Spectroscopic studies of Wolf-Rayet stars. VI. Optical spectrophotometry of near-infrared emission lines in some Galactic stars

Journal Article · Tue May 01 04:00:00 EDT 1990 · Astrophysical Journal; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1086/168694· OSTI ID:6700865

Conti, P S; Massey, P; Vreux, J ^[1]

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1. Colorado Univ., Boulder (USA) Kitt Peak National Observatory, Tucson, AZ (USA) Liege Institut d'Astrophysique (Belgium)

Spectroscopy of 47 WN stars and 36 WC stars in the Galaxy in the near-infrared is presented. In the WN types, the strongest lines are due to He II transitions and N IV at the 7115 A. In WC types, the strongest lines are due to C III, particularly at 9711 A; C II transitions, the strongest at 7236 A, and C IV lines, particularly at 7726 A, are also found. It is a relatively easy procedure to determine the W-R class from this wavelength region; similarly, the distinction between WNE (early) and WNL (late), and between WCE (early) and WCL (late) may also be made, although numerical W-R subtypes cannot easily be determined from this near-infrared region. A comparison of line ratios of the various ions found in W-R stars suggests that it is only the optical N IV 4057 A and C III 5696 A transitions which do not behave in a well-understood manner; curiously enough, it is just these lines that play an important role in the traditional numerical subtype definitions. 26 refs.

• OSTI ID: 6700865
• Journal Information: Astrophysical Journal; (USA), Journal Name: Astrophysical Journal; (USA) Vol. 354; ISSN ASJOA; ISSN 0004-637X
• 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
CATALOGS
CLASSIFICATION
DOCUMENT TYPES
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
EMISSION SPECTRA
INFRARED RADIATION
INFRARED SPECTRA
LINE WIDTHS
MAIN SEQUENCE STARS
NEAR INFRARED RADIATION
RADIATIONS
SPECTRA
SPECTROPHOTOMETRY
STARS
VISIBLE SPECTRA
WOLF-RAYET STARS