TY - JOUR A1 - Parkin, E. R. A1 - Broos, Patrick S. A1 - Townsley, L. K. A1 - Pittard, J. M. A1 - Moffat, Anthony F. J. A1 - Naze, Y. A1 - Rauw, G. A1 - Oskinova, Lida A1 - Waldron, W. L. T1 - X-RAY EMISSION FROM THE DOUBLE-BINARY OB-STAR SYSTEM QZ CAR (HD 93206) JF - ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL SUPPLEMENT SERIES N2 - X-ray observations of the double-binary OB-star system QZ Car (HD 93206) obtained with the Chandra X-ray Observatory over a period of roughly 2 years are presented. The respective orbits of systems A (O9.7 I+b2 v, P-A = 21 days) and B (O8 III+o9 v, P-B = 6 days) are reasonably well sampled by the observations, allowing the origin of the X-ray emission to be examined in detail. The X-ray spectra can be well fitted by an attenuated three-temperature thermal plasma model, characterized by cool, moderate, and hot plasma components at kT similar or equal to 0.2, 0.7, and 2 keV, respectively, and a circumstellar absorption of similar or equal to 0.2 x 10(22) cm(-2). Although the hot plasma component could be indicating the presence of wind-wind collision shocks in the system, the model fluxes calculated from spectral fits, with an average value of similar or equal to 7x10(-13) erg s(-1) cm(-2), do not show a clear correlation with the orbits of the two constituent binaries. A semi-analytical model of QZ Car reveals that a stable momentum balance may not be established in either system A or B. Yet, despite this, system B is expected to produce an observed X-ray flux well in excess of the observations. If one considers the wind of the O8 III star to be disrupted by mass transfer, the model and observations are in far better agreement, which lends support to the previous suggestion of mass transfer in the O8 III+o9 v binary. We conclude that the X-ray emission from QZ Car can be reasonably well accounted for by a combination of contributions mainly from the single stars and the mutual wind-wind collision between systems A and B. KW - hydrodynamics KW - stars: early-type KW - stars: individual (QZ Carinae) KW - stars: massive KW - stars: winds, outflows KW - X-rays: stars Y1 - 2011 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1088/0067-0049/194/1/8 SN - 0067-0049 VL - 194 IS - 1 PB - IOP PUBLISHING LTD CY - BRISTOL ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Naze, Y. A1 - Broos, Patrick S. A1 - Oskinova, Lida A1 - Townsley, L. K. A1 - Cohen, David H. A1 - Corcoran, M. F. A1 - Evans, N. R. A1 - Gagne, M. A1 - Moffat, Anthony F. J. A1 - Pittard, J. M. A1 - Rauw, G. A1 - Ud-Doula, A. A1 - Walborn, N. R. T1 - GLOBAL X-RAY PROPERTIES OF THE O AND B STARS IN CARINA JF - ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL SUPPLEMENT SERIES N2 - The key empirical property of the X-ray emission from O stars is a strong correlation between the bolometric and X-ray luminosities. In the framework of the Chandra Carina Complex Project, 129 O and B stars have been detected as X-ray sources; 78 of those, all with spectral type earlier than B3, have enough counts for at least a rough X-ray spectral characterization. This leads to an estimate of the L-X-L-BOL ratio for an exceptional number of 60 O stars belonging to the same region and triples the number of Carina massive stars studied spectroscopically in X-rays. The derived log(L-X/L-BOL) is -7.26 for single objects, with a dispersion of only 0.21 dex. Using the properties of hot massive stars listed in the literature, we compare the X-ray luminosities of different types of objects. In the case of O stars, the L-X-L-BOL ratios are similar for bright and faint objects, as well as for stars of different luminosity classes or spectral types. Binaries appear only slightly harder and slightly more luminous in X-rays than single objects; the differences are not formally significant (at the 1% level), except for the L-X-L-BOL ratio in the medium (1.0-2.5 keV) energy band. Weak-wind objects have similar X-ray luminosities but they display slightly softer spectra compared with "normal" O stars with the same bolometric luminosity. Discarding three overluminous objects, we find a very shallow trend of harder emission in brighter objects. The properties of the few B stars bright enough to yield some spectral information appear to be different overall (constant X-ray luminosities, harder spectra), hinting that another mechanism for producing X-rays, besides wind shocks, might be at work. However, it must be stressed that the earliest and X-ray brightest among these few detected objects are similar to the latest O stars, suggesting a possibly smooth transition between the two processes. KW - ISM: individual objects (Carina nebula) KW - stars: massive KW - X-rays: stars Y1 - 2011 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1088/0067-0049/194/1/7 SN - 0067-0049 VL - 194 IS - 1 PB - IOP PUBLISHING LTD CY - BRISTOL ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Evans, Nancy Remage A1 - DeGioia-Eastwood, Kathleen A1 - Gagne, Marc A1 - Townsley, Leisa A1 - Broos, Patrick S. A1 - Wolk, Scott J. A1 - Naze, Yael A1 - Corcoran, Michael A1 - Oskinova, Lida A1 - Moffat, Anthony F. J. A1 - Wang, Junfeng A1 - Walborn, Nolan R. T1 - The search for low-mass companions of b stars in the Carina Nebula cluster trumpler 16 JF - The astrophysical journal : an international review of spectroscopy and astronomical physics ; Supplement series N2 - We have developed lists of likely B3-A0 stars (called "late B" stars) in the young cluster Trumpler 16. The following criteria were used: location within 3' of eta Car, an appropriate V and B - V combination, and proper motion (where available). Color and magnitude cuts have been made assuming an E(B - V) = 0.55 mag +/- 0.1, which is a good approximation close to the center of Trumpler 16. These lists have been cross-correlated with X-ray sources found in the Chandra Carina Complex Project. Previous studies have shown that only very rarely (if at all) do late main-sequence B stars produce X-rays. We present evidence that the X-ray-detected sources are binaries with low-mass companions, since stars less massive than 1.4 M-circle dot are strong X-ray sources at the age of the cluster. Both the median X-ray energies and X-ray luminosities of these sources are in good agreement with values for typical low-mass coronal X-ray sources. We find that 39% of the late B stars based on a list with proper motions have low-mass companions. Similarly, 32% of a sample without proper motions have low-mass companions. We discuss the X-ray detection completeness. These results on low-mass companions of intermediate-mass stars are complementary to spectroscopic and interferometric results and probe new parameter space of low-mass companions at all separations. They do not support a steeply rising distribution of mass ratios to low masses for intermediate-mass (5 M-circle dot) primaries, such as would be found by random pairing from the initial mass function. KW - open clusters and associations: individual (Trumpler 16) KW - stars: massive Y1 - 2011 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1088/0067-0049/194/1/13 SN - 0067-0049 VL - 194 IS - 1 PB - IOP Publ. Ltd. CY - Bristol ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Oskinova, Lida A1 - Todt, Helge Tobias A1 - Ignace, Richard A1 - Brown, John C. A1 - Cassinelli, Joseph P. A1 - Hamann, Wolf-Rainer T1 - Early magnetic B-type stars X-ray emission and wind properties JF - Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society N2 - We present a comprehensive study of X-ray emission by, and wind properties of, massive magnetic early B-type stars. Dedicated XMM-Newton observations were obtained for three early-type B-type stars, xi(1) CMa, V2052 Oph and zeta Cas, with recently discovered magnetic fields. We report the first detection of X-ray emission from V2052 Oph and zeta Cas. The latter is one the softest X-ray sources among the early-type stars, while the former is one of the X-ray faintest. The observations show that the X-ray spectra of our programme stars are quite soft with the bulk of X-ray emitting material having a temperature of about 1 MK. We compile the complete sample of early B-type stars with detected magnetic fields to date and existing X-ray measurements, in order to study whether the X-ray emission can be used as a general proxy for stellar magnetism. We find that the X-ray properties of early massive B-type magnetic stars are diverse, and that hard and strong X-ray emission does not necessarily correlate with the presence of a magnetic field, corroborating similar conclusions reached earlier for the classical chemically peculiar magnetic Bp-Ap stars. We analyse the ultraviolet (UV) spectra of five non-supergiant B stars with magnetic fields (tau Sco, beta Cep, xi(1) CMa, V2052 Oph and zeta Cas) by means of non-local thermodynamic equilibrium (non-LTE) iron-blanketed model atmospheres. The latter are calculated with the Potsdam Wolf-Rayet (PoWR) code, which treats the photosphere as well as the wind, and also accounts for X-rays. With the exception of t Sco, this is the first analysis of these stars by means of stellar wind models. Our models accurately fit the stellar photospheric spectra in the optical and the UV. The parameters of X-ray emission, temperature and flux are included in the model in accordance with observations. We confirm the