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The Galactic WN stars. Spectral analyses with line-blanketed model atmospheres versus stellar evolution models with and without rotation
Context: .Very massive stars pass through the Wolf-Rayet (WR) stagebefore they finally explode. Details of their evolution have not yetbeen safely established, and their physics are not well understood.Their spectral analysis requires adequate model atmospheres, which havebeen developed step by step during the past decades and account in theirrecent version for line blanketing by the millions of lines from ironand iron-group elements. However, only very few WN stars have beenre-analyzed by means of line-blanketed models yet. Aims: .Thequantitative spectral analysis of a large sample of Galactic WN starswith the most advanced generation of model atmospheres should provide anempirical basis for various studies about the origin, evolution, andphysics of the Wolf-Rayet stars and their powerful winds. Methods:.We analyze a large sample of Galactic WN stars by means of the PotsdamWolf-Rayet (PoWR) model atmospheres, which account for iron lineblanketing and clumping. The results are compared with a syntheticpopulation, generated from the Geneva tracks for massive starevolution. Results: .We obtain a homogeneous set of stellar andatmospheric parameters for the Galactic WN stars, partly revisingearlier results. Conclusions: .Comparing the results of ourspectral analyses of the Galactic WN stars with the predictions of theGeneva evolutionary calculations, we conclude that there is roughqualitative agreement. However, the quantitative discrepancies are stillsevere, and there is no preference for the tracks that account for theeffects of rotation. It seems that the evolution of massive stars isstill not satisfactorily understood.
| Cleaning Up η Carinae: Detection of Ammonia in the Homunculus Nebula
We report the first detection of ammonia in the Homunculus Nebula aroundη Carinae, which is also the first detection of emission from apolyatomic molecule in this or any other luminous blue variable (LBV)nebula. Observations of the NH3 (J,K)=(3,3) inversiontransition made with the Australia Telescope Compact Array revealemission at locations where infrared H2 emission had beendetected previously, near the strongest dust emission in the core of theHomunculus. We also detect ammonia emission from the so-called strontiumfilament in the equatorial disk. The presence of NH3 aroundη Car hints that molecular shells around some Wolf-Rayet stars couldhave originated in prior LBV eruptions, rather than in cool redsupergiant winds or the ambient interstellar medium. Combined with thelack of any CO detection, NH3 seems to suggest that theHomunculus is nitrogen-rich like the ionized ejecta around η Car. Italso indicates that the Homunculus is a unique laboratory in which tostudy unusual molecule and dust chemistry, as well as their rapidformation in a nitrogen-rich environment around a hot star. We encouragefuture observations of other transitions like NH 3 (1, 1) and(2, 2), related molecules like N2H+, and renewedattempts to detect CO.
| Evolution of X-ray emission from young massive star clusters
The evolution of X-ray emission from young massive star clusters ismodelled, taking into account the emission from the stars as well asfrom the cluster wind. It is shown that the level and character of thesoft (0.2-10 keV) X-ray emission change drastically with cluster age andare tightly linked with stellar evolution. Using the modern X-rayobservations of massive stars, we show that the correlation betweenbolometric and X-ray luminosity known for single O stars also holds forO+O and (Wolf-Rayet) WR+O binaries. The diffuse emission originates fromthe cluster wind heated by the kinetic energy of stellar winds andsupernova explosions. To model the evolution of the cluster wind, themass and energy yields from a population synthesis are used as input toa hydrodynamic model. It is shown that in a very young cluster theemission from the cluster wind is low. When the cluster evolves, WRstars are formed. Their strong stellar winds power an increasing X-rayemission of the cluster wind. Subsequent supernova explosions pump thelevel of diffuse emission even higher. Clusters at this evolutionarystage may have no X-ray-bright stellar point sources, but a relativelyhigh level of diffuse emission. A supernova remnant may become adominant X-ray source, but only for a short time interval of a fewthousand years. We retrieve and analyse Chandra and XMM-Newtonobservations of six massive star clusters located in the LargeMagellanic Cloud (LMC). Our model reproduces the observed diffuse andpoint-source emission from these LMC clusters, as well as from theGalactic clusters Arches, Quintuplet and NGC 3603.
