Oxygen and carbon abundances for the WO stars

We present relative carbon and oxygen abundances derived via an optically thin recombination line analysis for five WO stars, and compare the derived abundances to recent evolutionary models. New recombination coefficients for O⁴⁺, O⁵⁺ and O⁶⁺ ions have allowed total oxygen abundances to be derived. The final C/He values range between 0.4 and 0.8 by number, consistent with C/He ratios previously derived for WC stars. O/He values range between 0.1–0.4, with C/O ratios between 2.1–4.8.A comparison of the derived abundances with the evolutionary models of Maeder (1990) and Schaller et al. (1992) shows promising agreement. We find reasonably tight agreement between the abundances derived for the WO stars. The degree of enhancement for the oxygen abundances in regions of low metallicity predicted by Maeder (1990) is not corroborated by our results.Additionally we present a revised, quantified classification scheme for WO subtypes. We extend the class to lower excitation, WO5, and place MS 4 (=WR 30a) in this class. Equivalent widths of the strongest lines of MS 4 are also presented. Finally, we present new observations of DR 1, a WO3 star located in the dwarf irregular galaxy IC 1613.     

Tailored analyses of 24 Galactic WN stars

The fundamental properties of 24 Galactic WN stars are determined from analyses of their optical, UV and IR spectra using sophisticated model atmosphere codes (Hillier, 1987, 1990). Terminal velocities, stellar luminosities, temperatures, mass loss rates and abundances of hydrogen, helium, carbon, nitrogen and oxygen are determined. Stellar parameters are derived using diagnostic lines and interstellar reddenings found from fitting theoretical continua to observed energy distributions.Our results confirm that the parameters of WN stars span a large range in temperature (T_*=30–90,000 K), luminosity (log L_*/L=4.8–5.9), mass loss (M=0.9–12×10^–5 M yr^–1) and terminal velocity (v =630–3300 km s^–1). Hydrogen abundances are determined, and found to be low in WNEw and WNEs stars (<15% by mass) and considerable in most WNL stars (1–50%). Metal abundances are also determined with the nitrogen content found to lie in the range N/He=1–5×10^–3 (by number) for all subtypes, and C/N 0.02 in broad agreement with the predictions of Maeder (1991). Enhanced O/N and O/C is found for HD 104994 (WN3p) suggesting a peculiar evolutionary history. Our results suggest that single WNL+abs stars may represent an evolutionary stage immediately after the Of phase. Since some WNE stars exist with non-negligible hydrogen contents (e.g. WR136) evolution may proceed directly from WNL+abs to WNE in some cases, circumventing the luminous blue variable (LBV) or red supergiant (RSG) stage.     

The fundamental parameters of the central stars of eight WR ring nebulae

We describe work that has recently been completed on deriving the fundamental parameters of eight WR stars through the photoionization modelling of their surrounding nebulae using non-LTE WR flux distributions. The resulting effective temperatures range from 57 000–71 000 K for the WN4-5 stars and <30 000–42 000 K for the WN6-8 stars. The derived stellar parameters are compared with those obtained from stellar emission line modelling. We find good agreement for the hot early WN stars, indicating that the non-LTE WR flux distributions have essentially the correct shape in the crucial far-UV region. We find lower temperatures for the four cooler late WN stars, particularly for the two WN6 stars. For the nebulae surrounding these stars, we find that the model flux distributions produce too much nebular ionization. We suggest that these discrepancies arise because of the lack of line-blanketing in the WR atmospheres. For the WO1 central star of G2.4+1.4, with strong nebular He II 4686 A emission, we derive a temperature of 105 000 K, somewhat less than previous estimates. The positions of our eight WR stars on the H-R diagram are compared with the evolutionary tracks of Maeder (1990) for solar metallicity. In common with previous workers, we find that our derived luminosities are too low, giving an initial mass range of 25–40 M, below that expected for the majority of WR stars.     

