Structure and dynamics of the accretion process and wind in TW Hya

Journal Article · Tue Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 2014 · Astrophysical Journal

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/789/1/27· OSTI ID:22356501

Dupree, A. K.; Brickhouse, N. S.; Cranmer, S. R.; Berlind, P.; Strader, Jay ^[1]; Smith, Graeme H. ^[2]

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1. Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States)
2. University of California Observatories/Lick Observatory, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA 95064 (United States)

Time-domain spectroscopy of the classical accreting T Tauri star, TW Hya, covering a decade and spanning the far UV to the near-infrared spectral regions can identify the radiation sources, the atmospheric structure produced by accretion, and properties of the stellar wind. On timescales from days to years, substantial changes occur in emission line profiles and line strengths. Our extensive time-domain spectroscopy suggests that the broad near-IR, optical, and far-uv emission lines, centered on the star, originate in a turbulent post-shock region and can undergo scattering by the overlying stellar wind as well as some absorption from infalling material. Stable absorption features appear in Hα, apparently caused by an accreting column silhouetted in the stellar wind. Inflow of material onto the star is revealed by the near-IR He I 10830 Å line, and its free-fall velocity correlates inversely with the strength of the post-shock emission, consistent with a dipole accretion model. However, the predictions of hydrogen line profiles based on accretion stream models are not well-matched by these observations. Evidence of an accelerating warm to hot stellar wind is shown by the near-IR He I line, and emission profiles of C II, C III, C IV, N V, and O VI. The outflow of material changes substantially in both speed and opacity in the yearly sampling of the near-IR He I line over a decade. Terminal outflow velocities that range from 200 km s{sup –1} to almost 400 km s{sup –1} in He I appear to be directly related to the amount of post-shock emission, giving evidence for an accretion-driven stellar wind. Calculations of the emission from realistic post-shock regions are needed.

• OSTI ID: 22356501
• Journal Information: Astrophysical Journal, Journal Name: Astrophysical Journal Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 789; ISSN ASJOAB; ISSN 0004-637X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS
ABSORPTION
ACCRETION DISKS
DIPOLES
EMISSION
HYDROGEN
OPACITY
RADIATION SOURCES
SAMPLING
SCATTERING
SPECTROSCOPY
STELLAR WINDS
STREAMS
T TAURI STARS
VELOCITY