| Kinematical Structure of Wolf-Rayet Winds. II. Internal Velocity Scatter in WN Stars
The shortward edge of the absorption core velocities - v_black asdetermined from low resolution archived IUE spectra from the INESdatabase are presented for three P Cyg profiles of NV 1240, HeII 1640and NIV 1720 for 51 Galactic and 64 LMC Wolf-Rayet stars of the WNsubtype. These data, together with v_black of CIV 1550 line presented inNiedzielski and Skorzynski (2002) are discussed. Evidences are presentedthat v_black of CIV 1550 rarely displays the largest wind velocity amongthe four lines studied in detail and therefore its application as anestimator of the terminal wind velocity in WN stars is questioned. Anaverage v_black of several lines is suggested instead but it is pointedout that v_black of HeII 1640 usually reveals the highest observablewind velocity in Galactic and LMC WN stars. It is shown that thestratification strength decreases from WNL to WNE stars and that for WNLstars there exists a positive relation between v_black and theIonization Potential. The velocity scatter between v_black obtained fromdifferent UV lines is found to correlate well with the X-ray luminosityof single WN stars (correlation coefficient R=0.82 for the data obtainedfrom the high resolution IUE spectra) and therefore two clumpy windmodels of single WN stars are presented that allow the velocity scatterto persist up to very large distances from the stellar surface (r approx500-1000 R_*). These models are used to explain the specific features ofsingle WN stars like broad absorption troughs of strong lines havingdifferent v_black, X-ray fluxes, IR/radio continua and stratificationrelations.
| Molecular gas around the Wolf-Rayet star WR 18 (WN4)
Optically observed ring nebulae and Hi cavities around Wolf-Rayet starshave enabled us to obtain information on the history of mass-lossassociated with these massive evolved stars. However, such studies haveleft a number of unanswered questions regarding the amount of mass-lossand the conditions of the stars during a sequence of mass-loss phases.Here we discuss the molecular gas environments of the WR star WR 18,which has an associated optical ring nebula NGC 3199. Our observationsshow that significant amounts of molecular gas appear close to andassociated with the star. Mapping of molecular CO near the star showsthat molecular materials appear to substantially avoid areas of opticalemission and, instead, form a distorted clumpy shell interior to NGC3199. Molecular emission lines are broader than lines seen in theinterstellar medium and suggest the shell is composed of ejecta. Thisis further corroborated by the enhanced abundances of moleculescontaining C, N and O. Implications of the observations for theevolution of WR 18 are discussed.
| Kinematical Structure of Wolf-Rayet Winds. I.Terminal Wind Velocity
New terminal wind velocities for 164 Wolf-Rayet stars (from the Galaxyand LMC) based on PCyg profiles of lambda1550 CIV resonance line werederived from the archive high and low resolution IUE spectra availableform the INES database. The high resolution data on 59 WR stars (39 fromthe Galaxy and 20 from LMC) were used to calibrate the empiricalrelation lambda_min^Abs- lambda_peak^Emis vs terminal wind velocity,which was then used for determinations of the terminal wind velocitiesfrom the low resolution IUE data. We almost doubled the previous mostextended sample of such measurements. Our new measurements, based onhigh resolution data, are precise within 5-7%. Measurements, based onthe low resolution spectra have the formal errors of approx 40-60%. Acomparison of the present results with other determinations suggestshigher precision of approx 20%. We found that the terminal windvelocities for the Galactic WC and WN stars correlate with the WRspectral subtype. We also found that the LMC WN stars have winds slowerthan their Galactic counterparts, up to two times in the case of the WNEstars. No influence of binarity on terminal wind velocities was found.Our extended set of measurements allowed us to test application of theradiation driven wind theory to the WR stars. We found that, contrary toOB stars, terminal wind velocities of the WR stars correlate only weaklywith stellar temperature. We also note that the terminal to escapevelocity ratio for the WR stars is relatively low: 2.55 pm 1.14 for theGalactic WN stars and 1.78 pm 0.70 for the Galactic WCs. This ratiodecreases with temperature of WR stars, contrary to what is observed inthe case of OB stars. The presented results show complex influence ofchemical composition on the WR winds driving mechanism efficiency. Ourkinematical data on WR winds suggest evolutionary sequence: WNL -->WNE --> WCE --> WCL.
