TY - JOUR A1 - Hainich, Rainer A1 - Rühling, U. A1 - Pasemann, D. A1 - Hamann, Wolf-Rainer T1 - The WN population in the Magellanic Clouds JF - Wolf-Rayet Stars : Proceedings of an International Workshop held in Potsdam, Germany, 1.–5. June 2015 N2 - A detailed and comprehensive study of the Wolf-Rayet stars of the nitrogen sequence (WN stars) in the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC) and the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) is presented. We derived the fundamental stellar and wind parameters for more than 100 massive stars, encompassing almost the whole WN population in the Magellanic Clouds (MCs). The observations are fitted with synthetic spectra, using the PotsdamWolf-Rayet model atmosphere code (PoWR). For this purpose, large grids of line-blanket models for different metallicities have been calculated, covering a wide range of stellar temperatures, mass-loss rates, and hydrogen abundances. Our comprehensive sample facilitates statistical studies of the WN properties in the MCs without selection bias. To investigate the impact of the low LMC metallicity and the even lower SMC metallicity, we compare our new results to previous analyses of the Galactic WN population and the late type WN stars from M31. Based on these studies we derived an empirical relation between the WN mass-loss rates and the metallicity. Current stellar evolution tracks, even when accounting for rotationally induced mixing, partly fail to reproduce the observed ranges of luminosities and initial masses. Y1 - 2015 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-87806 SP - 117 EP - 120 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Najarro, F. A1 - de la Fuente, D. A1 - Geballe, T. R. A1 - Figer, D. F. A1 - Hillier, D. J. T1 - The WR population in the Galactic Center JF - Wolf-Rayet Stars : Proceedings of an International Workshop held in Potsdam, Germany, 1.–5. June 2015 N2 - The Galactic Center (GC) hosts three of the most massive WR rich, resolved young clusters in the Local Group as well as a large number of apparently isolated massive stars. Therefore, it constitutes a test bed to study the star formation history of the region, to probe a possible top-heavy scenario and to address massive star formation (clusters vs isolation) in such a dense and harsh environment. We present results from our ongoing infrared spectroscopic studies of WRs and other massive stars at the Center of the Milky Way. Y1 - 2015 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-87794 SP - 113 EP - 116 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Tramper, F. A1 - Straal, S. M. A1 - Sanyal, D. A1 - Sana, Hugues A1 - de Koter, A. A1 - Gräfener, G. A1 - Langer, N. A1 - Vink, J. S. A1 - de Mink, S. E. A1 - Kaper, L. T1 - Massive Wolf-Rayet stars on the verge to explode BT - the properties of the WO stars JF - Wolf-Rayet Stars : Proceedings of an International Workshop held in Potsdam, Germany, 1.–5. June 2015 N2 - The enigmatic oxygen-sequence Wolf-Rayet stars represent a rare stage in the evolution of massive stars. Their properties can provide unique constraints on the pre-supernova evolution of massive stars. This work presents the results of a quantitative spectroscopic analysis of the known single WO stars, with the aim to obtain the key stellar parameters and deduce their evolutionary state.X-Shooter spectra of the WO stars are modeled using the line-blanketed non-local thermal equilibrium atmosphere code cmfgen. The obtained stellar parameters show that the WO stars are very hot, with temperatures ranging from 150 kK to 210 kK. Their chemical composition is dominated by carbon (>50%), while the helium mass fraction is very low (down to 14%). Oxygen mass fractions reach as high as 25%. These properties can be reproduced with dedicated evolutionary models for helium stars, which show that the stars are post core-helium burning and very close to their eventual supernova explosion. The helium-star masses indicate initial masses or approximately 40 - 60M⊙.Thus, WO stars represent the final evolutionary stage of stars with estimated initial masses of 40 - 60M⊙. They are post core-helium burning and may explode as type Ic supernovae within a few thousand years. Y1 - 2015 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-87786 SP - 109 EP - 112 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Rosslowe, C. K. A1 - Crowther, P. A. A1 - Clark, J. S. A1 - Negueruela, I. T1 - Physical properties of the WR stars in Westerlund 1 JF - Wolf-Rayet Stars : Proceedings of an International Workshop held in Potsdam, Germany, 1.