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Article
An Explanation of Observed Trends in the X-ray Emission from Single Wolf-Rayet Stars.
Astronomy & Astrophysics (1999)
  • R. Ignace, University of Glasgow
  • L. M. Oskinova, University of Glasgow
Abstract

The O and early B star winds show empirical correlations between X-ray (L_x) and Bolometric (L_Bol) luminosity as well as wind properties such as wind momentum and wind kinetic energy. Wolf-Rayet stars do not. We discuss scaling relations to qualitatively explain this lack of correlation among the WR winds and to quantitatively reproduce the observed ratio of X-ray luminosities between the N-rich WN types and C-rich WC types. If (a) the filling factor of hot X-ray emitting gas varies as (M⊙/v_\infty)(-1) for stars of different mass loss and terminal speed and (b) the ambient Wolf-Rayet wind component is optically thick to the hot gas X-rays, then a lack of correlation between L_x and wind parameters is to be expected. The emergent X-ray emission then depends only on factors relating to relative abundances and ionization. The observed ratio L_X(WN)/L_X(WC) is consistent with our scaling analysis using typical WN and WC abundances.

Publication Date
August, 1999
Publisher Statement
Copyright © ESO 1999.
Citation Information
R. Ignace and L. M. Oskinova. "An Explanation of Observed Trends in the X-ray Emission from Single Wolf-Rayet Stars." Astronomy & Astrophysics Vol. 348 (1999)
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/richard_ignace/27/