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Institute
The accretion of the stellar wind material by a compact object represents the main mechanism powering the X-ray emission in classical supergiant high mass X-ray binaries and supergiant fast X-ray transients. In this work we present the first attempt to simulate the accretion process of a fast and dense massive star wind onto a neutron star, taking into account the effects of the centrifugal and magnetic inhibition of accretion ("gating") due to the spin and magnetic field of the compact object. We made use of a radiative hydrodynamical code to model the nonstationary radiatively driven wind of an O-B supergiant star and then place a neutron star characterized by a fixed magnetic field and spin period at a certain distance from the massive companion. Our calculations follow, as a function of time (on a total timescale of several hours), the transitions of the system through all different accretion regimes that are triggered by the intrinsic variations in the density and velocity of the nonstationary wind. The X-ray luminosity released by the system is computed at each time step by taking into account the relevant physical processes occurring in the different accretion regimes. Synthetic lightcurves are derived and qualitatively compared with those observed from classical supergiant high mass X-ray binaries and supergiant fast X-ray transients. Although a number of simplifications are assumed in these calculations, we show that taking into account the effects of the centrifugal and magnetic inhibition of accretion significantly reduces the average X-ray luminosity expected for any neutron star wind-fed binary. The present model calculations suggest that long spin periods and stronger magnetic fields are favored in order to reproduce the peculiar behavior of supergiant fast X-ray transients in the X-ray domain.
Theoretical Fluid Dynamics
(2019)
Line driven winds are accelerated by the momentum transfer from photons to a plasma, by absorption and scattering in numerous spectral lines. Line driving is most efficient for ultraviolet radiation, and at plasma temperatures from 10^4 K to 10^5 K. Astronomical objects which show line driven winds include stars of spectral type O, B, and A, Wolf-Rayet stars, and accretion disks over a wide range of scales, from disks in young stellar objects and cataclysmic variables to quasar disks. It is not yet possible to solve the full wind problem numerically, and treat the combined hydrodynamics, radiative transfer, and statistical equilibrium of these flows. The emphasis in the present writing is on wind hydrodynamics, with severe simplifications in the other two areas. I consider three topics in some detail, for reasons of personal involvement. 1. Wind instability, as caused by Doppler de-shadowing of gas parcels. The instability causes the wind gas to be compressed into dense shells enclosed by strong shocks. Fast clouds occur in the space between shells, and collide with the latter. This leads to X-ray flashes which may explain the observed X-ray emission from hot stars. 2. Wind runaway, as caused by a new type of radiative waves. The runaway may explain why observed line driven winds adopt fast, critical solutions instead of shallow (or breeze) solutions. Under certain conditions the wind settles on overloaded solutions, which show a broad deceleration region and kinks in their velocity law. 3. Magnetized winds, as launched from accretion disks around stars or in active galactic nuclei. Line driving is assisted by centrifugal forces along co-rotating poloidal magnetic field lines, and by Lorentz forces due to toroidal field gradients. A vortex sheet starting at the inner disk rim can lead to highly enhanced mass loss rates.
Clumps in hot star winds can originate from shock compression due to the line driven instability. One-dimensional hydrodynamic simulations reveal a radial wind structure consisting of highly compressed shells separated by voids, and colliding with fast clouds. Two-dimensional simulations are still largely missing, despite first attempts. Clumpiness dramatically affects the radiative transfer and thus all wind diagnostics in the UV, optical, and in X-rays. The microturbulence approximation applied hitherto is currently superseded by a more sophisticated radiative transfer in stochastic media. Besides clumps, i.e. jumps in the density stratification, so-called kinks in the velocity law, i.e. jumps in dv/dr, play an eminent role in hot star winds. Kinks are a new type of radiative-acoustic shock, and propagate at super-Abbottic speed.
There is strong observational evidence of shocks and clumping in radiation-driven stellar winds from hot, luminous stars. The resulting non nous monotonic velocity law allows for radiative coupling between distant locations, which is so far not accounted for in hydrodynamic wind simulations. In the present paper, we determine the Sobolev source function and radiative line force in the presence of radiative coupling in spherically symmetric flows, extending the geometry-free formalism of Rybicki & Hummer (1978, ApJ, 219, 654) to the case of three-point coupling, which can result from, e. g., corotating interaction regions, wind shocks, or mass overloading. For a simple model of an overloaded wind, we find that, surprisingly, the flow decelerates at all radii above a certain height when nonlocal radiative coupling is accounted for. We discuss whether radiation-driven winds might in general not be able to re- accelerate after a non monotonicity has occurred in the velocity law
We discuss X-ray line formation in dense O star winds. A random distribution of wind shocks is assumed to emit X-rays that are partially absorbed by cooler wind gas. The cool gas resides in highly compressed fragments oriented perpendicular to the radial flow direction. For fully opaque fragments, we find that the blueshifted part of X-ray line profiles remains flat-topped even after severe wind attenuation, whereas the red part shows a steep decline. These box- type, blueshifted profiles resemble recent Chandra observations of the O3 star zeta Pup. For partially transparent fragments, the emission lines become similar to those from a homogeneous wind.
