Alternative model for the atmospheres of Wolf-Rayet and O stars

Journal Article · Tue Feb 15 04:00:00 EST 1983 · Astrophys. J.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1086/160736· OSTI ID:6269556

Underhill, A B

It is noted that postulating dense spherically symmetric outflow in order to account for the observed radio fluxes from Wolf-Rayet stars requires that much more momentum must be deposited in the wind of a Wolf-Rayet star than is available from the radiation field of the star, and it is shown that the deduced massive winds become opaque in visible wavelengths at stellar radii where the velocity of outflow is several hundred km s/sup -1/. To attain such a state of motion in the wind requires the action of a strong, unknown source of outward directed momentum in optically thick layers of the star. This is an unreasonable demand. An alternative model for the mantle of a Wolf-Rayet star (the part of the atmosphere in which nonradiative energy and momentum are deposited) is proposed and shown to be feasible.

• Research Organization: Laboratory for Astronomy and Solar Physics, Goddard Space Flight Center
• OSTI ID: 6269556
• Journal Information: Astrophys. J.; (United States), Journal Name: Astrophys. J.; (United States) Vol. 265:2; ISSN ASJOA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640102* -- Astrophysics & Cosmology-- Stars & Quasi-Stellar
Radio & X-Ray Sources
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ATMOSPHERES
EMISSION SPECTRA
GIANT STARS
MAIN SEQUENCE STARS
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
PLASMA
RADIATION TRANSPORT
SPECTRA
STAR MODELS
STARS
STELLAR ATMOSPHERES
STELLAR WINDS
SUPERGIANT STARS
ULTRAVIOLET SPECTRA
WOLF-RAYET STARS