Computer Science
Scientific paper
May 2006
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2006sptz.prop30030l&link_type=abstract
Spitzer Proposal ID #30030
Computer Science
Scientific paper
Because of their dense hypersonic winds, O stars have a great influence on their environment by the deposition of mechanical energy and momentum, as well as by their copious emission of ionizing photons. There is a mounting evidence that O stars have highly-structured winds, ranging from X-ray wind emission, line profile variability, and from detailed NLTE analyses of UV wind line profiles. Substantially reduced mass loss rates are derived from simple clumped wind models compared to the classical analyses performed with smooth, homogeneous wind models. Mid-infrared recombination lines and free-free continuum are particularly sensitive to the density at the base of flow and thus allow us to investigate the region where clumping is believed to be initiated. Moreover, the IR lines are not as sensitive to the wind ionization as UV lines. We propose therefore to obtain IRS high resolution spectroscopy and MIPS photometry of a sample of O dwarfs and supergiants to empirically characterize the density structure of O star winds, and derive robust estimates of the mass loss rates. Because the ionizing spectrum of O stars is very sensitive to the wind properties, the Spitzer data will be an essential step towards a reliable prediction of ionizing fluxes of massive stars.
Audard Marc
Bouret Jean-Claude
Hillier John
Lanz Thierry
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