UNDERSTANDING THE X-RAY FLARING FROM eta CARINAE

Journal Article · Thu Dec 10 04:00:00 EST 2009 · Astrophysical Journal

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/707/1/693· OSTI ID:21389294

Moffat, A F. J. ^[1]

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1. Departement de Physique, Universite de Montreal, Succursale Centre-Ville, Montreal, QC, H3C 3J7 (Canada)

We quantify the rapid variations in X-ray brightness ('flares') from the extremely massive colliding wind binary eta Carinae seen during the past three orbital cycles by the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer. The observed flares tend to be shorter in duration and more frequent as periastron is approached, although the largest ones tend to be roughly constant in strength at all phases. Plausible scenarios include (1) the largest of multi-scale stochastic wind clumps from the Luminous Blue Variable (LBV) component entering and compressing the hard X-ray-emitting wind-wind collision (WWC) zone, (2) large-scale corotating interacting regions in the LBV wind sweeping across the WWC zone, or (3) instabilities intrinsic to the WWC zone. The first one appears to be the most consistent with the observations, requiring homologously expanding clumps as they propagate outward in the LBV wind and a turbulence-like power-law distribution of clumps, decreasing in number toward larger sizes, as seen in Wolf-Rayet winds.

• OSTI ID: 21389294
• Journal Information: Astrophysical Journal, Journal Name: Astrophysical Journal Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 707; ISSN ASJOAB; ISSN 0004-637X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS
BRIGHTNESS
COLLISIONS
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
FLARING
HARD X RADIATION
IONIZING RADIATIONS
OPTICAL PROPERTIES
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
RADIATIONS
STARS
STOCHASTIC PROCESSES
TURBULENCE
X RADIATION