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 - 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 - 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 - Shenar, Tomer A1 - Hainich, Rainer A1 - Todt, Helge Tobias A1 - Moffat, Anthony F. J. A1 - Sander, Andreas Alexander Christoph A1 - Oskinova, Lida A1 - Ramachandran, Varsha A1 - Munoz, M. A1 - Pablo, H. A1 - Sana, Hugues A1 - Hamann, Wolf-Rainer T1 - The shortest-period Wolf-Rayet binary in the small magellanic cloud BT - Part of a high-order multiple system Spectral and orbital analysis of SMC AB 6 JF - Astronomy and astrophysics : an international weekly journal N2 - Context. SMC AB6 is the shortest-period (P = 6.5 d) Wolf-Rayet (WR) binary in the Small Magellanic Cloud. This binary is therefore a key system in the study of binary interaction and formation of WR stars at low metallicity. The WR component in AB6 was previously found to be very luminous (log L = 6.3 [L-circle dot]) compared to its reported orbital mass (approximate to 8 M-circle dot), placing it significantly above the Eddington limit. Aims. Through spectroscopy and orbital analysis of newly acquired optical data taken with the Ultraviolet and Visual Echelle Spectrograph (UVES), we aim to understand the peculiar results reported for this system and explore its evolutionary history. Methods. We measured radial velocities via cross-correlation and performed a spectral analysis using the Potsdam Wolf-Rayet model atmosphere code. The evolution of the system was analyzed using the Binary Population and Spectral Synthesis evolution code. Results. AB6 contains at least four stars. The 6.5 d period WR binary comprises the WR primary (WN3:h, star A) and a rather rapidly rotating (v(eq) = 265 km s(-1)) early O-type companion (O5.5 V, star B). Static N III and N IV emission lines and absorption signatures in He lines suggest the presence of an early-type emission line star (O5.5 I(f), star C). Finally, narrow absorption lines portraying a long-term radial velocity variation show the existence of a fourth star (O7.5 V, star D). Star D appears to form a second 140 d period binary together with a fifth stellar member, which is a B-type dwarf or a black hole. It is not clear that these additional components are bound to the WR binary. We derive a mass ratio of M-O/M-WR = 2.2 +/- 0.1. The WR star is found to be less luminous than previously thought (log L = 5.9 [L-circle dot]) and, adopting M-O = 41 M-circle dot for star B, more massive (M-WR = 18 M-circle dot). Correspondingly, the WR star does not exceed the Eddington limit. We derive the initial masses of M-i,M-WR = 60 M-circle dot and M-i,M-O = 40 M-circle dot and an age of 3.9 Myr for the system. The WR binary likely experienced nonconservative mass transfer in the past supported by the relatively rapid rotation of star B. Conclusions. Our study shows that AB6 is a multiple - probably quintuple - system. This finding resolves the previously reported puzzle of the WR primary exceeding the Eddington limit and suggests that the WR star exchanged mass with its companion in the past. KW - stars: massive KW - binaries: spectroscopic KW - stars: Wolf-Rayet KW - Magellanic Clouds KW - stars: individual: SMC AB 6 KW - stars: atmospheres Y1 - 2018 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/201833006 SN - 1432-0746 SN - 0004-6361 VL - 616 PB - EDP Sciences CY - Les Ulis ER - TY - GEN A1 - Kubatova, Brankica A1 - Hamann, Wolf-Rainer A1 - Kubat, Jiri A1 - Oskinova, Lida T1 - 3D Monte Carlo Radiative Transfer in Inhomogeneous Massive Star Winds BT - Application to Resonance Line Formation T2 - Radiative signatures from the cosmos N2 - Already for decades it has been known that the winds of massive stars are inhomogeneous (i.e. clumped). To properly model observed spectra of massive star winds it is necessary to incorporate the 3-D nature of clumping into radiative transfer calculations. In this paper we present our full 3-D Monte Carlo radiative transfer code for inhomogeneous expanding stellar winds. We use a set of parameters to describe dense as well as the rarefied wind components. At the same time, we account for non-monotonic velocity fields. We show how the 