The Be stars

Classical Be stars are defined and their relationship to normal B-type stars stated. Spectral classification of the underlying stars suggests that, on the average, Be stars are located 0.5–1.0 magnitude above the main sequence. Struve's rotational model for Be stars, and several tests which support the model, are reviewed. The best evidence at this time suggests that Be stars may not rotate with the critical velocity at which centrifugal force just balances the equatorial gravitational force, but a number of mechanisms for getting material out into the shell have been proposed and are discussed.The physical characteristics of Be shells were first derived from optical observations of shell stars, supplemented more recently by ultraviolet, infrared, radio, and polarization measurements. These data suggest that Be shells are probably lenticular with radii 3 to 20 times the radius of the underlying star, excitation temperatures lower than those of the reversing layers, and electron densities in the range 10¹⁰-10¹³ cm^-3.Variability of Be stars, from spectroscopic, photometric, and polarimetric observations, seems well established over time scales of years and months, but the evidence for night-to-night and hourly changes is somewhat conflicting. Of special interest are recent X-ray observations of several Be stars.Models for the envelopes of Be stars are reviewed, including state-state stellar wind models, time-dependent stellar wind models, the elliptical ring model, disk models, and binary models. Finally, the evolutionary status of Be stars is discussed, and some recommendations for future work made.     

GHRS observations of the LISM

The GHRS has obtained high-resolution spectra of interstellar gas toward 19 nearby stars. These excellent data show that the Sun is located inside the Local Interstellar Cloud (LIC) with other warm clouds nearby. I will summarize the physical properties of these clouds and the three-dimensional structure of this warm interstellar gas. There is now clear evidence that the Sun and other late-type stars are surrounded by hydrogen walls in the upwind direction. The D/H ratio probably has a constant value in the LIC, (1.6 ± 0.2) × 10^–5, consistent with the measured values for all LIC lines of sight.     

Development of a 1m-normal-incidence-EUV telescope

Astrophysical plasmas at temperatures in the range (0.5–5)×10⁵ K that occur e.g. in interstellar space, in the extended atmospheres around stars of essentially all spectral types, including the numerous late-type stars with low photospheric temperatures, and in the atmospheres of highly evolved stars, can best be studied at extreme ultraviolet wavelengths where they release the bulk of their energy. We report here the current development status of a 1m-normal-incidence-EUV-telescope that will be flown on an ARIES rocket to observe the spectra of nearby stars in the 350 – 700 mm range.     

Infrared Irradiance Calibration

Infrared astronomical measurements are calibrated against reference sources, usually primary standard stars that are, in turn, calibrated either by direct or indirect means. A direct calibration compares the star with a certified source, typically a blackbody. Indirect methods extrapolate a direct measurement of the flux at one wavelength to the flux at another. Historically, α Lyr (Vega) has been used as the primary standard as it is bright, easily accessible from the northern hemisphere, and is well calibrated in the visual. Until recently, the direct absolute infrared calibrations of α Lyr and those derived from the absolute solar flux scaled to the observed spectral energy distributions of solar type stars increasingly diverged with wavelength from those obtained using a model atmosphere to extrapolate the absolute visual flux of Vega into the infrared. The exception is the direct calibration by the 1996/97 Midcourse Space Experiment of the absolute fluxes for a number of the commonly used infrared standard stars, including Vega.In the mid-1980s, the Air Force Geophysics Laboratory began a program that led to the establishment of a network of stars with which to calibrate infrared space-based sensors. α Lyr and a CMa were adopted as the fundamental references and the absolute 1.2 to 35 µm infrared spectral energy distributions for the 616 secondary standard stars in the network were derived through spectral and photometric comparisons with the primary standards. The stars are also used for calibration at ground-based infrared observatories. For applications in which the network stars may not be bright enough, particularly at the longer infrared wavelengths, planets and the larger asteroids are used. Planets and asteroids move and rather sophisticated thermal modeling of the bodies is required to predict the disk-integrated brightness at a specific time with reasonable accuracy. The Infrared Space Observatory applied such a sophisticated ‘thermo-physical’ model to the largest asteroids to support calibration of the sensors to a claimed accuracy of within 5%. The AFRL program also created a spectral atlas of the brightest stars in the sky that, although they are variable, may be used for calibration if the large(r) attendant uncertainties are acceptable.     