| First Detections of Molecular Gas Associated with the Wolf-Rayet Ring Nebula NGC 3199
This paper presents the first observations of molecular gas associatedwith the Wolf-Rayet ring nebula NGC 3199 around the WR star WR 18. Thisincludes first observations of the molecules HCN, HCO+, CN,and HNC seen in any Wolf-Rayet ring nebula. Our observations immediatelysuggest the presence of high-density molecular gas (>104cm-3) in the nebula with significant amounts of associatedmolecular gas, which is in the form of clumpy ejecta and/or interstellarmaterial. Molecular CO gas was mapped across the optically brightportion of the nebula and out into the diffuse ionized component usingthe 12CO J=1-->0 line. CO gas is not seen within theoptically bright rim of NGC 3199 but adjacent to it. The opticalemission rim therefore appears to mark regions of photodissociation.Velocity components in the CO data are consistent with those seen inhigh-resolution optical spectra of the Hα line but extend beyondthe visible emission. A prior suggestion of the formation of the nebulavia a bow shock appears unlikely since Hipparcos measurements show theproper motion of WR 18 is almost at right angles to the directionrequired for the bow shock model. Instead, line splitting toward thenorth of the nebula suggests that a possible blowout of the Wolf-Rayetwind through surrounding ejecta may be responsible for some of thevelocity features observed. Preliminary estimates of molecularabundances in the nebula seen toward the central star are significantlyhigher than for the interstellar medium and are similar to those inplanetary nebulae, although CN is distinctly underabundant in comparisonto the very high values found in many planetary nebulae. The abundancesfound are consistent with the idea that at least a portion of themolecular material is associated with ejecta from the central star.Based on observations collected at the Swedish-ESO SubmillimetreTelescope (SEST) at the European Southern Observatory, La Silla, Chile.The Swedish-ESO Submillimetre Telescope is operated jointly by theEuropean Southern Observatory (ESO) and the Swedish National Facilityfor Radio Astronomy, Onsala Space Observatory, at Chalmers University ofTechnology.
| The VIIth catalogue of galactic Wolf-Rayet stars
The VIIth catalogue of galactic PopulationI Wolf-Rayet stars providesimproved coordinates, spectral types and /bv photometry of known WRstars and adds 71 new WR stars to the previous WR catalogue. This censusof galactic WR stars reaches 227 stars, comprising 127 WN stars, 87 WCstars, 10 WN/WC stars and 3 WO stars. This includes 15 WNL and 11 WCLstars within 30 pc of the Galactic Center. We compile and discuss WRspectral classification, variability, periodicity, binarity, terminalwind velocities, correlation with open clusters and OB associations, andcorrelation with Hi bubbles, Hii regions and ring nebulae. Intrinsiccolours and absolute visual magnitudes per subtype are re-assessed for are-determination of optical photometric distances and galacticdistribution of WR stars. In the solar neighbourhood we find projectedon the galactic plane a surface density of 3.3 WR stars perkpc2, with a WC/WN number ratio of 1.5, and a WR binaryfrequency (including probable binaries) of 39%. The galactocentricdistance (RWR) distribution per subtype shows RWRincreasing with decreasing WR subtype, both for the WN and WC subtypes.This RWR distribution allows for the possibility ofWNE-->WCE and WNL-->WCL subtype evolution.