–5. June 2015 N2 - The Westerlund 1 (Wd1) cluster hosts a rich and varied collection of massive stars. Its dynamical youth and the absence of ongoing star formation indicate a coeval population. As such, the simultaneous presence of both late-type supergiants and Wolf-Rayet stars has defied explanation in the context of single-star evolution. Observational evidence points to a high binary fraction, hence this stellar population offers a robust test for stellar models accounting for both single-star and binary evolution. We present an optical to near-IR (VLT & NTT) spectroscopic analysis of 22 WR stars in Wd 1, delivering physical properties for the WR stars. We discuss how these differ from the Galactic field population, and how they may be reconciled with the predictions of single and binary evolutionary models. Y1 - 2015 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-87779 SP - 105 EP - 108 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Neugent, K. F. A1 - Massey, P. A1 - Hillier, D. J. A1 - Morrell, N. I. T1 - The Discovery and Physical Parameterization of a New Type of Wolf-Rayet Star JF - Wolf-Rayet Stars : Proceedings of an International Workshop held in Potsdam, Germany, 1.–5. June 2015 N2 - As part of our ongoing Wolf-Rayet (WR) Magellanic Cloud survey, we have discovered 13 new WRs. However, the most exciting outcome of our survey is not the number of new WRs, but their unique characteristics. Eight of our discoveries appear to belong to an entirely new class of WRs. While one might naively classify these stars as WN3+O3V binaries, such a pairing is unlikely. Preliminary CMFGN modeling suggests physical parameters similar to early-type WNs in the Large Magellanic Cloud except with mass-loss rates three to five times lower and slightly higher temperatures. The evolution status of these stars remains an open question. Y1 - 2015 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-87766 SP - 101 EP - 104 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Chené, A.-N. A1 - Wyrick, D. A1 - Borissova, J. A1 - Kuhn, M. A1 - Hervé, A. A1 - Ramírez Alegría, S. A1 - Bonatto, C. A1 - Bouret, J.-C. A1 - Kurtev, R. T1 - Improving distances to Galactic Wolf-Rayet stars JF - Wolf-Rayet Stars : Proceedings of an International Workshop held in Potsdam, Germany, 1.–5. June 2015 N2 - Before GAIA improves the HIPPARCOS survey, direct determination of the distance via parallax is only possible for γ Vel, but the analysis of the cluster or association to which WR stars are associated can give distances with a 50% to a 10% accuracy. The list of Galactic clusters, associations and clusters/association candidates has grown significantly in the last decade with the numerous deep, high resolution surveys of the Milky Way. In this work, we revisit the fundamental parameters of known clusters with WR stars, and we present the search for new ones. All our work is based on the catalogs from the VVV (from the VISTA telescope) and the UKIDS (from the UKIRT telescope) near infrared surveys. Finally, the relations between the fundamental parameters of clusters with WR stars are explored. Y1 - 2015 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-87759 SP - 97 EP - 100 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Hamann, Wolf-Rainer T1 - Wind models and spectral analyses JF - Wolf-Rayet Stars : Proceedings of an International Workshop held in Potsdam, Germany, 1.–5. June 2015 N2 - The emission-line dominated spectra of Wolf-Rayet stars are formed in expanding layers of their atmosphere, i.e. in their strong stellar wind. Adequate modeling of such spectra has to face a couple of difficulties. Because of the supersonic motion, the radiative transfer is preferably formulated in the co-moving frame. The strong deviations from local thermodynamical equilibrium (LTE) require to solve the equations of statistical equilibrium for the population numbers, accounting for many hundred atomic energy levels and thousands of line transitions. Moreover, millions of lines from iron-group elements must be taken into account for their blanketing effect. Model atmospheres of the described kind can reproduce the observed WR spectra satisfyingly, and have been widely applied for corresponding spectral analyses. Y1 - 2015 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-87748 SP - 91 EP - 96 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Hoffman, J. L. A1 - Lomax, J. R. T1 - Structure and fate of binary WR stars BT - Clues from spectropolarimetry JF - Wolf-Rayet Stars : Proceedings of an International Workshop held in Potsdam, Germany, 1.–5. June 2015 N2 - Because most massive stars have been or will be affected by a companion during the course of their evolution, we cannot afford to neglect binaries when discussing the progenitors of supernovae and GRBs. Analyzing linear polarization in the emission lines of close binary systems allows us to probe the structures of these systems' winds and mass flows, making it possible to map the complex morphologies of the mass loss and mass transfer structures that shape their subsequent evolution. In Wolf-Rayet (WR) binaries, line polarization variations with orbital phase distinguish polarimetric signatures arising from lines that scatter near the stars from those that scatter far from the orbital plane. These far-scattering lines may form the basis for a "binary line-effect method" of identifying rapidly rotating WR stars (and hence GRB progenitor candidates) in binary systems. Y1 - 2015 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-87737 SP - 85 EP - 88 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Aldoretta, E. J. A1 - St-Louis, N. A1 - Richardson, N. D. A1 - Moffat, Anthony F. J. A1 - Eversberg, T. A1 - Hill, G. M. T1 - The Results of the 2013 Pro-Am Wolf-Rayet Campaign JF - Wolf-Rayet Stars : Proceedings of an International Workshop held in Potsdam, Germany, 1.