@inproceedings{deKoterVinkMuijres2007, author = {de Koter, A. and Vink, J. S. and Muijres, L.}, title = {Constraints on wind clumping from the empirical mass-loss vs. metallicity relation for early-type stars}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus-17736}, year = {2007}, abstract = {We present the latest results on the observational dependence of the mass-loss rate in stellar winds of O and early-B stars on the metal content of their atmospheres, and compare these with predictions. Absolute empirical rates for the mass loss of stars brighter than 10\$^{5.2} L_{\odot}\$, based on H\$\alpha\$ and ultraviolet (UV) wind lines, are found to be about a factor of two higher than predictions. If this difference is attributed to inhomogeneities in the wind this would imply that luminous O and early-B stars have clumping factors in their H\$\alpha\$ and UV line forming regime of about a factor of 3--5. The investigated stars cover a metallicity range \$Z\$ from 0.2 to 1 \$Z_{\odot}\$. We find a hint towards smaller clumping factors for lower \$Z\$. The derived clumping factors, however, presuppose that clumping does not impact the predictions of the mass-loss rate. We discuss this assumption and explain how we intend to investigate its validity in more detail.}, language = {en} }