Infrared irradiance calibration

Infrared astronomical measurements are calibrated against reference sources, usually primary standard stars that are, in turn, calibrated either by direct or indirect means. A direct calibration compares the star with a certified source, typically a blackbody. Indirect methods extrapolate a direct measurement of the flux at one wavelength to the flux at another. Historically, α Lyr (Vega) has been used as the primary standard as it is bright, easily accessible from the northern hemisphere, and is well calibrated in the visual. Until recently, the direct absolute infrared calibrations of α Lyr and those derived from the absolute solar flux scaled to the observed spectral energy distributions of solar type stars increasingly diverged with wavelength from those obtained using a model atmosphere to extrapolate the absolute visual flux of Vega into the infrared. The exception is the direct calibration by the 1996/97 Midcourse Space Experiment of the absolute fluxes for a number of the commonly used infrared standard stars, including Vega.In the mid-1980s, the Air Force Geophysics Laboratory began a program that led to the establishment of a network of stars with which to calibrate infrared space-based sensors. α Lyr and a CMa were adopted as the fundamental references and the absolute 1.2 to 35 µm infrared spectral energy distributions for the 616 secondary standard stars in the network were derived through spectral and photometric comparisons with the primary standards. The stars are also used for calibration at ground-based infrared observatories. For applications in which the network stars may not be bright enough, particularly at the longer infrared wavelengths, planets and the larger asteroids are used. Planets and asteroids move and rather sophisticated thermal modeling of the bodies is required to predict the disk-integrated brightness at a specific time with reasonable accuracy. The Infrared Space Observatory applied such a sophisticated ‘thermo-physical’ model to the largest asteroids to support calibration of the sensors to a claimed accuracy of within 5%. The AFRL program also created a spectral atlas of the brightest stars in the sky that, although they are variable, may be used for calibration if the large(r) attendant uncertainties are acceptable.This revised version was published online in July 2005 with a corrected cover date.     

Orion-2: First scientific results

The ultraviolet spectral images of thousands of faint stars, up to the 13th mag., in the wavelength region of 2000–5000 Å are obtained by means of the space astrophysical observatory Orion-2 aboard the spaceship Soyuz-13. These spectrograms were designed generally for an investigation of the continuous spectra of the stars in ultraviolet. The processing and measurement of part of the material available confirm the expectations for the solution of a large number of problems concerning the physics of stars and stellar atmospheres. Some of the results obtained are included in the present review. Particularly, the observed distribution of continuous energy in the ultraviolet of normal hot stars is in line, according to Orion-2 data, with theoretical prediction; the existence of a new type of high temperature (> 20000K) and low absolute luminosity stars is noticed; the blocking effect of the ultraviolet absorption lines expected for the A-type stars is confirmed; a number of empirical regularities concerning the behaviour of the ultraviolet doublet of ionized magnesium, 2800 Mg ii, in the stellar spectra are derived; the chromosphere in cold stars is detected; the role of a multiplet of ionized titanium, 3080 Ti ii, in stellar spectra is revealed; probably an abnormal silicon-rich stellar envelope around a Be-type star is discovered; a new method for the spectral classification of the stars by their ultraviolet spectral images is developed; a range of interesting facts relating to the structure of the ultraviolet spectra of middle type stars (F-K) come to the fore; an exceptional ultraviolet spectrogram for the planetary nebula II 2149 and its nuclei is obtained; the blocking effect of emission lines in the spectrum of the B-type emission and normal O-type stars has been detected; a remarkably faint (12^itm.6) and high temperature star (No. 1) of strange spectral structure has been discovered.     

A comparison between observed and predicted mass-loss rates and wind momentum of O stars

Empirical mass-loss rates were derived for 28 luminous O stars from radio fluxes and H equivalent widths. Comparison with theoretical values predicted by the theory of radiatively driven winds reveals a discrepancy of 0.30±0.05 dex, with the theoretical values being too low. We show that there is not only a mass-loss discrepancy but also a momentum flux discrepancy. The theoretically predicted momentum fluxes are too low by 0.17±0.04 dex. This discrepancy is independent of the adopted stellar mass. We demonstrate that the momentum discrepancy in the most luminous O stars is comparable to the one found in the least extreme Wolf-Rayet stars. We suggest that the physical reason for the break-down of the theory in Wolf-Rayet stars and the most luminous O stars may be related.     