| First Observations of Complex Molecules in a Wolf-Rayet Ring Nebula
We report the first observations of complex molecules in the ring nebulasurrounding a Wolf-Rayet (WR) star. The molecules HCN, HNC,HCO+ and CN have all been detected together with12CO in observations made of the ring nebula NGC3199 aroundthe WR star WR18 made at the Swedish-ESO Submillimeter Telescope (SEST).This is the first time that the HNC, HCN, HCO+ and CNmolecules have been detected in the environment around a Wolf-Rayetstar. The existence of such molecules indicates the presence of dense(>104cm-3) clumps of neutral materials close tothese hot luminous stars. This is a much higher density than impliedfrom optical emission-line data and suggests extreme density variationsexist within the ring nebula. Clumps of molecular material are likely tocontain a significant neutral gas mass. We discuss the origin of themolecular gas, particularly with respect to the likely prior evolutionof the central WR star. We also consider the implications of theobservations in terms of the effects of strong stellar winds andionization from the WR star on the chemistry of molecular gas in itsvicinity. APM acknowledges the support of a NASA ADP grant NAG 5-6584.IPAC,
| Integrated photometry of galactic H Ii regions
Integrated photoelectric measurements of the equivalent width W_Hβ, the [O Iii]/Hβ ratio and the Hβ emission line flux arepresented for 31 southern hemisphere galactic H Ii regions. The Lymancontinuum photon fluxes are obtained for some of these objects. Theintegrated [O Iii]/Hβ ratios have not shown any statisticallysignificant deviation from non-integrated measurements found in theliterature.
| Exospheric models for the X-ray emission from single Wolf-Rayet stars
We review existing ROSAT detections of single Galactic Wolf-Rayet (WR)stars and develop wind models to interpret the X-ray emission. The ROSATdata, consisting of bandpass detections from the ROSAT All-Sky Survey(RASS) and some pointed observations, exhibit no correlations of the WRX-ray luminosity (LX) with any star or wind parameters ofinterest (e.g. bolometric luminosity, mass-loss rate or wind kineticenergy), although the dispersion in the measurements is quite large. Thelack of correlation between X-ray luminosity and wind parameters amongthe WR stars is unlike that of their progenitors, the O stars, whichshow trends with such parameters. In this paper we seek to (i) test byhow much the X-ray properties of the WR stars differ from the O starsand (ii) place limits on the temperature TX and fillingfactor fX of the X-ray-emitting gas in the WR winds. Adoptingempirically derived relationships for TX and fXfrom O-star winds, the predicted X-ray emission from WR stars is muchsmaller than observed with ROSAT. Abandoning the TX relationfrom O stars, we maximize the cooling from a single-temperature hot gasto derive lower limits for the filling factors in WR winds. Althoughthese filling factors are consistently found to be an order of magnitudegreater than those for O stars, we find that the data are consistent(albeit the data are noisy) with a trend of fx ∝(Mν&infy;)-1 in WR stars, as is also the casefor O stars.
| An Empirical Test and Calibration of H II Region Diagnostics
We present spectrophotometry in the 3600-9700 Å region for asample of 39 H II regions in the Galaxy and Magellanic Clouds, for whichindependent information is available on the spectral types and effectivetemperatures of the ionizing stars. The spectra have been used toevaluate nebular diagnostics of stellar temperature, metal abundance,and ionization parameter, and to compare the observed behavior of theline indices with predictions of nebular photoionization models. Weobserve a strong degeneracy between forbidden-line sequences produced bychanges in stellar Teff and metal abundance, which severelycomplicates the application of many forbidden-line diagnostics toextragalactic H II regions. Our data confirm however that the Edmunds& Pagel [O II]+[O III] abundance index and the Vílchez &Pagel η' index provide more robust diagnostics of metalabundance and stellar effective temperature, respectively. A comparisonof the fractional helium ionization of the H II regions with stellartemperature confirms the reliability of the spectral type versusTeff calibration for the relevant temperature rangeTeff<=38,000 K. We use empirical relations between thenebular hardness indices and Teff to reinvestigate the casefor systematic variations in the stellar effective temperatures and theupper initial mass functions of massive stars in extragalactic H IIregions. The data are consistent with a significant softening of theionizing spectra (consistent with cooler stellar temperatures) withincreasing metal abundance, especially for Z<=Zsolar.However, unresolved degeneracies between Z and Teff stillcomplicate the interpretation of this result.
