HIGH-RESOLUTION X-RAY SPECTROSCOPY REVEALS THE SPECIAL NATURE OF WOLF-RAYET STAR WINDS
Author(s)
Oskinova, Lidia M.; Gayley, K. G.; Hamann, W.-R.; Ignace, R.; Pollock, A. M. T.; Huenemoerder, David P.; ... Show more Show less![Thumbnail](/bitstream/handle/1721.1/95464/Oskinova-2012-HIGH-RESOLUTION%20X-RA.pdf.jpg?sequence=5&isAllowed=y)
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We present the first high-resolution X-ray spectrum of a putatively single Wolf-Rayet (WR) star. 400 ks observations of WR 6 by the XMM-Newton telescope resulted in a superb quality high-resolution X-ray spectrum. Spectral analysis reveals that the X-rays originate far out in the stellar wind, more than 30 stellar radii from the photosphere, and thus outside the wind acceleration zone where the line-driving instability (LDI) could create shocks. The X-ray emitting plasma reaches temperatures up to 50 MK and is embedded within the unshocked, "cool" stellar wind as revealed by characteristic spectral signatures. We detect a fluorescent Fe line at ≈6.4 keV. The presence of fluorescence is consistent with a two-component medium, where the cool wind is permeated with the hot X-ray emitting plasma. The wind must have a very porous structure to allow the observed amount of X-rays to escape. We find that neither the LDI nor any alternative binary scenario can explain the data. We suggest a scenario where X-rays are produced when the fast wind rams into slow "sticky clumps" that resist acceleration. Our new data show that the X-rays in single WR star are generated by some special mechanism different from the one operating in the O-star winds.
Date issued
2012-02Department
MIT Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space ResearchJournal
The Astrophysical Journal. Letters
Publisher
IOP Publishing
Citation
Oskinova, L. M., K. G. Gayley, W.-R. Hamann, D. P. Huenemoerder, R. Ignace, and A. M. T. Pollock. “HIGH-RESOLUTION X-RAY SPECTROSCOPY REVEALS THE SPECIAL NATURE OF WOLF-RAYET STAR WINDS.” The Astrophysical Journal 747, no. 2 (February 21, 2012): L25. © 2012 The American Astronomical Society
Version: Final published version
ISSN
2041-8205
2041-8213