The surprising presence of an OI line in a Wolf-Rayet spectrum.
Abstract
Oxygen is usually detected in Wolf-Rayet spectra as a highly ionized species. Surprisingly, the signature of neutral oxygen has been found in the spectrum of WR158, a WN7 star; in addition, anomalous intensity ratios of some Pashen lines were also detected. Various interpretations can be suggested. It is possible to have a composite spectrum superposition of a Be spectrum, and of a WN7 spectrum. If it is not due to chance coincidence alignment, this would imply a system combining a WR and a Be star, which is rather unusual. Another alternative is that WR158 is a single object, a WN7 star with, however, nonstandard environmental interactions.
- Publication:
-
Astronomy and Astrophysics
- Pub Date:
- January 1992
- Bibcode:
- 1992A&A...253L..37A
- Keywords:
-
- Binary Stars;
- Oxygen Spectra;
- Stellar Spectra;
- Wolf-Rayet Stars;
- B Stars;
- Paschen Series;
- Peculiar Stars;
- Astrophysics