| Physical Structure of Small Wolf-Rayet Ring Nebulae
We have selected the seven most well-defined Wolf-Rayet (WR) ringnebulae in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC), Br 2, 10, 13, 40a, 48, 52,and 100, to study their physical nature and evolutionary stages. New CCDimaging and echelle observations have been obtained for five of thesenebulae; previous photographic imaging and echelle observations areavailable for the remaining two nebulae. Using the nebular dynamics andabundances, we find that the Br 13 nebula is a circumstellar bubble, andthat the Br 2 nebula may represent a circumstellar bubble merging with afossil main-sequence interstellar bubble. The nebulae around Br 10, 52,and 100 all show influence of the ambient interstellar medium. Theirregular expansion patterns suggest that they still contain significantamounts of circumstellar material. Their nebular abundances would beextremely interesting, as their central stars are WC5 and WN3-WN4 starswhose nebular abundances have not been derived previously. Intriguingand tantalizing implications are obtained from comparisons of the LMC WRring nebulae with ring nebulae around Galactic WR stars, Galactic LBVs,LMC LBVs, and LMC BSGs; however, these implications may be limited bysmall-number statistics. A SNR candidate close to Br 2 is diagnosed byits large expansion velocity and nonthermal radio emission. There is noindication that Br 2's ring nebula interacts dynamically with this SNRcandidate.
| The 74th Special Name-list of Variable Stars
We present the Name-list introducing GCVS names for 3153 variable starsdiscovered by the Hipparcos mission.
| The Optical Spectrum of HD 4004 (WN4b). Evidence of Variability
We describe the optical spectrum of Wolf-Rayet star HD 4004 (WN4b) inthe wavelength range from 3900 to 7000 A. Present observations revealthe stratification effects in the envelope of this star. Also evidencefor variability of HeII line lambda 5411 is presented. Since no radialvelocity variations are observed in the optical spectrum of this star weconclude that HD 4004 is a single Wolf-Rayet star and the observedemission line profile changes are of intrinsic nature.
| A spectropolarimetric survey of northern hemisphere Wolf-Rayet stars
We present a homogeneous, high signal-to-noise spectropolarimetricsurvey of 16 northern hemisphere Wolf-Rayet (WR) stars. A reduction inpolarization at emission-line wavelengths - the `line effect' - isidentified in four stars: WRs 134, 137, 139, and 141. The magnitude ofthe effect in WR 139 (V444 Cyg) is variable, while WR 136, previouslyreported to show the line effect, does not show it in our data. Assumingthe line effect generally to arise from axisymmetric distortions ofstellar winds, we show that a model in which all WRs have the sameintrinsic (equator-on) polarization, with the observed variations solelya result of inclination effects, is inconsistent with the observations.A model in which the intrinsic polarizations are uniformly distributedis more plausible, but best-fitting results are obtained if thedistribution of polarizations is biased towards small values, with only~20 per cent of stars having intrinsic polarizations greater than ~0.3per cent. Radiative transfer calculations indicate that the observedcontinuum polarizations can be matched by models with equator:poledensity ratios of 2-3. The model spectra have electron-scattering wingsthat are significantly stronger than observed (in both intensity andpolarized flux), confirming that the winds of stars showing intrinsicpolarization must be clumped on small scales as well as being distortedon large scales. We combine the results of our survey with observationsfrom the literature to give a sample of 29 stars which have bothaccurate spectropolarimetric observations and physical parametersderived from standard-model analyses. We find that the line-effect starsare clustered at high M, L in the luminosity-mass-loss rate plane(although they are unexceptional in the terminal velocity-subtype andthe surface-mass-flux-temperature planes). The mass-loss rates derivedfrom radio-continuum observations for these stars are in good accordwith the results of optical emission-line analyses, suggesting that (i)the wind structure of line-effect stars has a density contrast which iseffectively constant with radius, and (ii) the high M values may beartefacts of large-scale wind structure. Assuming that observedspectroscopic and photometric variability of the line-effect stars isrelated to the WR rotation period, we compute equatorial rotationvelocities. These velocities correspond to ~10 per cent of the corebreakup rates, and may be large enough to produce significantwind-compression effects according to the models of Ignace, Cassinelli& Bjorkman.
