A MASSIVE RUNAWAY STAR FROM 30 DORADUS

Journal Article · Tue Jun 01 04:00:00 EDT 2010 · Astrophysical Journal Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1088/2041-8205/715/2/L74· OSTI ID:21448704

Evans, C J ^[1]; Walborn, N R; Massa, D; Lennon, D J ^[2]; Crowther, P A ^[3]; Henault-Brunet, V; Taylor, W D ^[4]; Howarth, I D ^[5]; Sana, H ^[6]; Van Loon, J Th ^[7]

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1. UK Astronomy Technology Centre, Royal Observatory Edinburgh, Blackford Hill, Edinburgh, EH9 3HJ (United Kingdom)
2. Space Telescope Science Institute, 3700 San Martin Drive, Baltimore, MD 21218 (United States)
3. Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Sheffield, Hounsfield Road, Sheffield, S3 7RH (United Kingdom)
4. Scottish Universities Physics Alliance (SUPA), Institute for Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, Royal Observatory Edinburgh, Blackford Hill, Edinburgh, EH9 3HJ (United Kingdom)
5. Department of Physics and Astronomy, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT (United Kingdom)
6. European Southern Observatory, Alonso de Cordova 1307, Casilla 19001, Santiago 19 (Chile)
7. Astrophysics Group, School of Physical and Geographical Sciences, Keele University, Staffordshire, ST5 5BG (United Kingdom)

We present the first ultraviolet (UV) and multi-epoch optical spectroscopy of 30 Dor 016, a massive O2-type star on the periphery of 30 Doradus in the Large Magellanic Cloud. The UV data were obtained with the Cosmic Origins Spectrograph on the Hubble Space Telescope as part of the Servicing Mission Observatory Verification program after Servicing Mission 4, and reveal no. 016 to have one of the fastest stellar winds known. From analysis of the C IV {lambda}{lambda}1548-51 doublet we find a terminal velocity, v {sub {infinity}} = 3450 {+-} 50 km s{sup -1}. Optical spectroscopy is from the VLT-FLAMES Tarantula Survey, from which we rule out a massive companion (with 2 days < P < 1 yr) to a confidence of 98%. The radial velocity of no. 016 is offset from the systemic value by -85 km s{sup -1}, suggesting that the star has traveled the 120 pc from the core of 30 Doradus as a runaway, ejected via dynamical interactions.

• OSTI ID: 21448704
• Journal Information: Astrophysical Journal Letters, Journal Name: Astrophysical Journal Letters Journal Issue: 2 Vol. 715; ISSN 2041-8205
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
GALAXIES
MAGELLANIC CLOUDS
RADIAL VELOCITY
RADIATIONS
SPECTROSCOPY
STARS
STELLAR ACTIVITY
STELLAR WINDS
TELESCOPES
ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION
VELOCITY