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  - 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  - Hamann, Wolf-Rainer
A1  - Gräfener, G.
A1  - Liermann, A.
A1  - Hainich, Rainer
A1  - Sander, Andreas Alexander Christoph
A1  - Shenar, Tomer
A1  - Ramachandran, Varsha
A1  - Todt, Helge Tobias
A1  - Oskinova, Lida
T1  - The Galactic WN stars revisited
BT  - Impact of Gaia distances on fundamental stellar parameters
JF  - Astronomy and astrophysics : an international weekly journal
N2  - Comprehensive spectral analyses of the Galactic Wolf-Rayet stars of the nitrogen sequence (i.e. the WN subclass) have been performed in a previous paper. However, the distances of these objects were poorly known. Distances have a direct impact on the "absolute" parameters, such as luminosities and mass-loss rates. The recent Gaia Data Release (DR2) of trigonometric parallaxes includes nearly all WN stars of our Galactic sample. In the present paper, we apply the new distances to the previously analyzed Galactic WN stars and rescale the results accordingly. On this basis, we present a revised catalog of 55 Galactic WN stars with their stellar and wind parameters. The correlations between mass-loss rate and luminosity show a large scatter, for the hydrogen-free WN stars as well as for those with detectable hydrogen. The slopes of the log L - log M correlations are shallower than found previously. The empirical Hertzsprung-Russell diagram (HRD) still shows the previously established dichotomy between the hydrogen-free early WN subtypes that are located on the hot side of the zero-age main sequence (ZAMS), and the late WN subtypes, which show hydrogen and reside mostly at cooler temperatures than the ZAMS (with few exceptions). However, with the new distances, the distribution of stellar luminosities became more continuous than obtained previously. The hydrogen-showing stars of late WN subtype are still found to be typically more luminous than the hydrogen-free early subtypes, but there is a range of luminosities where both subclasses overlap. The empirical HRD of the Galactic single WN stars is compared with recent evolutionary tracks. Neither these single-star evolutionary models nor binary scenarios can provide a fully satisfactory explanation for the parameters of these objects and their location in the HRD.
KW  - stars: mass-loss
KW  - stars: winds, outflows
KW  - stars: Wolf-Rayet
KW  - stars: atmospheres
KW  - stars: evolution
KW  - stars: distances
Y1  - 2019
U6  - https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/201834850
SN  - 1432-0746
VL  - 625
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
A1  - Ramachandran, Varsha
A1  - Oskinova, Lida
T1  - The Galactic WC and WO stars
BT  - The impact of revised distances from Gaia DR2 and their role as massive black hole progenitors
JF  - Astronomy and astrophysics : an international weekly journal
N2  - Wolf-Rayet stars of the carbon sequence (WC stars) are an important cornerstone in the late evolution of massive stars before their core collapse. As core-helium burning, hydrogen-free objects with huge mass-loss, they are likely the last observable stage before collapse and thus promising progenitor candidates for type Ib/c supernovae. Their strong mass-loss furthermore provides challenges and constraints to the theory of radiatively driven winds. Thus, the determination of the WC star parameters is of major importance for several astrophysical fields. With Gaia DR2, for the first time parallaxes for a large sample of Galactic WC stars are available, removing major uncertainties inherent to earlier studies. In this work, we re-examine a previously studied sample of WC stars to derive key properties of the Galactic WC population. All quantities depending on the distance are updated, while the underlying spectral analyzes remain untouched. Contrasting earlier assumptions, our study yields that WC stars of the same subtype can significantly vary in absolute magnitude. With Gaia DR2, the picture of the Galactic WC population becomes more complex: We obtain luminosities ranging from log L/L-circle dot = 4.9-6.0 with one outlier (WR 119) having log L/L-circle dot = 4.7. This indicates that the WC stars are likely formed from a broader initial mass range than previously assumed. We obtain mass-loss rates ranging between log(M) over dot = -5.1 and -4.1, with (M) over dot proportional to L-0.68 and a linear scaling of the modified wind momentum with luminosity. We discuss the implications for stellar evolution, including unsolved issues regarding the need of envelope inflation to address the WR radius problem, and the open questions in regard to the connection of WR stars with Gamma-ray bursts. WC and WO stars are progenitors of massive black holes, collapsing either silently or in a supernova that most-likely has to be preceded by a WO stage.
