Are Wolf-Rayet stellar winds driven by radiation forces?

Shlomi Pistinner, David Eichler

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

11 Scopus citations

Abstract

We derive a formal condition for an existence of a critical point in optically thick flows. Using recent synthetic quantitative spectroscopy results and recent OPAL opacities we find that Wolf-Rayet stars (of the WRC type and part of the WRN type) satisfy this condition, and we account for the observed mass-loss rates and inferred critical temperatures. We also show that there is no obvious momentum problem well below the photosphere. A less quantitative discussion is given for critical points with low to moderate optical depth, where non-LTE effects are conjectured to be crucial.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)404-409
Number of pages6
JournalAstrophysical Journal
Volume454
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - 20 Nov 1995

Keywords

  • Radiative transfer
  • Stars: Wolf-Rayet
  • Stars: atmospheres
  • Stars: mass loss

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Astronomy and Astrophysics
  • Space and Planetary Science

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