The Effects of Metallicity on Stellar Winds
Abstract
A fundamental prediction of line driven wind theory is that the mass loss rate of hot stars should scale with the metallicity. Initial studies with the IUE, however, have found that the mass loss rates in the metal deficient Magellanic Clouds are similar to the galactic rates. We propose to test this prediction with low resolution observations of galactic O and B stars with different abundances. The target stars are associated with high and low abundance H II regions. The metallicity range is quite large and the stars are all expected to show unsaturated P Cygni profiles. A mass loss rate difference as predicted by radiatively driven wind theory will be readily detectable if present. If we find no dependence on z then a serious difficulty with radiatively wind theory will have to be addressed.
- Publication:
-
IUE Proposal
- Pub Date:
- 1986
- Bibcode:
- 1986iue..prop.2417B