Claus Leitherer

The asymmetric wind of R127

We present optical, linear polarimetry in broad-band UBVRI filters plus narrow-band filters centered on the emission lines of H-alpha and the red forbidden N II and spectropolarimetry in the wavelength range from 4120 A to 6770 A of the luminous blue variable R127 in the LMC. Both observations display a decrease of the percentage polarization across the H-alpha emission line with respect to the continuum. We assume that H-alpha is recombination-line dominated and thus intrinsically unpolarized, and we use the continuum subtracted line polarization to estimate the interstellar foreground polarization. The resulting amount of intrinsic continuum polarization of R127 is very large, of order 1-1.5 percent, implying both the presence of copious free electrons and a considerable asphericity in their distribution. The two data sets, taken two months apart, display significant variations in the continuum polarization, which confirms that the stellar-wind properties of R127 are time-dependent in the maximum state. We discuss several possible wind geometries and present arguments favoring a clumpy, axisymmetric outflow.

Non-LTE analysis of the Ofpe/WN9 star HDE 269227 (R84)

The paper presents the results of a spectral analysis of the Ofpe/WN9 star HD 269227 (R84), which assumes a spherically expanding atmosphere to find solutions for equations of radiative transfer. The spectra of hydrogen and helium were predicted with a non-LTE model. Six stellar parameters were determined for R84. The shape of the velocity law is empirically found, since it can be probed from the terminal velocity of the wind. The six stellar parameters are further employed in a hydrodynamic model where stellar wind is assumed to be directed by radiation pressure, duplicating the mass-loss rate and the terminal wind velocity. The velocity laws found by computation and analysis are found to agree, supporting the theory of radiation-driven stellar wind. R84 is surmised to be a post-red supergiant which lost half of its initial mass, possibly during the red-supergiant phase. This mass loss is also suggested by its spectroscopic similarity to S Doradus. 104 refs.

The population of massive stars in R136 from faint object camera ultraviolet observations

New ultraviolet (λ≃1300 A, λ≃3400 A), HST Faint Object Camera observations have been used to derive the UV color-magnitude diagram (CMD) of R136. The main scientific goal is the study of the upper end of the stellar mass function at ultraviolet wavelengths where the color degeneracy encountered in visual CMDs is less severe. The CMD has been compared to a set of theoretical isochrones, which have been computed using the latest generation of evolutionary models and model atmospheres for early-type stars. Wolf-Rayet stars are included, and their emergent fluxes are calculated with the theoretical continuum energy distributions of Schmutz et al. Comparison of the theoretical and observed CMD suggests that there are no stars brighter than M 130 ≃-11

Young and Intermediate Stellar Population in Seyfert 2 Galaxies

We present and discuss near-ultraviolet and optical groundbased spectra of the 20 brightest Seyfert 2 nuclei, and HST ultraviolet images and ultraviolet spectroscopy for a few of them. The goal is to study the starburst-AGN connection and the origin of the featureless continuum. The results indicate that half of the nuclei in the sample harbor a young and/or intermediate age population. These stars are formed in powerful and dusty starbursts of short duration, that have bolometric luminosities similar to the estimated bolometric luminosities of their obscured Seyfert 1 nuclei.

On the Interpretation of Emission Wings of Balmer Lines in LBV’S

The optical spectra of Luminous Blue Variables (LBV’s) are characterized by strong Balmer emission lines. In many cases, the narrow emission component (FWHM ≲ 300 km/sec) shows extended emission wings reaching up to ~ 1000 km/sec. These wings are generally attributed to electron scattering of line photons in the dense stellar wind (Bernat and Lambert 1978). In this paper we discuss an alternative mechanism which may partly contribute to the observed line wings.