3-D density and velocity wind inhomogeneities strongly affect the resonance line formation. We also show how wind clumping can solve the discrepancy between P v and H alpha mass-loss rate diagnostics. Y1 - 2019 SN - 978-1-58381-925-8 SN - 1050-3390 VL - 519 SP - 209 EP - 212 PB - Astronomical soc pacific CY - San Fransisco ER - TY - GEN A1 - Dolezalova, Barbora A1 - Kubatova, Brankica A1 - Kubat, Jiri A1 - Hamann, Wolf-Rainer T1 - The Quasi-WR Star HD 45166 Revisited T2 - Radiative signatures from the cosmos N2 - We studied the wind of the quasi Wolf-Rayet (qWR) star HD 45166. As a first step we modeled the observed UV spectra of this star by means of the state-of-the-art Potsdam Wolf-Rayet (PoWR) atmosphere code. We inferred the wind parameters and compared them with previous findings. Y1 - 2019 SN - 978-1-58381-925-8 SN - 1050-3390 VL - 519 SP - 197 EP - 200 PB - Astronomical soc pacific CY - San Fransisco ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Gruner, David A1 - Hainich, Rainer A1 - Sander, Andreas Alexander Christoph A1 - Shenar, Tomer A1 - Todt, Helge Tobias A1 - Oskinova, Lida A1 - Ramachandran, Varsha A1 - Ayres, T. A1 - Hamann, Wolf-Rainer T1 - The extreme O-type spectroscopic binary HD 93129A A quantitative, multiwavelength analysis JF - Astronomy and astrophysics : an international weekly journal N2 - Context. HD 93129A was classified as the earliest O-type star in the Galaxy (O2 If*) and is considered as the prototype of its spectral class. However, interferometry shows that this object is a binary system, while recent observations even suggest a triple configuration. None of the previous spectral analyses of this object accounted for its multiplicity. With new high-resolution UV and optical spectra, we have the possibility to reanalyze this key object, taking its binary nature into account for the first time. Aims. We aim to derive the fundamental parameters and the evolutionary status of HD 93129A, identifying the contributions of both components to the composite spectrum Results. Despite the similar spectral types of the two components, we are able to find signatures from each of the components in the combined spectrum, which allows us to estimate the parameters of both stars. We derive log(L/L-circle dot) = 6.15, T-eff = 52 kK, and log (M)over dot = -4.7[M-circle dot yr(-1)] for the primary Aa, and log(L/L-circle dot) = 5.58, T-eff = 45 kK, and log (M)over dot = -5.8 [M(circle dot)yr(-1)] for the secondary Ab. Conclusions. Even when accounting for the binary nature, the primary of HD 93129A is found to be one of the hottest and most luminous O stars in our Galaxy. Based on the theoretical decomposition of the spectra, we assign spectral types O2 If* and O3 III(f*) to components Aa and Ab, respectively. While we achieve a good fit for a wide spectral range, specific spectral features are not fully reproduced. The data are not sufficient to identify contributions from a hypothetical third component in the system. KW - stars: individual: HD 93129A KW - stars: atmospheres KW - stars: fundamental parameters KW - stars: early-typeP Y1 - 2018 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/201833178 SN - 1432-0746 VL - 621 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 - 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 - 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 - 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 - 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 - Shenar, Tomer A1 - Sablowski, D. P. A1 - Hainich, Rainer A1 - Todt, Helge Tobias A1 - Moffat, Anthony F. J. A1 - Oskinova, Lida A1 - Ramachandran, Varsha A1 - Sana, Hugues A1 - Sander, Andreas Alexander Christoph A1 - Schnurr, O. A1 - St-Louis, N. A1 - Vanbeveren, D. A1 - Gotberg, Y. A1 - Hamann, Wolf-Rainer T1 - The Wolf-Rayet binaries of the nitrogen sequence in the Large Magellanic Cloud Spectroscopy, orbital analysis, formation, and evolution JF - Astronomy and astrophysics : an international weekly journal N2 - Context. Massive Wolf-Rayet (WR) stars dominate the radiative and mechanical energy budget of galaxies and probe a critical phase in the evolution of massive stars prior to core collapse. It is not