We discuss the connection between wind overloading and discrete absorption components in P Cygni line profiles from O stars. Overloading can create horizontal plateaus in the radial wind speed that cause the extra absorption in the line profile. The upstream propagation speed of these velocity plateaus is analyzed. The second part of the paper deals with X-ray emission from O stars. X-ray line profiles observed with Chandra and XMM are often symmetric, contrary to what is expected for lines from a homogeneous wind. We discuss the influence on line symmetry of photon escape channels in a strongly clumped wind.
Line driven winds from stars and accretion disks are accelerated by scattering in numerous line transitions. The wind is believed to adopt a unique critical solution, out of the infinite variety of shallow and steep solutions. We study the inherent dynamics of the transition towards the critical wind. A new runaway wind mechanism is analyzed in terms of radiative-acoustic (Abbott) waves which are responsible for shaping the wind velocity law and fixing the mass loss. Three different flow types result, depending on the location of perturbations. First, if the shallow solution is perturbed sufficiently far downstream, a single critical point forms in the flow, which is a barrier for Abbott waves, and the solution tends to the critical one. Second, if the shallow solution is perturbed upstream from this critical point, mass overloading results, and the critical point is shifted inwards. This wind exhibits a broad, stationary region of decelerating flow and its velocity law has kinks. Third, for perturbations even further upstream, the overloaded wind becomes time-dependent, and develops shocks and dense shells.
Observations and theory suggest that line driven winds from hot stars and luminous accretion disks adopt a unique, critical solution which corresponds to maximum mass loss rate. We analyze the numerical stability of the infinite family of shallow wind solutions, which resemble solar wind breezes, and their transition to the critical wind. Shallow solutions are sub-critical with respect to radiative (or Abbott) waves. These waves can propagate upstream through shallow winds at high speeds. If the waves are not accounted for in the Courant time step, numerical runaway results. The outer boundary condition is equally important for wind stability. Assuming pure outflow conditions, as is done in the literature, triggers runaway of shallow winds to the critical solution or to accretion flow.
Spectral lines formed in stellar winds from OB stars are observed to exhibit profile variations. Discrete Absorption Components (DACs) show a remarkably slow wavelength drift with time. In a straightforward interpretation, this is in sharp contradiction to the steep velocity law predicted by the radiation-driven wind theory, and by semi- empirical profile fitting. In the present paper we re-discuss the interpretation of the drift rate. We show that the Co- rotating Interaction Region (CIR) model for the formation of DACs does not explain their slow drift rate as a consequence of rotation. On the contrary, the apparent acceleration of a spectral CIR feature is even higher than for the corresponding kinematical model without rotation. However, the observations can be understood by distinguishing between the velocity field of the matter flow, and the velocity law for the motion of the patterns in which the DAC features are formed. If the latter propagate upstream against the matter flow, the resulting wavelength drift mimics a much slower acceleration although the matter is moving fast. Additional to the DACs, a second type of recurrent structures is present in observed OB star spectra, the so-called modulations. In contrast to the DACs, these structures show a steep acceleration compatible with the theoretically predicted velocity law. We see only two possible consistent scenarios. Either, the wind is accelerated fast, and the modulations are formed in advected structures, while the DACs come from structures which are propagating upstream. Or, alternatively, steep and shallow velocity laws may co-exist at the same time in different spatial regions or directions of the wind.
Modeling expanding atmospheres is a difficult task because of the extreme non-LTE situation, the need to account for complex model atoms, especially for the iron-group elements with their millions of lines, and because of the supersonic expansion. Adequate codes have been developed e.g. by Hillier (CMFGEN), the Munich group (Puls, Pauldrach), and in Potsdam (PoWR code, Hamann et al.). While early work was based on the assumption of a smooth and homogeneous spherical stellar wind, the need to account for clumping became obvious about ten years ago. A relatively simple first-order clumping correction was readily implemented into the model codes. However, its simplifying assumptions are severe. Most importantly, the clumps are taken to be optically thin at all frequencies (”microclumping”). We discuss the consequences of this approximation and describe an approach to account for optically thick clumps (“macroclumping”). First results demonstrate that macroclumping can generally reduce the strength of spectral features, depending on their optical thickness. The recently reported discrepancy between the Hα diagnostic and the Pv resonance lines in O star spectra can be resolved without decreasing the mass-loss rates, when macroclumping is taken into account.
