Discovering Massive Runaway Stars with Infrared Bow Shock Nebulae: Four OB Stars Found in WISE
Abstract
Supernovae, pulsars, and gamma-ray bursts are examples of the result of the death of massive (late-O and early-B type) stars. Determining stellar mass loss rates can help us predict the type of death the star will endure. We focus on stars that are located at the center of an infrared bow shock nebula, indicating that the star was flung from its birthplace at supersonic speed. Observing these massive, high-velocity, runaway stars with bow shock nebulae to determine their spectral type will help in the measurements of their stellar mass loss rates. The spectra of four OB stars driving bow shock candidates are presented. These four candidates were found by searching through the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) All-Sky Data Release and were the most visible in the WISE 21µm band. The spectrum for each star was obtained with the Longslit Spectrograph at the Wyoming Infrared Observatory (WIRO). The spectral types of G077.3617+01.16 (HD 229159), G079.8219+00.096 ([CPR2002]A10), G092.7265+00.18, and G076.0752-02.2044 (TYC 2697-1046-1) were found to be B1.0I, O9.0V, B0.0V, and B0.0V respectively. As predicted, the candidates are all either late-O or early-B type stars. Now that the spectral types of these stars are known, further analysis can be done to determine the velocities, temperatures, masses, and stellar mass loss rates.This work is supported by the National Science Foundation under grants AST-1063146 (REU), AST-1411851 (RUI), and AST-1412845.
- Publication:
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American Astronomical Society Meeting Abstracts #227
- Pub Date:
- January 2016
- Bibcode:
- 2016AAS...22714302W