earlier findings that the filling factors of X-ray emitting material are very high. Our analysis reveals that the magnetic early-type B stars studied here have weak winds with velocities not significantly exceeding upsilon(esc). The mass-loss rates inferred from the analysis of UV lines are significantly lower than predicted by hydrodynamically consistent models. We find that, although the X-rays strongly affect the ionization structure of the wind, this effect is not sufficient in reducing the total radiative acceleration. When the X-rays are accounted for at the intensity and temperatures observed, there is still sufficient radiative acceleration to drive a stronger mass-loss than we empirically infer from the UV spectral lines. KW - techniques: spectroscopic KW - stars: magnetic field KW - stars: massive KW - stars: mass loss KW - X-rays: stars Y1 - 2011 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2966.2011.19143.x SN - 0035-8711 VL - 416 IS - 2 SP - 1456 EP - 1474 PB - Wiley-Blackwell CY - Hoboken ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Sander, A. A1 - Hamann, Wolf-Rainer A1 - Todt, Helge Tobias T1 - The Galactic WC stars Stellar parameters from spectral analyses indicate a new evolutionary sequence JF - Astronomy and astrophysics : an international weekly journal N2 - Context. The life cycles of massive stars from the main sequence to their explosion as supernovae or gamma ray bursts are not yet fully clear, and the empirical results from spectral analyses are partly in conflict with current evolutionary models. The spectral analysis of Wolf-Rayet stars requires the detailed modeling of expanding stellar atmospheres in non-LTE. The Galactic WN stars have been comprehensively analyzed with such models of the latest stage of sophistication, while a similarly comprehensive study of the Galactic WC sample remains undone. Aims. We aim to establish the stellar parameters and mass-loss rates of the Galactic WC stars. These data provide the empirical basis of studies of (i) the role of WC stars in the evolution of massive stars, (ii) the wind-driving mechanisms, and (iii) the feedback of WC stars as input to models of the chemical and dynamical evolution of galaxies. Methods. We analyze the nearly complete sample of un-obscured Galactic WC stars, using optical spectra as well as ultraviolet spectra when available. The observations are fitted with theoretical spectra, using the Potsdam Wolf-Rayet (PoWR) model atmosphere code. A large grid of line-blanked models has been established for the range of WC subtypes WC4 - WC8, and smaller grids for the WC9 parameter domain. Both WO stars and WN/WC transit types are also analyzed using special models. Results. Stellar and atmospheric parameters are derived for more than 50 Galactic WC and two WO stars, covering almost the whole Galactic WC population as far as the stars are single, and un-obscured in the visual. In the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram, the WC stars reside between the hydrogen and the helium zero-age main sequences, having luminosities L from 10(4.9) to 10(5.6) L-circle dot. The mass-loss rates scale very tightly with L-0.8. The two WO stars in our sample turn out to be outstandingly hot (approximate to 200 kK) and do not fit into the WC scheme. Conclusions. By comparing the empirical WC positions in the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram with evolutionary models, and from recent supernova statistics, we conclude that WC stars have evolved from initial masses between 20 solar masses and 45 M-circle dot. In contrast to previous assumptions, it seems that WC stars in general do not descend from the most massive stars. Only the WO stars might stem from progenitors that have been initially more massive than 45 M-circle dot. KW - stars: massive KW - stars: mass-loss KW - stars: Wolf-Rayet KW - stars: evolution KW - stars: atmospheres KW - stars: winds, outflows Y1 - 2012 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/201117830 SN - 0004-6361 VL - 540 PB - EDP Sciences CY - Les Ulis ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Hubrig, Swetlana A1 - Schoeller, M. A1 - Ilyin, Ilya A1 - Kharchenko, N. V. A1 - Oskinova, Lida A1 - Langer, N. A1 - Gonzalez, J. F. A1 - Kholtygin, A. F. A1 - Briquet, Maryline T1 - Exploring the origin of magnetic fields in massive stars - II. New magnetic field measurements in cluster and field stars JF - Astronomy and astrophysics : an international weekly journal N2 - Context. Theories on the origin of magnetic fields in massive stars remain poorly developed, because the properties of their magnetic field as function of stellar parameters could not yet be