–5. June 2015 N2 - Professional and amateur astronomers around the world contributed to a 4-month long campaign in 2013, mainly in spectroscopy but also in photometry, interferometry and polarimetry, to observe the first 3 Wolf-Rayet stars discovered: WR 134 (WN6b), WR 135 (WC8) and WR 137 (WC7pd+O9). Each of these stars are interesting in their own way, showing a variety of stellar wind structures. The spectroscopic data from this campaign were reduced and analyzed for WR 134 in order to better understand its behavior and long-term periodicity in the context of CIRs in the wind. We will be presenting the results of these spectroscopic data, which include the confirmation of the CIR variability and a time-coherency of ∼ 40 days (half-life of ∼ 20 days). Y1 - 2015 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-87713 SP - 75 EP - 78 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Eversberg, T. A1 - Aldoretta, E. J. A1 - Knapen, J. H. A1 - Moffat, Anthony F. J. A1 - Morel, T. A1 - Ramiaramanantsoa, T. A1 - Rauw, G. A1 - Richardson, N. D. A1 - St-Louis, N. A1 - Teodoro, M. T1 - World-wide amateur observations BT - A viable future of massive star research JF - Wolf-Rayet Stars : Proceedings of an International Workshop held in Potsdam, Germany, 1.–5. June 2015 N2 - For some years now, spectroscopic measurements of massive stars in the amateur domain have been fulfilling professional requirements. Various groups in the northern and southern hemispheres have been established, running successful professional-amateur (ProAm) collaborative campaigns, e.g., on WR, O and B type stars. Today high quality data (echelle and long-slit) are regularly delivered and corresponding results published. Night-to-night long-term observations over months to years open a new opportunity for massive-star research. We introduce recent and ongoing sample campaigns (e.g. ∊ Aur, WR 134, ζ Pup), show respective results and highlight the vast amount of data collected in various data bases. Ultimately it is in the time-dependent domain where amateurs can shine most. Y1 - 2015 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-87705 SP - 71 EP - 74 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Hillier, D. J. T1 - Spectrum formation in Wolf-Rayet stars JF - Wolf-Rayet Stars : Proceedings of an International Workshop held in Potsdam, Germany, 1.–5. June 2015 N2 - We highlight the basic physics that allows fundamental parameters, such as the effective temperature, luminosity, abundances, and mass-loss rate, of Wolf-Rayet (W-R) stars to be determined. Since the temperature deduced from the spectrum of a W-R star is an ionization temperature, a detailed discussion of the ionization structure of W-R winds, and how it is set, is given. We also provide an overview of line and continuum formation in W-R stars. Mechanisms that contribute to the strength of different emission lines, such as collisional excitation, radiative recombination, dielectronic recombination, and continuum uorescence, are discussed. Y1 - 2015 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-87669 SP - 65 EP - 70 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Srivastava, S. A1 - Kehrig, C. A1 - Kantharia, N. G. A1 - Pérez-Montero, E. A1 - Vílchez, J. M. A1 - Iglesias-Páramo, J. A1 - Janardhan, P. T1 - A 2D view of Wolf-Rayet Galaxies JF - Wolf-Rayet Stars : Proceedings of an International Workshop held in Potsdam, Germany, 1.–5. June 2015 N2 - The main objective of this work is to investigate the evolution of massive stars, and the interplay between them and the ionized gas for a sample of local metal-poor Wolf-Rayet galaxies. Optical integral field spectrocopy was used in combination with multi-wavelength radio data. Combining optical and radio data, we locate Wolf-Rayet stars and supernova remnants across the Wolf-Rayet galaxies to study the spatial correlation between them. This study will shed light on the massive star formation and its feedback, and will help us to better understand distant star-forming galaxies. Y1 - 2015 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-87650 SP - 59 EP - 62 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Kehrig, C. A1 - Vílchez, J. M. A1 - Pérez-Montero, E. A1 - Iglesias-Páramo, J. A1 - Brinchmann, Jarle A1 - Crowther, P. A. A1 - Durret, F. A1 - Kunth, D. T1 - PopIII-star siblings in IZw18 and metal-poor WR galaxies unveiled from integral field spectroscopy JF - Wolf-Rayet Stars : Proceedings of an International Workshop held in Potsdam, Germany, 1.