| The nitrogen spectra of Wolf-Rayet stars. A grid of models and its application to the Galactic WN sample
Adopting the ``standard model'' for Wolf-Rayet atmospheres, non-LTEradiation transfer calculations are performed which account for heliumand nitrogen. Grids of theoretical models are presented for the wholerelevant parameter range. The WN classification criteria are employed inorder to identify the subtype domains, and inconsistencies arediscussed. The (almost complete) sample of known Galactic WN stars isanalyzed by comparing the observed spectra with the synthetic spectra ofthe grid models. This is the first time that nitrogen line analyses areperformed for the whole WN sample, while previous comprehensive studieswere restricted to helium models. The obtained parameters roughlyconfirm the results from the previous helium analyses, as far as latesubtypes (WNL) and early subtypes with strong lines (WNE-s) areconcerned. For early subtypes with weak lines (WNE-w), however, theparameters are substantially revised. The hottest WN star, with astellar (effective) temperature of 140kK, is WR2, which could not beanalyzed previously from its helium lines due to the lack of He I. Theother members of the WNE-w subgroup have stellar temperatures between 40and 90kK, thus populating the same temperature range as the strong-linedWNE-w, but with less dense winds. The luminosities are revised accordingto the new parameters. Moreover, reddening corrections are newlydetermined form comparing IUE data with the UV model fluxes. The averageluminosity is now log L/Lsun = 5.5 for WNE stars (both,strong and weak lined), and log L/Lsun = 5.9 for WNL (notsignificantly revised). The empirical minimum WN luminosity is10(5.0}L_{sun) , reducing former incompatibilities with predictions fromevolutionary calculations. The ratio between mechanical and radiativemomentum flow is slightly affected by the revisions, but remains muchhigher than unity: 9, 9 and 29 for the WNL, WNE-w and WNE-s subclass,respectively. Partly based on observations collected at the EuropeanSouthern Observatory (ESO), La Silla, Chile, and on archival data fromthe International Ultraviolet Explorer (IUE)
| UBV beta Database for Case-Hamburg Northern and Southern Luminous Stars
A database of photoelectric UBV beta photometry for stars listed in theCase-Hamburg northern and southern Milky Way luminous stars surveys hasbeen compiled from the original research literature. Consisting of over16,000 observations of some 7300 stars from over 500 sources, thisdatabase constitutes the most complete compilation of such photometryavailable for intrinsically luminous stars around the Galactic plane.Over 5000 stars listed in the Case-Hamburg surveys still lackfundamental photometric data.