KW  - stars: evolution
KW  - stars: mass-loss
KW  - stars: Wolf-Rayet
KW  - stars: massive
KW  - stars: distances
KW  - Galaxy: stellar content
Y1  - 2019
U6  - https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/201833712
SN  - 1432-0746
VL  - 621
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  - Ramachandran, Varsha
A1  - Hamann, Wolf-Rainer
A1  - Oskinova, Lida
A1  - Gallagher, J. S.
A1  - Hainich, Rainer
A1  - Shenar, Tomer
A1  - Sander, Andreas Alexander Christoph
A1  - Todt, Helge Tobias
A1  - Fulmer, Leah M.
T1  - Testing massive star evolution, star formation history, and feedback at low metallicity
BT  - Spectroscopic analysis of OB stars in the SMC Wing
JF  - Astronomy and astrophysics : an international weekly journal
N2  - Stars that start their lives with spectral types O and early B are the progenitors of core-collapse supernovae, long gamma-ray bursts, neutron stars, and black holes. These massive stars are the primary sources of stellar feedback in star-forming galaxies. At low metallicities, the properties of massive stars and their evolution are not yet fully explored. Here we report a spectroscopic study of 320 massive stars of spectral types O (23 stars) and B (297 stars) in the Wing of the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC). The spectra, which we obtained with the ESO Very Large Telescope, were analyzed using state-of-the-art stellar atmosphere models, and the stellar parameters were determined. We find that the stellar winds of our sample stars are generally much weaker than theoretically expected. The stellar rotation rates show broad, tentatively bimodal distributions. The upper Hertzsprung-Russell diagram (HRD) is well populated by the stars of our sample from a specific field in the SMC Wing. A few very luminous O stars are found close to the main sequence, while all other, slightly evolved stars obey a strict luminosity limit. Considering additional massive stars in evolved stages, with published parameters and located all over the SMC, essentially confirms this picture. The comparison with single-star evolutionary tracks suggests a dichotomy in the fate of massive stars in the SMC. Only stars with an initial mass below similar to 30 M-circle dot seem to evolve from the main sequence to the cool side of the HRD to become a red supergiant and to explode as type II-P supernova. In contrast, stars with initially more than similar to 30 M-circle dot appear to stay always hot and might evolve quasi chemically homogeneously, finally collapsing to relatively massive black holes. However, we find no indication that chemical mixing is correlated with rapid rotation. We measured the key parameters of stellar feedback and established the links between the rates of star formation and supernovae. Our study demonstrates that in metal-poor environments stellar feedback is dominated by core-collapse supernovae in combination with winds and ionizing radiation supplied by a few of the most massive stars. We found indications of the stochastic mode of massive star formation, where the resulting stellar population is fully capable of producing large-scale structures such as the supergiant shell SMC-SGS 1 in the Wing. The low level of feedback in metal-poor stellar populations allows star formation episodes to persist over long timescales.
