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- Weigelt, G., et al.
(författare)
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VLTI-MATISSE chromatic aperture-synthesis imaging of eta Carinae's stellar wind across the Br alpha line Periastron passage observations in February 2020
- 2021
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Ingår i: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - : EDP Sciences. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 652
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Context. Eta Carinae is a highly eccentric, massive binary system (semimajor axis similar to 15.5 au) with powerful stellar winds and a phase-dependent wind-wind collision (WWC) zone. The primary star, eta Car A, is a luminous blue variable (LBV); the secondary, eta Car B, is a Wolf-Rayet or O star with a faster but less dense wind. Aperture-synthesis imaging allows us to study the mass loss from the enigmatic LBV eta Car. Understanding LBVs is a crucial step toward improving our knowledge about massive stars and their evolution. Aims. Our aim is to study the intensity distribution and kinematics of eta Car's WWC zone. Methods. Using the VLTI-MATISSE mid-infrared interferometry instrument, we perform Br alpha imaging of eta Car's distorted wind. Results. We present the first VLTI-MATISSE aperture-synthesis images of eta Car A's stellar windin several spectral channels distributed across the Br alpha 4.052 mu m line (spectral resolving power R similar to 960). Our observations were performed close to periastron passage in February 2020 (orbital phase similar to 14.0022). The reconstructed iso-velocity images show the dependence of the primary stellar wind on wavelength or line-of-sight (LOS) velocity with a spatial resolution of 6 mas (similar to 14 au). The radius of the faintest outer wind regions is similar to 26 mas (similar to 60 au). At several negative LOS velocities, the primary stellar wind is less extended to the northwest than in other directions. This asymmetry is most likely caused by the WWC. Therefore, we see both the velocity field of the undisturbed primary wind and the WWC cavity. In continuum spectral channels, the primary star wind is more compact than in line channels. A fit of the observed continuum visibilities with the visibilities of a stellar wind CMFGEN model (CMFGEN is an atmosphere code developed to model the spectra of a variety of objects) provides a full width at half maximum fit diameter of the primary stellar wind of 2.84 +/- 0.06 mas (6.54 +/- 0.14 au). We comparethe derived intensity distributions with the CMFGEN stellar wind model and hydrodynamic WWC models.
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| 3. |
- Damineli, Augusto, et al.
(författare)
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The Long-term Spectral Changes of Eta Carinae : Are they Caused by a Dissipating Occulter as Indicated by CMFGEN Models?
- 2023
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Ingår i: Astrophysical Journal. - : Institute of Physics Publishing (IOPP). - 0004-637X .- 1538-4357. ; 954
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Eta Carinae (η Car) exhibits a unique set of P Cygni profiles with both broad and narrow components. Over many decades, the spectrum has changed-there has been an increase in observed continuum fluxes and a decrease in Fe II and H I emission-line equivalent widths. The spectrum is evolving toward that of a P Cygni star such as P Cygni itself and HDE 316285. The spectral evolution has been attributed to intrinsic variations such as a decrease in the mass-loss rate of the primary star or differential evolution in a latitudinal-dependent stellar wind. However, intrinsic wind changes conflict with three observational results: the steady long-term bolometric luminosity; the repeating X-ray light curve over the binary period; and the constancy of the dust-scattered spectrum from the Homunculus. We extend previous work that showed a secular strengthening of P Cygni absorptions by adding more orbital cycles to overcome temporary instabilities and by examining more atomic transitions. CMFGEN modeling of the primary wind shows that a time-decreasing mass-loss rate is not the best explanation for the observations. However, models with a small dissipating absorber in our line of sight can explain both the increase in brightness and changes in the emission and P Cygni absorption profiles. If the spectral evolution is caused by the dissipating circumstellar medium, and not by intrinsic changes in the binary, the dynamical timescale to recover from the Great Eruption is much less than a century, different from previous suggestions.
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| 4. |
- Pickett, Connor S., et al.
(författare)
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Changes in the Na D-1 Absorption Components of eta Carinae Provide Clues on the Location of the Dissipating Central Occulter
- 2022
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Ingår i: Astrophysical Journal. - : Institute of Physics (IOP). - 0004-637X .- 1538-4357. ; 937:2
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The Na D absorption doublet in the spectrum of eta Carinae is complex, with multiple absorption features associated with the Great Eruption (1840s), the Lesser Eruption (1890s), and the interstellar clouds. The velocity profile is further complicated by the P Cygni profile originating in the system's stellar winds and blending with the He i lambda 5876 profile. The Na D profile contains a multitude of absorption components, including those at velocities of -145 km s(-1), -168 km s(-1), and +87 km s(-1), which we concentrate on in this analysis. Ground-based spectra recorded from 2008 to 2021 show significant variability of the -145 km s(-1) absorption throughout long-term observations. In the high-ionization phases of eta Carinae prior to the 2020 periastron passage, this feature disappeared completely but briefly reappeared across the 2020 periastron, along with a second absorption at -168 km s(-1). Over the past few decades, eta Carinae has been gradually brightening, which is shown to be caused by a dissipating occulter. The decreasing absorption of the -145 km s(-1) component, coupled with similar trends seen in absorptions of ultraviolet resonant lines, indicate that this central occulter was possibly a large clump associated with the Little Homunculus or another clump between the Little Homunculus and the star. We also report on a foreground absorption component at +87 km s(-1). Comparison of Na D absorption in the spectra of nearby systems demonstrates that this redshifted component likely originates in an extended foreground structure consistent with a previous ultraviolet spectral survey in the Carina Nebula.
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