Other
Scientific paper
Oct 1987
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1987aj.....94.1008l&link_type=abstract
Astronomical Journal (ISSN 0004-6256), vol. 94, Oct. 1987, p. 1008-1024. NSERC-supported research.
Other
49
Astronomical Photometry, Stellar Spectra, Variable Stars, Wolf-Rayet Stars, Light Curve, Radial Velocity
Scientific paper
We report on the photometric monitoring in the visible continuum of eight southern Wolf-Rayet (WR) stars that are known or suspected to show large variations. Combining these data with previous photometry of similar quality for other WR stars, we find that: (1) Nearly all WR + O binaries show phase-dependent light variations with a generally broad shallow minimum centered at phase zero when the WR star passes closest to the observer. This is caused by phase-dependent variations of the O star light seen through the WR wind. Deep, narrow minima, if they occur, involve eclipses of and by the central WR core. (2) Late subtype WN and WC stars tend to vary with greater amplitude than the hotter subtypes; in particular, the eight WN8 stars monitored so far all show the largest amplitudes in the mean. This may be due to more efficient dissipation of shocks in fast-wind WR stars. (3) If the binary frequency is normal among WN8 stars, some of their strong variations might be due to interaction with a companion in some cases, although none of the eight WN8 stars monitored so far appears to have an O type companion. (4) A few hotter WN stars without O companions show relatively large variations, possibly related to the presence of a compact companion or some other perturbation.
Lamontagne Robert
Moffat Anthony F. J.
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