The evolution of massive stars to explosion

We review the possible evolutionary paths from massive stars to explosive endpoints as various types of supernovae associated with Population I and hence with massive stars: Type II-P, Type II-L, Type Ib, Type Ic, and the hybrid events SN 1987K and SN 1993J. We identify SN 1954A as another hybrid event from the evidence for both H and He in its spectrum with velocities nearly the same as SN 1983J. Evidence for ejected⁵⁶Ni mass of 0.07 M suggests that SN II-P underwent standard iron core collapse, not collapse of an O–Ne–Mg core nor thermonuclear explosion of a C–O core. Most SN II-P presumably arise in single stars or wide binaries of 10–20 M. There may be indirect evidence for duplicity in some cases in the form of strong Ba II lines, such as characterized SN 1987A. SN II-L are recognizably distinct from typical SN II-P and must undergo a significantly different evolution. Despite indications that SN II-L have small envelopes that may be helium enriched, they are also distinct from events like SN 1993J that must have yet again a different evolution. The SN II-L that share a common Luminosity seem to have ejected a small nickel mass and hence may come from stars with O–Ne–Mg cores. The amount of nickel ejected by the exceptionally bright events, SN 1980K and SN 1979C, remains controversial. SN Ib require the complete loss of the H envelope, either to a binary companion or to a wind. The few identified have relatively large ejecta masses. It is not clear what evolutionary processes distinguish SN Ib's evolving in binary systems from hybrid events that retain some H in the envelope. SN Ic events are both H and He deficient. Binary models that can account for transfer of an extended helium envelope from low mass helium cores, 2 to 4 M, imply C–O core masses that are roughly consistent with that deduced from the ejecta mass plus a neutron star, 2 to 3 M. It is possible that the hybrid events are the result of Roche lobe overflow and that the pure events, SN Ib or SN Ic, result from common envelope evolution.     

Are there different types of variability among B stars?

Conclusion It now appears difficult to write that the Cephei stars occupy a well defined instability strip in the HR diagram (Lesh and Aizenman, 1978): the Cep phenomenon — from any observational definition we could give — cannot be restricted to the small group of variables inside the box limited by the B 0.5 - B 2 spectral types and by the (II–III) – IV luminosity classes.So the pulsation mechanism is probably not strictly related to a narrow evolutionary stage. From this point of view, a mechanism related to envelope properties could better allow for variability in a wider region of the HR diagram. Which should be the new boundaries for such a phenomenon ? Should we expect an amplification of the phenomenon towards the center of its HR domain?     

Mixing in Stars and the Evolution of the 3He Abundance

We first recall the observational and theoretical facts that constitute the so-called 3He problem. We then review the chemical anomalies that could be related to the destruction of 3He in red giants stars. We show how a simple consistent mechanism can lead to the destruction of 3He in low mass stars and simultaneously account for the low 12C/13C ratios and low lithium abundances observed in giant stars of different populations. This process should both naturally account for the recent measurements of 3He/H in galactic HII regions and allow for high values of 3He observed in some planetary nebulae. We propose a simple statistical estimation of the fraction of stars that may be affected by this process.     

A study of the SMC cluster NGC 330

We analyze the properties of the SMC cluster NGC 330 on the basis of a new CMD and of published effective temperatures and bolometric magnitudes for a smaller sample of stars (Caloi et al 1993, Stothers & Chin 1992a,b) to check for the kind of mixing taking place in massive stars. The existence of a few stars in the so-called HR gap led Stothers & Chin (1993) to claim that only models with semiconvective mixing and OPAL could match the HR diagram, whereas induced Caloi et al (1993) to conclude that neither semiconvective nor overshoot models are suited. The careful analysis of this cluster with new stellar models indicates that 1) models with convective overshoot and models with semiconvection can both explain the gross features of the HR diagram, 2) models with overshoot ought to be preferred.     

Proton phase space densities (0.5eV<Ep<5MeV) at midlatitudes from Ulysses SWICS/HI-SCALE measurements

Proton phase space densities in the solar wind frame from suprathermal velocities 10 km s^–1 to 30,000 km s^–1 (0.5 eV–5 MeV) were derived from combined SWICS and HISCALE measurements when Ulysses was at 5 AU and –24° heliolatitude. The period (19–23 January 1993) encompasses a forward/reverse shock pair (20 January, 0500 UT and 22 January, 0300 UT). Strong evidence is found for shock acceleration of pickup protons from interstellar hydrogen at all energies measured.     

Observations of fragmented energy release

Energy release into coronal plasmas is observable in the forms of heating and acceleration. In flares and active stars, heating and acceleration have been found to be related as indicated by an approximately constant ratio of microwave (synchrotron) and soft X-ray (thermal) emission. The discovery suggests a flare-like heating process for the quiescent coronae of active stars.The energy release in solar flares involves several time scales: (i) The largest is the rate of homologous flares in an active region of the order of one per five hours. (ii) Hard X-ray andH emissions suggest a total flare duration of ten minutes, (iii) with individual episodes of contiguous acceleration of one minute. (iv) Elementary hard X-ray peaks have 5–10 s duration, corresponding to groups of beams observable as type III radio bursts. (v) The effective injection time of these beams is of the order 0.1 s. (vi) The smaller time scale is observed in narrowband radio spikes in the 0.2–8 GHz range with durations of a few times 0.01 s.     