known whether core He-burning WR stars (classical WR; cWR) form predominantly through wind stripping (w-WR) or binary stripping (b-WR). Whereas spectroscopy of WR binaries has so-far largely been avoided because of its complexity, our study focuses on the 44 WR binaries and binary candidates of the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC; metallicity Z approximate to 0.5 Z(circle dot)), which were identified on the basis of radial velocity variations, composite spectra, or high X-ray luminosities. Aims. Relying on a diverse spectroscopic database, we aim to derive the physical and orbital parameters of our targets, confronting evolution models of evolved massive stars at subsolar metallicity and constraining the impact of binary interaction in forming these stars. Methods. Spectroscopy was performed using the Potsdam Wolf-Rayet (PoWR) code and cross-correlation techniques. Disentanglement was performed using the code Spectangular or the shift-and-add algorithm. Evolutionary status was interpreted using the Binary Population and Spectral Synthesis (BPASS) code, exploring binary interaction and chemically homogeneous evolution. Results. Among our sample, 28/44 objects show composite spectra and are analyzed as such. An additional five targets show periodically moving WR primaries but no detected companions (SB1); two (BAT99 99 and 112) are potential WR + compact-object candidates owing to their high X-ray luminosities. We cannot confirm the binary nature of the remaining 11 candidates. About two-thirds of the WN components in binaries are identified as cWR, and one-third as hydrogen-burning WR stars. We establish metallicity-dependent mass-loss recipes, which broadly agree with those recently derived for single WN stars, and in which so-called WN3/O3 stars are clear outliers. We estimate that 45 +/- 30% of the cWR stars in our sample have interacted with a companion via mass transfer. However, only approximate to 12 +/- 7% of the cWR stars in our sample naively appear to have formed purely owing to stripping via a companion (12% b-WR). Assuming that apparently single WR stars truly formed as single stars, this comprises approximate to 4% of the whole LMC WN population, which is about ten times less than expected. No obvious differences in the properties of single and binary WN stars, whose luminosities extend down to log L approximate to 5.2 [L-circle dot], are apparent. With the exception of a few systems (BAT99 19, 49, and 103), the equatorial rotational velocities of the OB-type companions are moderate (v(eq) less than or similar to 250 km s(-1)) and challenge standard formalisms of angular-momentum accretion. For most objects, chemically homogeneous evolution can be rejected for the secondary, but not for the WR progenitor. Conclusions. No obvious dichotomy in the locations of apparently single and binary WN stars on the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram is apparent. According to commonly used stellar evolution models (BPASS, Geneva), most apparently single WN stars could not have formed as single stars, implying that they were stripped by an undetected companion. Otherwise, it must follow that pre-WR mass-loss/mixing (e.g., during the red supergiant phase) are strongly underestimated in standard stellar evolution models. KW - stars: massive KW - stars: Wolf-Rayet KW - Magellanic Clouds KW - binaries: close KW - binaries: spectroscopic KW - stars: evolution Y1 - 2019 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/201935684 SN - 0004-6361 SN - 1432-0746 VL - 627 PB - EDP Sciences CY - Les Ulis ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Toala, Jesús Alberto A1 - Oskinova, Lida A1 - Hamann, Wolf-Rainer A1 - Ignace, Richard A1 - Sander, Andreas Alexander Christoph A1 - Shenar, Tomer A1 - Todt, Helge Tobias A1 - Chu, Y. -H. A1 - Guerrero, Martin A. A1 - Hainich, Rainer A1 - Torrejon, Jose Miguel T1 - On the Apparent Absence of Wolf-Rayet plus Neutron Star Systems BT - the Curious Case of WR124 JF - The astrophysical journal : an international review of spectroscopy and astronomical physics ; Part 2, Letters N2 - Among the different types of massive stars in advanced evolutionary stages