Comments on the Einstein X-ray variability of HD 50896 and other Wolf-Rayet stars

Journal Article · Fri Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 1989 · Astrophysical Journal; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1086/168128· OSTI ID:7058742

Pollock, A M.T. ^[1]

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1. EXOSAT Observatory, Noordwijk (Netherlands)

It is shown that the statistical significance of the reported apparent rapid variability of the X-ray flux of the WR star HD 50896 is low. The other X-ray-bright WR stars are also constant within a factor of two on similar time scales. Random probabilities of a few percent apply on longer time scales of the few-day-period orbital modulations reported by Moffat et al. (1982) for HD 50896 and V444 Cygni. There is no reason to suppose that the X-ray emission of HD 50896 is of a fundamentally different character from that of other hot stars. 15 refs.

• OSTI ID: 7058742
• Journal Information: Astrophysical Journal; (USA), Journal Name: Astrophysical Journal; (USA) Vol. 347; 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
BINARY STARS
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
EMISSION SPECTRA
IONIZING RADIATIONS
LUMINOSITY
MAIN SEQUENCE STARS
OPTICAL PROPERTIES
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
RADIATIONS
SPECTRA
STARS
VARIABLE STARS
VARIATIONS
WOLF-RAYET STARS
X RADIATION
X-RAY SPECTRA