KW  - stars: evolution
KW  - stars: massive
KW  - stars: mass-loss
KW  - Magellanic Clouds
KW  - Hertzsprung-Russell and C-M diagrams
KW  - techniques: spectroscopic
Y1  - 2019
U6  - https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/201935365
SN  - 1432-0746
VL  - 625
PB  - EDP Sciences
CY  - Les Ulis
ER  - 
TY  - JOUR
A1  - Hainich, Rainer
A1  - Ramachandran, Varsha
A1  - Shenar, Tomer
A1  - Sander, Andreas Alexander Christoph
A1  - Todt, Helge Tobias
A1  - Gruner, David
A1  - Oskinova, Lida
A1  - Hamann, Wolf-Rainer
T1  - PoWR grids of non-LTE model atmospheres for OB-type stars of various metallicities
JF  - Astronomy and astrophysics : an international weekly journal
N2  - The study of massive stars in different metallicity environments is a central topic of current stellar research. The spectral analysis of massive stars requires adequate model atmospheres. The computation of such models is difficult and time-consuming. Therefore, spectral analyses are greatly facilitated if they can refer to existing grids of models. Here we provide grids of model atmospheres for OB-type stars at metallicities corresponding to the Small and Large Magellanic Clouds, as well as to solar metallicity. In total, the grids comprise 785 individual models. The models were calculated using the state-of-the-art Potsdam Wolf-Rayet (PoWR) model atmosphere code. The parameter domain of the grids was set up using stellar evolution tracks. For all these models, we provide normalized and flux-calibrated spectra, spectral energy distributions, feedback parameters such as ionizing photons, Zanstra temperatures, and photometric magnitudes. The atmospheric structures (the density and temperature stratification) are available as well. All these data are publicly accessible through the PoWR website.
KW  - stars: massive
KW  - stars: early-type
KW  - stars: atmospheres
KW  - stars: winds
KW  - outflows
KW  - stars: mass-loss
KW  - radiative transfer
Y1  - 2019
U6  - https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/201833787
SN  - 1432-0746
VL  - 621
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  - 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  - Oskinova, Lida
A1  - Huenemoerder, D. P.
A1  - Hamann, Wolf-Rainer
A1  - Shenar, Tomer
A1  - Sander, Andreas Alexander Christoph
A1  - Ignace, R.
A1  - Todt, Helge Tobias
A1  - Hainich, Rainer
T1  - On the Binary Nature of Massive Blue Hypergiants: High-resolution X-Ray Spectroscopy Suggests That Cyg OB2 12 is a Colliding Wind Binary
JF  - The astrophysical journal : an international review of spectroscopy and astronomical physics
N2  - The blue hypergiant Cyg OB2 12 (B3Ia(+)) is a representative member of the class of very massive stars in a poorly understood evolutionary stage. We obtained its high-resolution X-ray spectrum using the Chandra observatory. PoWR model atmospheres were calculated to provide realistic wind opacities and to establish the wind density structure. We find that collisional de-excitation is the dominant mechanism depopulating the metastable upper levels of the forbidden lines of the He-like ions Si XIV and Mg XII. Comparison between the model and observations reveals that X-ray emission is produced in a dense plasma, which could reside only at the photosphere or in a colliding wind zone between binary components. The observed X-ray spectra are well-fitted by thermal plasma models, with average temperatures in excess of 10 MK. The wind speed in Cyg OB2 12 is not high enough to power such high temperatures, but the collision of two winds in a binary system can be sufficient. We used archival data to investigate the X-ray properties of other blue hypergiants. In general, stars of this class are not detected as X-ray sources. We suggest that our new Chandra observations of Cyg OB2 12 can be best explained if Cyg OB2 12 is a colliding wind binary possessing a late O-type companion. This makes Cyg OB2 12 only the second binary system among the 16 known Galactic hypergiants. This low binary fraction indicates that the blue hypergiants are likely products of massive binary evolution during which they either accreted a significant amount of mass or already merged with their companions.
KW  - stars: individual (Cyg OB2 12)
KW  - stars: massive
KW  - stars: mass-loss
KW  - stars: winds, outflows
KW  - supergiants
KW  - X-rays: stars
Y1  - 2017
U6  - https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/aa7e79
SN  - 0004-637X
SN  - 1538-4357
VL  - 845
PB  - IOP Publ. Ltd.
CY  - Bristol
ER  - 
TY  - JOUR
A1  - Hainich, Rainer
A1  - Oskinova, Lida
A1  - Shenar, Tomer
A1  - Marchant Campos, Pablo
A1  - Eldridge, J. J.