–5. June 2015 N2 - Here, we highlight our recent results from the IFS study of Mrk178, the closest metal-poor WR galaxy, and of IZw18, the most metal-poor star-forming galaxy known in the local Universe. The IFS data of Mrk178 show the importance of aperture effects on the search for WR features, and the extent to which physical variations in the ISM properties can be detected. Our IFS data of IZw18 reveal its entire nebular HeIIλ4686-emitting region, and indicate for the very first time that peculiar, hot (nearly) metal-free ionizing stars (called here PopIII-star siblings) might hold the key to the HeII-ionization in IZw18. Y1 - 2015 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-87648 SP - 55 EP - 58 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Bomans, Dominik J. A1 - Becker, Andrew C. A1 - Kleemann, B. A1 - Weis, K. A1 - Pasquali, A. T1 - Luminous Wolf-Rayet stars at low metallicity JF - Wolf-Rayet Stars : Proceedings of an International Workshop held in Potsdam, Germany, 1.–5. June 2015 N2 - The evolution of massive stars in very low metallicity galaxies is less well observationally constrained than in environments more similar to the Milky Way, M33, or the LMC. We discuss in this contribution the current state of our program to search for and characterize Wolf-Rayet stars (and other massive emission line stars) in low metallicity galaxies in the Local Volume. Y1 - 2015 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-87635 SP - 51 EP - 54 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Becker, Andrew C. A1 - Bomans, Dominik J. A1 - Weis, K. T1 - Finding new Wolf-Rayet stars in the Magellanic Clouds JF - Wolf-Rayet Stars : Proceedings of an International Workshop held in Potsdam, Germany, 1.–5. June 2015 N2 - Obtaining a complete census of massive, evolved stars in a galaxy would be a key ingredient for testing stellar evolution models. However, as the evolution of stars is also strongly dependent on their metallicity, it is inevitable to have this kind of data for a variety of galaxies with different metallicities. Between 2009 and 2011, we conducted the Magellanic Clouds Massive Stars and Feedback Survey (MSCF); a spatially complete, multi-epoch, broad- and narrow-band optical imaging survey of the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds. With the inclusion of shallow images, we are able to give a complete photometric catalog of stars between B ≈ 18 and B ≈ 19 mag. These observations were augmented with additional photometric data of similar spatial res- olution from UV to IR (e.g. from GALEX, 2MASS and Spitzer) in order to sample a large portion of the spectral energy distribution of the brightest stars (B < 16 mag) in the Magel- lanic Clouds. Using these data, were are able to train a machine learning algorithm that gives us a good estimate of the spectral type of tens of thousands of stars. This method can be applied to the search for Wolf-Rayet-Stars to obtain a sample of candi- dates for follow-up observations. As this approach can, in principle, be adopted for any resolved galaxy as long as sufficient photometric data is available, it can form an effective alternative method to the classical strategies (e.g. He II filter imaging). Y1 - 2015 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-87618 SP - 47 EP - 50 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Gómez-González, Víctor Mauricio Alfonso A1 - Mayya, Yalia Divakara A1 - Rosa-González, D. T1 - Detection and Characterization of Wolf-Rayet stars in M81 with GTC/OSIRIS spectra and HST images JF - Wolf-Rayet Stars : Proceedings of an International Workshop held in Potsdam, Germany, 1.–5. June 2015 N2 - Here we investigate a sample of young star clusters (YSCs) and other regions of recent star formation with Wolf-Rayet (W-R) features detected in the relatively nearby spiral galaxy M81 by analysing long-slit (LS) and Multi-Object Spectroscopy (MOS) spectra obtained with the OSIRIS instrument at the 10.4-m Gran Telescopio Canarias (GTC). We take advantage of the synergy between GTC spectra and Hubble Space Telescope (HST) images to also reveal their spatial localization and the environments hosting these stars. We finally discuss and comment on the next steps of our study. Y1 - 2015 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-87604 SP - 43 EP - 46 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Massey, P. A1 - Neugent, K. F. A1 - Morrell, N. I. T1 - Finding Wolf-Rayet Stars in the Local Group JF - Wolf-Rayet Stars : Proceedings of an International Workshop held in Potsdam, Germany, 1.