investigated. Additional observations are of utmost importance to constrain the conditions that are conducive to magnetic fields and to determine first trends about their occurrence rate and field strength distribution. Aims. To investigate whether magnetic fields in massive stars are ubiquitous or appear only in stars with a specific spectral classification, certain ages, or in a special environment, we acquired 67 new spectropolarimetric observations for 30 massive stars. Among the observed sample, roughly one third of the stars are probable members of clusters at different ages, whereas the remaining stars are field stars not known to belong to any cluster or association. Methods. Spectropolarimetric observations were obtained during four different nights using the low-resolution spectropolarimetric mode of FOcal Reducer low dispersion Spectrograph (FORS 2) mounted on the 8-m Antu telescope of the VLT. Furthermore, we present a number of follow-up observations carried out with the high-resolution spectropolarimeters SOFIN mounted at the Nordic Optical Telescope (NOT) and HARPS mounted at the ESO 3.6 m between 2008 and 2011. To assess the membership in open clusters and associations, we used astrometric catalogues with the highest quality kinematic and photometric data currently available. Results. The presence of a magnetic field is confirmed in nine stars previously observed with FORS 1/2: HD36879, HD47839, CPD-28 2561, CPD-47 2963, HD93843, HD148937, HD149757, HD328856, and HD164794. New magnetic field detections at a significance level of at least 3 sigma were achieved in five stars: HD92206c, HD93521, HD93632, CPD-46 8221, and HD157857. Among the stars with a detected magnetic field, five stars belong to open clusters with high membership probability. According to previous kinematic studies, five magnetic O-type stars in our sample are candidate runaway stars. KW - polarization KW - stars: early-type KW - stars: kinematics and dynamics KW - stars: magnetic field KW - stars: massive KW - open clusters and associations: general Y1 - 2013 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/201220721 SN - 0004-6361 VL - 551 PB - EDP Sciences CY - Les Ulis ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Burgemeister, S. A1 - Gvaramadze, Visily V. A1 - Stringfellow, G. S. A1 - Kniazev, Alexei Y. A1 - Todt, Helge Tobias A1 - Hamann, Wolf-Rainer T1 - WR 120bb and WR 120bc: a pair of WN9h stars with possibly interacting circumstellar shells JF - Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society N2 - Two optically obscured Wolf-Rayet (WR) stars have been recently discovered by means of their infrared (IR) circumstellar shells, which show signatures of interaction with each other. Following the systematics of the WR star catalogues, these stars obtain the names WR 120bb and WR 120bc. In this paper, we present and analyse new near-IR, J-, H- and K-band spectra using the Potsdam Wolf-Rayet model atmosphere code. For that purpose, the atomic data base of the code has been extended in order to include all significant lines in the near-IR bands. The spectra of both stars are classified as WN9h. As their spectra are very similar the parameters that we obtained by the spectral analyses hardly differ. Despite their late spectral subtype, we found relatively high stellar temperatures of 63 kK. The wind composition is dominated by helium, while hydrogen is depleted to 25 per cent by mass. Because of their location in the Scutum-Centaurus Arm, WR 120bb and WR 120bc appear highly reddened, A(Ks) approximate to 2 mag. We adopt a common distance of 5.8 kpc to both stars, which complies with the typical absolute K-band magnitude for the WN9h subtype of -6.5 mag, is consistent with their observed extinction based on comparison with other massive stars in the region, and allows for the possibility that their shells are interacting with each other. This leads to luminosities of log(L/L-circle dot) = 5.66 and 5.54 for WR 120bb and WR 120bc, with large uncertainties due to the adopted distance. The values of the luminosities of WR 120bb and WR 120bc imply that the immediate precursors of both stars were red supergiants (RSG). This implies in turn that the circumstellar shells associated with WR 120bb and WR 120bc were formed by interaction between the WR wind and the dense material shed during the preceding RSG phase. KW - line: identification KW - circumstellar matter KW - stars: fundamental parameters KW - stars: massive KW - stars: Wolf-Rayet Y1 - 2013 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/sts588 SN - 0035-8711 SN - 1365-2966 VL - 429 IS - 4 SP - 3305 EP - 3315 PB - Oxford Univ. Press CY - Oxford ER -