is the enigmatic WN8h type. There are only a few Wolf-Rayet (WR) stars with this spectral type in our Galaxy. It has long been suggested that WN8h-type stars are the products of binary evolution that may harbor neutron stars (NS). One of the most intriguing WN8h stars is the runaway WR 124 surrounded by its magnificent nebula M1-67. We test the presence of an accreting NS companion in WR 124 using similar to 100 ks long observations by the Chandra X-ray observatory. The hard X-ray emission from WR 124 with a luminosity of L-X similar to 10(31) erg s(-1) is marginally detected. We use the non-local thermodynamic equilibrium stellar atmosphere code PoWR to estimate the WR wind opacity to the X-rays. The wind of a WN8-type star is effectively opaque for X-rays, hence the low X-ray luminosity of WR 124 does not rule out the presence of an embedded compact object. We suggest that, in general, high-opacity WR winds could prevent X-ray detections of embedded NS, and be an explanation for the apparent lack of WR+NS systems. KW - circumstellar matter KW - ISM: jets and outflows KW - stars: massive KW - stars: evolution KW - stars: neutron KW - stars: Wolf-Rayet Y1 - 2018 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/aaf39d SN - 2041-8205 SN - 2041-8213 VL - 869 IS - 1 PB - IOP Publ. Ltd. CY - Bristol ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Oskinova, Lida A1 - Feldmeier, Achim A1 - Hamann, Wolf-Rainer T1 - High-resolution X-ray spectroscopy of bright O-type stars JF - Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society N2 - Archival X-ray spectra of the four prominent single, non-magnetic O stars zeta Pup, zeta Ori, xi Per and zeta Oph, obtained in high resolution with Chandra HETGS/MEG have been studied. The resolved X-ray emission line profiles provide information about the shocked, hot gas which emits the X-radiation, and about the bulk of comparably cool stellar wind material which partly absorbs this radiation. In this paper, we synthesize X-ray line profiles with a model of a clumpy stellar wind. We find that the geometrical shape of the wind inhomogeneities is important: better agreement with the observations can be achieved with radially compressed clumps than with spherical clumps. The parameters of the model, i.e. chemical abundances, stellar radius, mass-loss rate and terminal wind velocity, are taken from existing analyses of UV and optical spectra of the programme stars. On this basis, we also calculate the continuum-absorption coefficient of the cool-wind material, using the Potsdam Wolf-Rayet (POWR) model atmosphere code. The radial location of X-ray emitting gas is restricted from analysing the FIR line ratios of helium-like ions. The only remaining free parameter of our model is the typical distance between the clumps; here, we assume that at any point in the wind there is one clump passing by per one dynamical time-scale of the wind. The total emission in a model line is scaled to the observation. There is a good agreement between synthetic and observed line profiles. We conclude that the X-ray emission line profiles in O stars can be explained by hot plasma embedded in a cool wind which is highly clumped in the form of radially compressed shell fragments. KW - stars : individual : zeta Pup KW - stars : individual : zeta Ori KW - stars : individual : xi Per KW - stars : individual : zeta Oph KW - X-rays : stars Y1 - 2006 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2966.2006.10858.x SN - 0035-8711 VL - 372 SP - 313 EP - 326 PB - Oxford University Press CY - Oxford ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Hamann, Wolf-Rainer A1 - Graefener, G. A1 - Liermann, A. T1 - The galactic WN stars - Spectral analyses with line-blanketed model atmospheres versus stellar evolution models with and without rotation JF - Astronomy and astrophysics : an international weekly journal N2 - Context. Very massive stars pass through the Wolf-Rayet (WR) stage before they finally explode. Details of their evolution have not yet been safely established, and their physics are not well understood. Their spectral analysis requires adequate model atmospheres, which have been developed step by step during