| Wolf-Rayet stars and O-star runaways with HIPPARCOS. II. Photometry
Abundant {HIPPARCOS photometry over 3 years of 141 O and Wolf-Rayetstars, including 8 massive X-ray binaries, provides a magnificentvariety of light curves at the sigma ~ 1-5% level. Among the mostinteresting results, we mention: optical outbursts in HD 102567 (MXRB),coinciding with periastron passages; drastic changes in the light curveshape of HD 153919 (MXRB); previously unknown long-term variability ofHD 39680 (O6V:[n]pe var) and WR 46 (WN3p); unusual flaring of HDE 308399(O9V); ellipsoidal variations of HD 64315, HD 115071 and HD 160641;rotationally modulated variations in HD 66811=zeta Pup (O4Inf) and HD210839=lambda Cep (O6I(n)fp); dust formation episode in WR 121 (WC9). Ina statistical sense, the incidence of variability is slightly higheramong the WR stars, which might be explained by the higher percentage ofknown binary systems. Among the presumably single WR stars, thecandidate runaways appear to be more variable then the rest. Based ondata from the ESA Hipparcos astrometry satellite
| Wolf-Rayet stars and O-star runaways with HIPPARCOS. I. Kinematics
Reliable systemic radial velocities are almost impossible to secure forWolf-Rayet stars, difficult for O stars. Therefore, to study the motions- both systematic in the Galaxy and peculiar - of these two relatedtypes of hot, luminous star, we have examined the Hipparcos propermotions of some 70 stars of each type. We find that (a) both groupsfollow Galactic rotation in the same way, (b) both have a similarfraction of ``runaways'', (c) mean kinetic ages based on displacementand motion away from the Galactic plane tend to slightly favour thecluster ejection over the the binary supernova hypothesis for theirformation, and (d) those with significant peculiar supersonic motionrelative to the ambient ISM, tend to form bow shocks in the direction ofthe motion. Based on data from the ESA Hipparcos astrometry satellite.Table~1 is only available in electronic form at the CDS via anonymousftp to cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (130.79.128.5) or viahttp://cdsweb.u-strasbg.fr/Abstract.html
| Two new variable stars near the variable WR7 (= HD 56925) and the constant WR18 (= HD 89358)
Not Available
| A Survey of Nebulae around Galactic Wolf-Rayet Stars in the Southern Sky. III. Survey Completion and Conclusions
We present the conclusion of a narrow-band optical CCD survey ofWolf-Rayet stars in the southern portion of the Milky Way. In this partof the survey we complete our survey of the southern Galaxy and reportthe detection of 10 new optical nebulae associated with Wolf-Rayetstars. This brings the final survey total to 40 Wolf-Rayet stars withassociated nebulae in 114 southern Galactic fields for a 35% detectionrate. Our results suggest that the Galactic environment has littleapparent effect on the detection rate of nebulae associated withWolf-Rayet stars. Indeed, a more important role in the production ofnebulae is likely to be played by the evolution of the central star. Thesurvey results also suggest a slightly higher incidence of nebuladetection around WN stars over WC stars, although nebulae associatedwith WC stars are noted as being generally larger and some may have beenmissed through being larger than the CCD array used. Indeed, theincreased rate of nebula detection compared to that of a northernGalactic survey can be accounted for solely through the fact that alarger region of sky around the Wolf-Rayet stars was imaged in oursouthern survey as compared to the northern survey. Larger nebulaeexisting around WC as opposed to WN stars are also consistent with thecurrent theory of the evolution of Wolf-Rayet stars from WN to WC.
| Stationary hydrodynamic models of Wolf-Rayet stars with optically thick winds.
We investigate the influence of a grey, optically thick wind on thesurface and internal structure of Wolf-Rayet (WR) stars. We calculatehydrodynamic models of chemically homogeneous helium stars withstationary outflows, solving the full set of stellar structure equationsfrom the stellar center up to well beyond the sonic point of the wind,including the line force originating from absorption lines in aparameterized way. For specific assumptions about mass loss rate andwind opacity above our outer boundary, we find that the iron opacitypeak may lead to local super-Eddington luminosities at the sonic point.By varying the stellar wind parameters over the whole physicallyplausible range, we show that the radius of the sonic point of the windflow is always very close to the hydrostatic stellar radius obtained inWR star models which ignore the wind. However, our models confirm thepossibility of large values for observable WR radii and correspondinglysmall effective temperatures found in earlier models. We show furtherthat the energy which is contained in a typical WR wind can not beneglected. The stellar luminosity may be reduced by several 10%, whichhas a pronounced effect on the mass-luminosity relation, i. e., the WRmasses derived for a given luminosity may be considerably larger.Thereby, also the momentum problem of WR winds is considerably reduced,as well as the scatter in the ˙(M) vs. M diagram for observedhydrogen-free WN stars.