A1  - Sander, Andreas Alexander Christoph
A1  - Hamann, Wolf-Rainer
A1  - Langer, Norbert
A1  - Todt, Helge Tobias
T1  - Observational properties of massive black hole binary progenitors
JF  - Astronomy and astrophysics : an international weekly journal
N2  - 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.
KW  - gravitational waves
KW  - binaries: close
KW  - stars: early-type
KW  - stars: atmospheres
KW  - stars: winds
KW  - outflows
KW  - stars: mass-loss
Y1  - 2018
U6  - https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/201731449
SN  - 1432-0746
VL  - 609
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  - Fürst, F.
A1  - Kretschmar, P.
A1  - Oskinova, Lida
A1  - Todt, Helge Tobias
A1  - Hainich, Rainer
A1  - Shenar, Tomer
A1  - Hamann, Wolf-Rainer
T1  - Coupling hydrodynamics with comoving frame radiative transfer
BT  - Stellar wind stratification in the high-mass X-ray binary Vela X-1
JF  - Astronomy and astrophysics : an international weekly journal
N2  - Aims. To gain a realistic picture of the donor star in Vela X-1, we constructed a hydrodynamically consistent atmosphere model describing the wind stratification while properly reproducing the observed donor spectrum. To investigate how X-ray illumination affects the stellar wind, we calculated additional models for different X-ray luminosity regimes. Methods. We used the recently updated version of the Potsdam Wolf-Rayet code to consistently solve the hydrodynamic equation together with the statistical equations and the radiative transfer. Results. The wind flow in Vela X-1 is driven by ions from various elements, with Fe III and S III leading in the outer wind. The model-predicted mass-loss rate is in line with earlier empirical studies. The mass-loss rate is almost unaffected by the presence of the accreting NS in the wind. The terminal wind velocity is confirmed at u(infinity) approximate to 600 km s(-1). On the other hand, the wind velocity in the inner region where the NS is located is only approximate to 100 km s(-1), which is not expected on the basis of a standard beta-velocity law. In models with an enhanced level of X-rays, the velocity field in the outer wind can be altered. If the X-ray flux is too high, the acceleration breaks down because the ionization increases. Conclusions. Accounting for radiation hydrodynamics, our Vela X-1 donor atmosphere model reveals a low wind speed at the NS location, and it provides quantitative information on wind driving in this important HMXB.
KW  - stars: mass-loss
KW  - stars: winds, outflows
KW  - stars: early-type
KW  - stars: atmospheres
KW  - stars: massive
KW  - X-rays: binaries
Y1  - 2018
U6  - https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/201731575
SN  - 1432-0746
VL  - 610
PB  - EDP Sciences
CY  - Les Ulis
ER  - 
TY  - JOUR
A1  - Shenar, Tomer
A1  - Oskinova, Lida
A1  - Jaervinen, S. P.
A1  - Luckas, P.
A1  - Hainich, Rainer
A1  - Todt, Helge Tobias
A1  - Hubrig, Swetlana
A1  - Sander, Andreas Alexander Christoph
A1  - Ilyin, Ilya
A1  - Hamann, Wolf-Rainer
T1  - Constraining the weak-wind problem
BT  - an XMM-HST campaign for the magnetic 09.7 V star HD 54879
JF  - Contributions Of The Astronomical Observatory Skalnate Pleso
N2  - Mass-loss rates of massive, late type main sequence stars are much weaker than currently predicted, but their true values are very difficult to measure. We suggest that confined stellar winds of magnetic stars can be exploited to constrain the true mass-loss rates M of massive main sequence stars. We acquired UV, X-ray, and optical amateur data of HD 54879 (09.7 V), one of a few O-type stars with a detected atmospheric magnetic field (B-d greater than or similar to 2 kG). We analyze these data with the Potsdam Wolf-Rayet (PoWR) and XSPEC codes. We can roughly estimate the mass-loss rate the star would have in the absence of a magnetic field as log M-B=0 approximate to -9.0 M-circle dot yr(-1). Since the wind is partially trapped within the Alfven radius rA greater than or similar to 12 R-*,, the true mass-loss rate of HD 54879 is log M less than or similar to -10.2 M-circle dot yr(-1). Moreover, we find that the microturbulent, macroturbulent, and projected rotational velocities are lower than previously suggested (< 4 km s(-1)). An initial mass of 16 M-circle dot and an age of 5 Myr are inferred. We derive a mean X-ray emitting temperature of log T-x = 6.7 K and an X-ray luminosity of log L-x = 32 erg s(-1). The latter implies a significant X-ray excess (log L-x/L-Bol approximate to - 6.0), most likely stemming from collisions at the magnetic equator. A tentative period of P approximate to 5 yr is derived from variability of the Ha line. Our study confirms that strongly magnetized stars lose little or no mass, and supplies important constraints on the weak-wind problem of massive main sequence stars.
