neutron star in 4U0114+65. The light curve presents dips that can be associated with clumps and the interclump medium in the stellar wind of the mass donor. KW - X-rays: binaries KW - stars: winds, outflows KW - pulsars: individual: 4U0114+65 Y1 - 2017 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/201630119 SN - 1432-0746 VL - 606 SP - 4039 EP - 4042 PB - EDP Sciences CY - Les Ulis ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Gimenez-Garcia, Angel A1 - Torrejon, Jose Miguel A1 - Eikmann, Wiebke A1 - Martinez-Nunez, Silvia A1 - Oskinova, Lida A1 - Rodes-Roca, Jose Joaquin A1 - Bernabeu, Guillermo T1 - An XMM-Newton view of FeK alpha in high-mass X-ray binaries JF - Astronomy and astrophysics : an international weekly journal N2 - We present a comprehensive analysis of the whole sample of available XMM-Newton observations of high-mass X-ray binaries (HMXBs) until August 2013, focusing on the FeK alpha emission line. This line is key to better understanding the physical properties of the material surrounding the X-ray source within a few stellar radii (the circumstellar medium). We collected observations from 46 HMXBs and detected FeK alpha in 21 of them. We used the standard classification of HMXBs to divide the sample into different groups. We find that (1) different classes of HMXBs display different qualitative behaviours in the FeK alpha spectral region. This is visible especially in SGXBs (showing ubiquitous Fe fluorescence but not recombination Fe lines) and in gamma Cass analogues (showing both fluorescent and recombination Fe lines). (2) FeK alpha is centred at a mean value of 6.42 keV. Considering the instrumental and fits uncertainties, this value is compatible with ionization states that are lower than Fe xviii. (3) The flux of the continuum is well correlated with the flux of the line, as expected. Eclipse observations show that the Fe fluorescence emission comes from an extended region surrounding the X-ray source. (4) We observe an inverse correlation between the X-ray luminosity and the equivalent width of FeK alpha (EW). This phenomenon is known as the X-ray Baldwin effect. (5) FeK alpha is narrow (sigma(line) < 0.15 keV), reflecting that the reprocessing material does not move at high speeds. We attempt to explain the broadness of the line in terms of three possible broadening phenomena: line blending, Compton scattering, and Doppler shifts (with velocities of the reprocessing material V similar to 1000 km s(-1)). (6) The equivalent hydrogen column (N-H) directly correlates to the EW of FeK alpha, displaying clear similarities to numerical simulations. It highlights the strong link between the absorbing and the fluorescent matter. (7) The observed NH in supergiant X-ray binaries (SGXBs) is in general higher than in supergiant fast X-ray transients (SFXTs). We suggest two possible explanations: different orbital configurations or a different interaction compact object - wind. (8) Finally, we analysed the sources IGR J16320-4751 and 4U 1700-37 in more detail, covering several orbital phases. The observed variation in NH between phases is compatible with the absorption produced by the wind of their optical companions. The results clearly point to a very important contribution of the donor's wind in the FeK alpha emission and the absorption when the donor is a supergiant massive star. KW - surveys KW - X-rays: binaries KW - binaries: general KW - circumstellar matter KW - stars: winds, outflows KW - stars: early-type Y1 - 2015 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/201425004 SN - 0004-6361 SN - 1432-0746 VL - 576 PB - EDP Sciences CY - Les Ulis ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Torrejon, Jose M. A1 - Schulz, Norbert S. A1 - Nowak, Michael A. A1 - Oskinova, Lida A1 - Rodes-Roca, Jose J. A1 - Shenar, Tomer A1 - Wilms, Jörn T1 - On the radial onset of clumping in the wind of the B0I massive star QV nor JF - The astrophysical journal : an international review of spectroscopy and astronomical physics N2 - We present an analysis of a 78 ks Chandra high-energy transmission gratings observation of the B0I star QV Nor, the massive donor of the wind-accreting pulsar 4U1538-52. The neutron star (NS) orbits its companion in a very close orbit (r < 1.4R(*), in units of the stellar radii), thereby allowing probing of the innermost wind regions. The flux of the Fe K alpha line during eclipse reduces to only similar to 30% of the flux measured out of eclipse. This indicates that the majority of Fe fluorescence must be produced in regions close to the NS, at distances smaller than 1R(*) from its surface. The fact that the flux of the continuum decreases to only similar to 3% during eclipse allows for a high contrast of the Fe Ka line fluorescence during eclipse. The line is not resolved and centered at lambda = 1.9368(-0.0018)(+0.0032) angstrom. From the inferred plasma speed limit of v < c Delta lambda/lambda < 800 km s(-1) and range of ionization parameters of log xi =[-1, 2], together with the stellar density profile, we constrain the location of the cold, dense material in the stellar wind of QV Nor using simple geometrical considerations. We then use the Fe K alpha line fluorescence as a tracer of wind clumps and determine that these clumps in the stellar wind of QV Nor (B0I) must already be present at radii r < 1.25R(*), close to the photosphere of the star. KW - stars: individual (QV Nor, 4U1538+52) KW - stars: winds, outflows KW - X-rays: binaries Y1 - 2015 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/810/2/102 SN - 0004-637X SN - 1538-4357 VL - 810 IS - 2 PB - IOP Publ. Ltd. CY - Bristol ER -