the past decades and account in their recent version for line blanketing by the millions of lines from iron and iron-group elements. However, only very few WN stars have been re-analyzed by means of line-blanketed models yet. Aims. The quantitative spectral analysis of a large sample of Galactic WN stars with the most advanced generation of model atmospheres should provide an empirical basis for various studies about the origin, evolution, and physics of the Wolf-Rayet stars and their powerful winds. Methods. We analyze a large sample of Galactic WN stars by means of the Potsdam Wolf-Rayet (PoWR) model atmospheres, which account for iron line blanketing and clumping. The results are compared with a synthetic population, generated from the Geneva tracks for massive star evolution. Results. We obtain a homogeneous set of stellar and atmospheric parameters for the GalacticWN stars, partly revising earlier results. Conclusions. Comparing the results of our spectral analyses of the Galactic WN stars with the predictions of the Geneva evolutionary calculations, we conclude that there is rough qualitative agreement. However, the quantitative discrepancies are still severe, and there is no preference for the tracks that account for the effects of rotation. It seems that the evolution of massive stars is still not satisfactorily understood. KW - stars : mass-loss KW - stars : winds, outflows KW - stars : Wolf-Rayet KW - stars : atmospheres KW - stars : early-type KW - stars : evolution Y1 - 2006 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361:20065052 SN - 0004-6361 VL - 457 IS - 3 SP - 1015 EP - 1031 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 - 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 - Bozzo, Enrico A1 - Oskinova, Lida A1 - Lobel, A. A1 - Hamann, Wolf-Rainer T1 - The super-orbital modulation of supergiant high-mass X-ray binaries JF - Astronomy and astrophysics : an international weekly journal N2 - The long-term X-ray light curves of classical supergiant X-ray binaries and supergiant fast X-ray transients show relatively similar super-orbital modulations, which are still lacking a sound interpretation. We propose that these modulations are related to the presence of corotating interaction regions (CIRs) known to thread the winds of OB supergiants. To test this hypothesis, we couple the outcomes of three-dimensional (3D) hydrodynamic models for the formation of CIRs in stellar winds with a simplified recipe for the accretion onto a neutron star. The results show that the synthetic X-ray light curves are indeed modulated by the presence of the CIRs. The exact period and amplitude of these modulations depend on a number of parameters governing the hydrodynamic wind models and on the binary orbital configuration. To compare our model predictions with the observations, we apply the 3D wind structure previously shown to well explain the appearance of discrete absorption components in the UV time series of a prototypical B0.5I-type supergiant. Using the orbital parameters of IGRJ 16493-4348, which has the same B0.5I donor spectral type, the period and modulations in the simulated X-ray light curve are similar to the observed ones, thus providing support to our scenario. We propose that the presence of CIRs in donor star winds should be considered in future theoretical and simulation efforts of wind-fed X-ray binaries. KW - X-rays: stars KW - X-rays: binaries KW - gamma rays: stars KW - stars: massive KW - stars: neutron Y1 - 2017 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/201731930 SN - 1432-0746 VL - 606 PB - EDP Sciences CY - Les Ulis ER - TY - GEN A1 - Barniske, Andreas A1 - Oskinova, Lida A1 - Hamann, Wolf-Rainer T1 - Two extremely luminous WN stars in the Galactic center with circumstellar emission from dust and gas (vol 486, pg 971, 2008) T2 - Physical chemistry, chemical physics : a journal of European Chemical Societies KW - stars: Wolf-Rayet KW - HII regions KW - Galaxy: center KW - stars: individual: WR 102ka KW - stars: individual: WR 102c KW - errata, addenda Y1 - 2016 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/200809568e SN - 1432-0746 VL - 587 PB - EDP Sciences CY - Les Ulis ER -