KW  - stars: massive
KW  - stars: magnetic field
KW  - stars: mass-loss
Y1  - 2017
U6  - https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/201731291
SN  - 1335-1842
SN  - 1336-0337
VL  - 48
IS  - 1
SP  - 139
EP  - 143
PB  - Astronomický Ústav SAV
CY  - Tatranská Lomnica
ER  - 
TY  - JOUR
A1  - Pablo, Herbert
A1  - Richardson, Noel D.
A1  - Moffat, Anthony F. J.
A1  - Corcoran, Michael
A1  - Shenar, Tomer
A1  - Benvenuto, Omar
A1  - Fuller, Jim
A1  - Naze, Yael
A1  - Hoffman, Jennifer L.
A1  - Miroshnichenko, Anatoly
A1  - Apellaniz, Jesus Maiz
A1  - Evans, Nancy
A1  - Eversberg, Thomas
A1  - Gayley, Ken
A1  - Gull, Ted
A1  - Hamaguchi, Kenji
A1  - Hamann, Wolf-Rainer
A1  - Henrichs, Huib
A1  - Hole, Tabetha
A1  - Ignace, Richard
A1  - Iping, Rosina
A1  - Lauer, Jennifer
A1  - Leutenegger, Maurice
A1  - Lomax, Jamie
A1  - Nichols, Joy
A1  - Oskinova, Lida
A1  - Owocki, Stan
A1  - Pollock, Andy
A1  - Russell, Christopher M. P.
A1  - Waldron, Wayne
A1  - Buil, Christian
A1  - Garrel, Thierry
A1  - Graham, Keith
A1  - Heathcote, Bernard
A1  - Lemoult, Thierry
A1  - Li, Dong
A1  - Mauclaire, Benjamin
A1  - Potter, Mike
A1  - Ribeiro, Jose
A1  - Matthews, Jaymie
A1  - Cameron, Chris
A1  - Guenther, David
A1  - Kuschnig, Rainer
A1  - Rowe, Jason
A1  - Rucinski, Slavek
A1  - Sasselov, Dimitar
A1  - Weiss, Werner
T1  - A coordinated X-Ray and optical campaign of the nearest massive eclipsing binary, delta ORIONIS Aa. III. Analysis of optical photometric (most) and spectroscopic (ground based) variations
JF  - The astrophysical journal : an international review of spectroscopy and astronomical physics
N2  - We report on both high-precision photometry from the Microvariability and Oscillations of Stars (MOST) space telescope and ground-based spectroscopy of the triple system delta Ori A, consisting of a binary O9.5II+early-B (Aa1 and Aa2) with P = 5.7 days, and a more distant tertiary (O9 IV P > 400 years). This data was collected in concert with X-ray spectroscopy from the Chandra X-ray Observatory. Thanks to continuous coverage for three weeks, the MOST light curve reveals clear eclipses between Aa1 and Aa2 for the first time in non-phased data. From the spectroscopy, we have a well-constrained radial velocity (RV) curve of Aa1. While we are unable to recover RV variations of the secondary star, we are able to constrain several fundamental parameters of this system and determine an approximate mass of the primary using apsidal motion. We also detected second order modulations at 12 separate frequencies with spacings indicative of tidally influenced oscillations. These spacings have never been seen in a massive binary, making this system one of only a handful of such binaries that show evidence for tidally induced pulsations.