| A three-dimensional classification for WN stars
A three-dimensional classification for WN stars is presented using (1)the HeII 5411/HeI 5875 ratio as a primary indicator of ionization, (2)FWHM 4686 and EW 5411 as indicators of line width and strength, and (3)an oscillating Pickering decrement as an indicator of the presence ofhydrogen. All WN stars in the Galaxy and two-thirds of the LMC stars areclassified on the new system. Almost all spectra inspected fall smoothlyinto categories within which the spectra are very similar. Allionization subclasses show a tight correlation between line strength andwidth, with stars containing hydrogen at the weak, narrow end, and WN/Cstars near the strong, broad end. H^+/He^++ correlates with strength andwidth with a cut-off for the presence of hydrogen, which is slightlydependent on ionization subclass, at about FWHM 4686=30A and EW5411=25A. The correlations found indicate that high (initial) mass starsevolve as narrow-line stars from late to early ionization subclass.Lower (initial) mass stars evolve with increasing line strength andwidth, probably to earlier ionization subclass. The HeII 4686/NV,III4604-40 ratio shows a clear correlation with Galactocentric radius,presumably an effect of the Z gradient. CIV 5808/HeII 5411 shows no suchcorrelation. LMC WN stars can be classified without difficulty by thecriteria established for Galactic WN stars. While individual spectra ofa given subtype are similar in the two galaxies, the frequencydistributions over ionization subclass, over EW and FWHM in subclassesWN4 and WN5, and hydrogen content in subclasses WN6-8 are different. Theeffects are presumably due to metallicity, but the causal connection isunclear.
| Stability Analysis of Bow Shocks
Abstract image available at:http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1996ApJ...461..927D
| Evolution of WR ring nebulae generated by a moving central star - II. The influence of the red supergiant bow shock
We present detailed 2D simulations of the evolution of Wolf-Rayet ringnebulae expanding around stars which move through the interstellarmedium. Attention is paid to a description of how the circumstellarmatter is processed by the previous action of the stellar wind duringthe red supergiant phase. In particular, the radiative bow shock aroundthe red supergiant star suffers strong dynamical instabilities whosedevelopment influences the evolution of the ring nebula. The models arecompared with some observed ring nebulae.
| Are Wolf-Rayet Stellar Winds Driven by Radiation Forces?
Abstract image available at:http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1995ApJ...454..404P
| Spectral atlas of the Galactic Wolf-Rayet stars (WN sequence).
Spectra of 62 (i.e. almost all) Galactic single Wolf-Rayet stars of theWN sequence are compiled. These data provided the empirical basis forour comprehensive spectral analyses of these stars published recently.The observations cover wide parts of the visual range and have aspectral resolution λ/{DELTA} λ between 2000 and 3600 inmost cases. Infrared observations around 10830A are included for 18stars. The spectra are preliminary ``rectified'' by division through anestimated stellar continuum. The whole material is displayed in conciseplots sorted by spectral subtype in order to provide an overview. Accessto the full digital data is offered via anonymous file transfer.
| An IRAS-based Search for New Dusty Late-Type WC Wolf-Rayet Stars
Abstract image available at:http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-bib_query?1995ApJS..100..413C&db_key=AST
| Interstellar Ultraviolet Extinction Towards the Nitrogen Sequence Wolf-Rayet Stars
With the archive IUE spectra of WR stars collected by Niedzielski andRochowicz (1994) we obtain the UV extinction curve for WN stars. Usingthe two-color diagram method we can reach the goal almost independently,assuming only similar (b-v)_0 for all single galactic WN stars, what isdiscussed on the basis of latest results. The resulting extinction curvediffers strongly shortwards of the 2200 bump from that of Seaton (1979)and is virtually identical to that of Krelowski and Papaj (1992).Assuming the power law shape of WN continua we obtain a new value of(b-v)_0=-0.22 for single WN stars and present E_{b-v} for 34 galactic WNstars.
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Observation and Astrometry data
| Constellation: | Carina |
| Right ascension: | 10h17m02.28s |
| Declination: | -57°54'46.9" |
| Apparent magnitude: | 10.778 |
| Proper motion RA: | -4.7 |
| Proper motion Dec: | 4 |
| B-T magnitude: | 11.567 |
| V-T magnitude: | 10.844 |
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