A small fraction of the radiative flux emitted by hot stars is absorbed by their winds and redistributed towards longer wavelengths. This effect, which leads also to the heating of the stellar photosphere, is termed wind blanketing. For stars with variable winds, the effect of wind blanketing may lead to the photometric variability. We have studied the consequences of line driven wind instability and wind blanketing for the light variability of O stars. We combined the results of wind hydrodynamic simulations and of global wind models to predict the light variability of hot stars due to the wind blanketing and instability. The wind instability causes stochastic light variability with amplitude of the order of tens of millimagnitudes and a typical timescale of the order of hours for spatially coherent wind structure. The amplitude is of the order of millimagnitudes when assuming that the wind consists of large number of independent concentric cones. The variability with such amplitude is observable using present space borne photometers. We show that the simulated light curve is similar to the light curves of O stars obtained using BRITE and CoRoT satellites.
Context
Line-driven wind instability is expected to cause small-scale wind inhomogeneities, X-ray emission, and wind line profile variability. The instability can already develop around the sonic point if it is initiated close to the photosphere due to stochastic turbulent motions. In such cases, it may leave its imprint on the light curve as a result of wind blanketing.
Aims
We study the photometric signatures of the line-driven wind instability.
Methods
We used line-driven wind instability simulations to determine the wind variability close to the star. We applied two types of boundary perturbations: a sinusoidal one that enables us to study in detail the development of the instability and a stochastic one given by a Langevin process that provides a more realistic boundary perturbation. We estimated the photometric variability from the resulting mass-flux variations. The variability was simulated assuming that the wind consists of a large number of independent conical wind sectors. We compared the simulated light curves with TESS light curves of OB stars that show stochastic variability.
Results
We find two typical signatures of line-driven wind instability in photometric data: a knee in the power spectrum of magnitude fluctuations, which appears due to engulfment of small-scale structure by larger structures, and a negative skewness of the distribution of fluctuations, which is the result of spatial dominance of rarefied regions. These features endure even when combining the light curves from independent wind sectors.
Conclusions
The stochastic photometric variability of OB stars bears certain signatures of the line-driven wind instability. The distribution function of observed photometric data shows negative skewness and the power spectra of a fraction of light curves exhibit a knee. This can be explained as a result of the line-driven wind instability triggered by stochastic base perturbations.
Context. During their evolution massive stars can reach the phase of critical rotation when a further increase in rotational speed is no longer possible. Direct centrifugal ejection from a critically or near-critically rotating surface forms a gaseous equatorial decretion disk. Anomalous viscosity provides the efficient mechanism for transporting the angular momentum outwards. The outer part of the disk can extend up to a very large distance from the parent star.
Aims. We study the evolution of density, radial and azimuthal velocity, and angular momentum loss rate of equatorial decretion disks out to very distant regions. We investigate how the physical characteristics of the disk depend on the distribution of temperature and viscosity.
Methods. We calculated stationary models using the Newton-Raphson method. For time-dependent hydrodynamic modeling we developed the numerical code based on an explicit finite difference scheme on an Eulerian grid including full Navier-Stokes shear viscosity.
Results. The sonic point distance and the maximum angular momentum loss rate strongly depend on the temperature profile and are almost independent of viscosity. The rotational velocity at large radii rapidly drops accordingly to temperature and viscosity distribution. The total amount of disk mass and the disk angular momentum increase with decreasing temperature and viscosity.
Conclusions. The time-dependent one-dimensional models basically confirm the results obtained in the stationary models as well as the assumptions of the analytical approximations. Including full Navier-Stokes viscosity we systematically avoid the rotational velocity sign change at large radii. The unphysical drop of the rotational velocity and angular momentum loss at large radii (present in some models) can be avoided in the models with decreasing temperature and viscosity.
Two-dimensional modeling of density and thermal structure of dense circumstellar outflowing disks
(2018)
Context. Evolution of massive stars is affected by a significant loss of mass either via (nearly) spherically symmetric stellar winds or by aspherical mass-loss mechanisms, namely the outflowing equatorial disks. However, the scenario that leads to the formation of a disk or rings of gas and dust around massive stars is still under debate. It is also unclear how various forming physical mechanisms of the circumstellar environment affect its shape and density, as well as its kinematic and thermal structure. Results. Our models show the geometric distribution and contribution of viscous heating that begins to dominate in the central part of the disk for mass-loss rates higher than (M) over dot greater than or similar to 10(-10) M-circle dot yr(-1). In the models of dense viscous disks with (M) over dot > 10(-8) M-circle dot yr(-1), the viscosity increases the central temperature up to several tens of thousands of Kelvins, however the temperature rapidly drops with radius and with distance from the disk midplane. The high mass-loss rates and high viscosity lead to instabilities with significant waves or bumps in density and temperature in the very inner disk region. Conclusions. The two-dimensional radial-vertical models of dense outflowing disks including the full Navier-Stokes viscosity terms show very high temperatures that are however limited to only the central disk cores inside the optically thick area, while near the edge of the optically thick region the temperature may be low enough for the existence of neutral hydrogen, for example.