A dissection of 30 Doradus and a discussion of other Magellanic Cloud OB associations

I Present the results of ground-based and Hubble Space Telescope photometry and spectroscopy of the stars in the central region (roughly 7×7 arcmin) of 30 Doradus in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC). Using photometric data for over 2400 stars (complete toV18 mag), and spectroscopic observations of over 150 stars in the region, the best estimate of the initial mass function (IMF) yields a slope of =–1.5±0.2 for masses > 12M, where the Salpeter slope is =–1.35. I compare these results to other measurements of the IMF for OB associations in the Magellanic Clouds.     

RAPID – The Imaging Energetic Particle Spectrometer on Cluster

The RAPID spectrometer (Research with Adaptive Particle Imaging Detectors) for the Cluster mission is an advanced particle detector for the analysis of suprathermal plasma distributions in the energy range from 20–400 keV for electrons, 40 keV–1500 keV (4000 keV) for hydrogen, and 10 keV nucl^-1–1500 keV (4000 keV) for heavier ions. Novel detector concepts in combination with pin-hole acceptance allow the measurement of angular distributions over a range of 180° in polar angle for either species. Identification of the ionic component (particle mass A) is based on a two-dimensional analysis of the particle's velocity and energy. Electrons are identified by the well-known energy-range relationship. Details of the detection techniques and in-orbit operations are described. Scientific objectives of this investigation are highlighted by the discussion of selected critical issues in geospace.     

OB Associations, Wolf–Rayet Stars, and the Origin of Galactic Cosmic Rays

We have measured the isotopic abundances of neon and a number of other species in the galactic cosmic rays (GCRs) using the Cosmic Ray Isotope Spectrometer (CRIS) aboard the ACE spacecraft. Our data are compared to recent results from two-component (Wolf–Rayet material plus solar-like mixtures) Wolf–Rayet (WR) models. The three largest deviations of galactic cosmic ray isotope ratios from solar-system ratios predicted by these models, ¹²C/¹⁶O, ²²Ne/²⁰Ne, and ⁵⁸Fe/⁵⁶Fe, are very close to those observed. All of the isotopic ratios that we have measured are consistent with a GCR source consisting of ∼20% of WR material mixed with ∼80% material with solar-system composition. Since WR stars are evolutionary products of OB stars, and most OB stars exist in OB associations that form superbubbles, the good agreement of our data with WR models suggests that OB associations within superbubbles are the likely source of at least a substantial fraction of GCRs. In previous work it has been shown that the primary ⁵⁹Ni (which decays only by electron-capture) in GCRs has decayed, indicating a time interval between nucleosynthesis and acceleration of >10⁵ y. It has been suggested that in the OB association environment, ejecta from supernovae might be accelerated by the high velocity WR winds on a time scale that is short compared to the half-life of ⁵⁹Ni. Thus the ⁵⁹Ni might not have time to decay and this would cast doubt upon the OB association origin of cosmic rays. In this paper we suggest a scenario that should allow much of the ⁵⁹Ni to decay in the OB association environment and conclude that the hypothesis of the OB association origin of cosmic rays appears to be viable.     

A. M. Hubert and C. Jaschek (eds.), B[e] Stars

The B[e] stars are early type stars with hydrogen emission lines, forbidden [FeII] and [OI] emission lines, and with an IR excess due to circumstellar dust. These properties may occur in stars of quite different evolutionary stages. In fact, the group of B[e] stars is very inhomogeneous, and contains pre-main sequence stars, supergiants with disks, compact planetary nebulae, symbiotic stars, and a group of stars with unclear evolutionary phase. The book gives the proceedings of a workshop in Paris in 1997 in which the properties and evolutionary phases of the B[e] stars are discussed. It contains chapters on: (1) the definition of B[e] stars, (2) distances, kinematics and the distribution in our Galaxy, (3) spectroscopy, (4) infrared properties, (5) photometry, polarimetry and variability, (6) models for winds and disks, (7) evolutionary stages, (8) revised classification of B[e] stars. The book ends with an object list of all B[e] stars. The book is very useful for students and researchers of hot star winds and gives nice overviews of the observations and theories and remaining puzzles of these strange objects with winds and outflowing dust-forming disks. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.