–5. June 2015 N2 - We summarize past and current surveys for WRs among the Local Group galaxies, empha- sizing both the why and how. Such studies are invaluable for helping us learn about massive star evolution, and for providing sensitive tests of the stellar evolution models. But for such surveys to be useful, the completeness limits must be well understood. We illustrate that point by following the “evolution” of the observed WC/WN ratio in nearby galaxies. We end by examining our new survey for WR stars in the Magellanic Clouds, which has revealed a new type of WN star, never before seen. Y1 - 2015 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-87592 SP - 35 EP - 42 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Roman-Lopes, A. A1 - Franco, G. A. P. A1 - Sanmartin, D. T1 - SOAR Near-Infrared and Optical Survey of OIf* and OIf*/WN Stars in the Periphery of Galactic Massive Star Forming Regions JF - Wolf-Rayet Stars : Proceedings of an International Workshop held in Potsdam, Germany, 1.–5. June 2015 N2 - In this contribution we present some preliminary results obtained from a SOAR-Goodman optical spectroscopic survey aimed to confirm the OIf* - OIf*/WN nature of a sample of Galactic candidates that were previously confirmed as massive stars based on near-infrared spectra taken with OSIRIS at SOAR. With only a few of such stars known in the Galaxy to date, our study significantly contributes to improve the number of known Galactic O2If* stars, as well as almost doubling the number of known members of the galactic sample of the rare type OIf*/WN. Y1 - 2015 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-87585 SP - 31 EP - 34 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Marston, A. P. A1 - Mauerhan, J. A1 - Morris, P. W. A1 - Van Dyk, S. T1 - Finding Wolf-Rayet Stars in the Milky Way BT - Inputs to Star Formation and Stellar Evolution JF - Wolf-Rayet Stars : Proceedings of an International Workshop held in Potsdam, Germany, 1.–5. June 2015 N2 - The total population of Wolf-Rayet (WR) stars in the Galaxy is predicted by models to be as many as ~6000 stars, and yet the number of catalogued WR stars as a result of optical surveys was far lower than this (~200) at the turn of this century. When beginning our WR searches using infrared techniques it was not clear whether WR number predictions were too optimistic or whether there was more hidden behind interstellar and circumstellar extinction. During the last decade we pioneered a technique of exploiting the near- and mid-infrared continuum colours for individual point sources provided by large-format surveys of the Galaxy, including 2MASS and Spitzer/GLIMPSE, to pierce through the dust and reveal newly discovered WR stars throughout the Galactic Plane. The key item to the colour discrimination is via the characteristic infrared spectral index produced by the strong winds of the WR stars, combined with dust extinction, which place WR stars in a relatively depopulated area of infrared colour-colour diagrams. The use of the Spitzer/GLIMPSE 8µm and, more recently, WISE 22µm fluxes together with cross-referencing with X-ray measurements in selected Galactic regions have enabled improved candidate lists that increased our confirmation success rate, achieved via follow-up infrared and optical spectroscopy. To date a total of 102 new WR stars have been found with many more candidates still available for follow-up. This constitutes an addition of ~16% to the current inventory of 642 Galactic WR stars. In this talk we review our methods and provide some new results and a preliminary review of their stellar and interstellar medium environments. We provide a roadmap for the future of this search, including statistical modeling, and what we can add to star formation and high mass star evolution studies. Y1 - 2015 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-87577 SP - 27 EP - 30 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Moffat, Anthony F. J. T1 - General overview of Wolf-Rayet stars JF - Wolf-Rayet Stars : Proceedings of an International Workshop held in Potsdam, Germany, 1.–5. June 2015 N2 - Although we all use the name Wolf-Rayet to refer to specific groups of stars, “Wolf-Rayet” per se is really an astrophysical phenomenon of fast-moving, hot plasma, normally expanding around a hot star. However, expediency demands that we follow established traditions by referring to three specific kinds of WR stars: (1) cWR, “classical” He-burning descendants of massive, O-type stars, presumably all of which pass through a WR stage; (2) WNh, the most massive and luminous hydrogen-rich main-sequence stars with strong winds; and (3) [WR], the central stars of some 15 % of Planetary Nebulae. Wolf-Rayet stars are the epitome of relatively stable stars with the highest mass-loss rates for their kind. It behooves us to understand the what, how and why of this circumstance, along with its manyfold and fascinating consequences. Y1 - 2015 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-87552 SP - 13 EP - 18 ER -