KW  - binaries: close
KW  - binaries: eclipsing
KW  - stars: early-type
KW  - stars: individual (delta Ori A)
KW  - stars: mass-loss
KW  - stars: variables: general
Y1  - 2015
U6  - https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/809/2/134
SN  - 0004-637X
SN  - 1538-4357
VL  - 809
IS  - 2
PB  - IOP Publ. Ltd.
CY  - Bristol
ER  - 
TY  - JOUR
A1  - Corcoran, Michael F.
A1  - Nichols, Joy S.
A1  - Pablo, Herbert
A1  - Shenar, Tomer
A1  - Pollock, Andy M. T.
A1  - Waldron, Wayne L.
A1  - Moffat, Anthony F. J.
A1  - Richardson, Noel D.
A1  - Russell, Christopher M. P.
A1  - Hamaguchi, Kenji
A1  - Huenemoerder, David P.
A1  - Oskinova, Lida
A1  - Hamann, Wolf-Rainer
A1  - Naze, Yael
A1  - Ignace, Richard
A1  - Evans, Nancy Remage
A1  - Lomax, Jamie R.
A1  - Hoffman, Jennifer L.
A1  - Gayley, Kenneth
A1  - Owocki, Stanley P.
A1  - Leutenegger, Maurice
A1  - Gull, Theodore R.
A1  - Hole, Karen Tabetha
A1  - Lauer, Jennifer
A1  - Iping, Rosina C.
T1  - A coordinated X-Ray and optical campaign of the nearest massive eclipsing binary, delta ORIONIS Aa. I. Overview of thr X-Ray spectrum
JF  - The astrophysical journal : an international review of spectroscopy and astronomical physics
N2  - We present an overview of four deep phase-constrained Chandra HETGS X-ray observations of delta Ori A. Delta Ori A is actually a triple system that includes the nearest massive eclipsing spectroscopic binary, delta Ori Aa, the only such object that can be observed with little phase-smearing with the Chandra gratings. Since the fainter star, delta Ori Aa2, has a much lower X-ray luminosity than the brighter primary (delta Ori Aa1), delta Ori Aa provides a unique system with which to test the spatial distribution of the X-ray emitting gas around delta Ori Aa1 via occultation by the photosphere of, and wind cavity around, the X-ray dark secondary. Here we discuss the X-ray spectrum and X-ray line profiles for the combined observation, having an exposure time of nearly 500 ks and covering nearly the entire binary orbit. The companion papers discuss the X-ray variability seen in the Chandra spectra, present new space-based photometry and ground-based radial velocities obtained simultaneously with the X-ray data to better constrain the system parameters, and model the effects of X-rays on the optical and UV spectra. We find that the X-ray emission is dominated by embedded wind shock emission from star Aa1, with little contribution from the tertiary star Ab or the shocked gas produced by the collision of the wind of Aa1 against the surface of Aa2. We find a similar temperature distribution to previous X-ray spectrum analyses. We also show that the line half-widths are about 0.3-0.5 times the terminal velocity of the wind of star Aa1. We find a strong anti-correlation between line widths and the line excitation energy, which suggests that longer-wavelength, lower-temperature lines form farther out in the wind. Our analysis also indicates that the ratio of the intensities of the strong and weak lines of Fe XVII and Ne X are inconsistent with model predictions, which may be an effect of resonance scattering.
KW  - binaries: close
KW  - binaries: eclipsing
KW  - stars: early-type
KW  - stars: individual (Delta Ori)
KW  - stars: mass-loss
KW  - X-rays: stars
Y1  - 2015
U6  - https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/809/2/132
SN  - 0004-637X
SN  - 1538-4357
VL  - 809
IS  - 2
PB  - IOP Publ. Ltd.
CY  - Bristol
ER  -