@article{HainichRuehlingTodtetal.2014, author = {Hainich, Rainer and Ruehling, Ute and Todt, Helge Tobias and Oskinova, Lida and Liermann, A. and Graefener, G. and Foellmi, C. and Schnurr, O. and Hamann, Wolf-Rainer}, title = {The Wolf-Rayet stars in the Large Magellanic Cloud - A comprehensive analysis of the WN class}, series = {Astronomy and astrophysics : an international weekly journal}, volume = {565}, journal = {Astronomy and astrophysics : an international weekly journal}, publisher = {EDP Sciences}, address = {Les Ulis}, issn = {0004-6361}, doi = {10.1051/0004-6361/201322696}, pages = {62}, year = {2014}, abstract = {Context. Massive stars, although being important building blocks of galaxies, are still not fully understood. This especially holds true for Wolf-Rayet (WR) stars with their strong mass loss, whose spectral analysis requires adequate model atmospheres. Aims. Following our comprehensive studies of the WR stars in the Milky Way, we now present spectroscopic analyses of almost all known WN stars in the LMC. Methods. For the quantitative analysis of the wind-dominated emission-line spectra, we employ the Potsdam Wolf-Rayet (PoWR) model atmosphere code. By fitting synthetic spectra to the observed spectral energy distribution and the available spectra (ultraviolet and optical), we obtain the physical properties of 107 stars. Results. We present the fundamental stellar and wind parameters for an almost complete sample of WN stars in the LMC. Among those stars that are putatively single, two different groups can be clearly distinguished. While 12\% of our sample are more luminous than 10(6) L-circle dot and contain a significant amount of hydrogen, 88\% of the WN stars, with little or no hydrogen, populate the luminosity range between log (L/L-circle dot) = 5.3 ... 5.8. Conclusions. While the few extremely luminous stars (log (L/L-circle dot) > 6), if indeed single stars, descended directly from the main sequence at very high initial masses, the bulk of WN stars have gone through the red-supergiant phase. According to their luminosities in the range of log (L/L-circle dot) = 5.3 ... 5.8, these stars originate from initial masses between 20 and 40 M-circle dot. This mass range is similar to the one found in the Galaxy, i.e. the expected metallicity dependence of the evolution is not seen. Current stellar evolution tracks, even when accounting for rotationally induced mixing, still partly fail to reproduce the observed ranges of luminosities and initial masses. Moreover, stellar radii are generally larger and effective temperatures correspondingly lower than predicted from stellar evolution models, probably due to subphotospheric inflation.}, language = {en} } @article{SanderTodtHainichetal.2014, author = {Sander, Andreas Alexander Christoph and Todt, Helge Tobias and Hainich, Rainer and Hamann, Wolf-Rainer}, title = {The Wolf-Rayet stars in M31 I. Analysis of the late-type WN stars}, series = {Astronomy and astrophysics : an international weekly journal}, volume = {563}, journal = {Astronomy and astrophysics : an international weekly journal}, publisher = {EDP Sciences}, address = {Les Ulis}, issn = {0004-6361}, doi = {10.1051/0004-6361/201323240}, pages = {22}, year = {2014}, abstract = {Context. Comprehensive studies of Wolf-Rayet stars were performed in the past for the Galactic and the LMC population. The results revealed significant differences, but also unexpected similarities between the WR populations of these different galaxies. Analyzing the WR stars in M 31 will extend our understanding of these objects in different galactic environments. Aims. The present study aims at the late-type WN stars in M 31. The stellar and wind parameters will tell about the formation of WR stars in other galaxies with different metallicity and star formation histories. The obtained parameters will provide constraints to the evolution of massive stars in the environment of M 31. Methods. We used the latest version of the Potsdam Wolf-Rayet model atmosphere code to analyze the stars via fitting optical spectra and photometric data. To account for the relatively low temperatures of the late WN I 0 and WN I I subtypes, our WN models have been extended into this temperature regime. Results. Stellar and atmospheric parameters are derived for all known late-type WN stars in M 31 with available spectra. All of these stars still have hydrogen in their outer envelopes, some of them up to 50\% by mass. The stars are located on the cool side of the zero age main sequence in the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram, while their luminosities range from 105 to 1064). It is remarkable that no star exceeds 106 L. Conclusions. If formed via single-star evolution, the late-type WN stars in M 31 stem from an initial mass range between 20 and 60 M-circle dot. From the very late-type WN9-11 stars, only one star is located in the S Doradus instability strip. We do not find any late-type WN stars with the high luminosities known in the Milky Way.}, language = {en} }