During their evolution, massive stars are characterized by a significant loss of mass either via spherically symmetric stellar winds or by aspherical mass-loss mechanisms, namely outflowing equatorial disks. However, the scenario that leads to the formation of a disk or rings of gas and dust around these objects is still under debate. Is it a viscous disk or an ouftlowing disk-forming wind or some other mechanism? It is also unclear how various physical mechanisms that act on the circumstellar environment of the stars affect its shape, density, kinematic, and thermal structure. We assume that the disk-forming mechanism is a viscous transport within an equatorial outflowing disk of a rapidly or even critically rotating star. We study the hydrodynamic and thermal structure of optically thick dense parts of outflowing circumstellar disks that may form around,e.g., Be stars, sgB[e] stars, or Pop m stars. We calculate self-consistent time dependent models of the inner dense region of the disk that is strongly affected either by irradiation from the central star and by contributions of viscous heating effects. We also simulate the dynamic effects of collision between expanding ejecta of supernovae and circumstellar disks that may be form in sgB[e] stars and, e.g., LBVs or Pop in stars.
Context. AMCVn systems are ultracompact binaries in which a (semi-) degenerate star transfers helium-dominated matter onto a white dwarf. They are effective gravitational-wave emitters and potential progenitors of Type Ia supernovae.
Aims. To understand the evolution of AMCVn systems it is necessary to determine their mass-loss rate through their radiation-driven accretion-disk wind. We constructed models to perform quantitative spectroscopy of P Cygni line profiles that were detected in UV spectra.
Methods. We performed 2.5D Monte Carlo radiative transfer calculations in hydrodynamic wind structures by making use of realistic NLTE spectra from the accretion disk and by accounting for the white dwarf as an additional photon source.
Results. We present first results from calculations in which LTE opacities are used in the wind model. A comparison with UV spectroscopy of the AMCVn prototype shows that the modeling procedure is potentially a good tool for determining mass-loss rates and abundances of trace metals in the helium-rich wind.
Mass accretion onto compact objects through accretion disks is a common phenomenon in the universe. It is seen in all energy domains from active galactic nuclei through cataclysmic variables (CVs) to young stellar objects. Because CVs are fairly easy to observe, they provide an ideal opportunity to study accretion disks in great detail and thus help us to understand accretion also in other energy ranges. Mass accretion in these objects is often accompanied by mass outflow from the disks. This accretion disk wind, at least in CVs, is thought to be radiatively driven, similar to O star winds. WOMPAT, a 3-D Monte Carlo radiative transfer code for accretion disk winds of CVs is presented.
It is commonly adopted that X-rays from O stars are produced deep inside the stellar wind, and transported outwards through the bulk of the expanding matter which attenuates the radiation and affects the shape of emission line profiles. The ability of the X-ray observatories Chandra and XMM-Newton to resolve these lines spectroscopically provided a stringent test for the theory of the X-ray production. It turned out that none of the existing models was able to fit the observations consistently. The possible caveat of these models was the underlying assumption of a smooth stellar wind. Motivated by the evidence that the stellar winds are in fact structured, we present a 2-D numerical model of a stochastic, inhomogeneous wind. Small parcels of hot, X-ray emitting gas are permeated by cool, absorbing wind material which is compressed into thin shell fragments. Wind fragmentation alters the radiative transfer drastically, compared to homogeneous models of the same mass-loss rate. X-rays produced deep inside the wind, which would be totally absorbed in a homogeneous flow, can effectively escape from a fragmented wind. The wind absorption becomes wavelength independent if the individual fragments are optically thick. The X-ray line profiles are flat-topped in the blue part and decline steeply in the red part for the winds with a short acceleration zone. For the winds where the acceleration extends over significant distances, the lines can appear nearly symmetric and only slightly blueshifted, in contrast to the skewed, triangular line profiles typically obtained from homogeneous wind models of high optical depth. We show that profiles from a fragmented wind model can reproduce the observed line profiles from zeta Orionis. The present numerical modeling confirms the results from a previous study, where we derived analytical formulae from a statistical treatment