No Arabic abstract
We introduce a set of stellar models for massive stars whose evolution has been affected by mass transfer in a binary system, at a range of metallicities. As noted by other authors, the effect of such mass transfer is frequently more than just rejuvenation. We find that, whilst stars with convective cores which have accreted only H-rich matter rejuvenate as expected, those stars which have accreted He-rich matter (for example at the end stages of conservative mass transfer) evolve in a way that is qualitatively similar to rejuvenated stars of much higher metallicity. Thus the effects of non-conservative evolution depend strongly on whether He-rich matter is amongst the portion accreted or ejected. This may lead to a significant divergence in binary evolution paths with only a small difference in initial assumptions. We compare our models to observed systems and find approximate formulae for the effect of mass accretion on the effective age and metallicity of the resulting star.
Aims: We simulate the spectra of massive binaries at different phases of the orbital cycle, accounting for the gravitational influence of the companion star on the shape and physical properties of the stellar surface. Methods: We used the Roche potential modified to account for radiation pressure to compute the stellar surface of close circular systems and we used the TIDES code for surface computation of eccentric systems. In both cases, we accounted for gravity darkening and mutual heating generated by irradiation to compute the surface temperature. We then interpolated NLTE plane-parallel atmosphere model spectra in a grid to obtain the local spectrum at each surface point. We finally summed all contributions, accounting for the Doppler shift, limb-darkening, and visibility to obtain the total synthetic spectrum. We computed different orbital phases and sets of physical and orbital parameters. Results: Our models predict line strength variations through the orbital cycle, but fail to completely reproduce the Struve-Sahade effect. Including radiation pressure allows us to reproduce a surface temperature distribution that is consistent with observations of semi-detached binary systems. Conclusions: Radiation pressure effects on the stellar surface are weak in (over)contact binaries and well-detached systems but can become very significant in semi-detached systems. The classical von Zeipel theorem is sufficient for the spectral computation. Broad-band light curves derived from the spectral computation are different from those computed with a model in which the stellar surfaces are equipotentials of the Roche potential scaled by the instantaneous orbital separation. In many cases, the fit of two Gaussian/Lorentzian profiles fails to properly measure the equivalent width of the lines and leads to apparent variations that could explain some of the effects reported in the literature.
In an early-type, massive star binary system, X-ray bright shocks result from the powerful collision of stellar winds driven by radiation pressure on spectral line transitions. We examine the influence of the X-rays from the wind-wind collision shocks on the radiative driving of the stellar winds using steady state models that include a parameterized line force with X-ray ionization dependence. Our primary result is that X-ray radiation from the shocks inhibits wind acceleration and can lead to a lower pre-shock velocity, and a correspondingly lower shocked plasma temperature, yet the intrinsic X-ray luminosity of the shocks, LX remains largely unaltered, with the exception of a modest increase at small binary separations. Due to the feedback loop between the ionizing X-rays from the shocks and the wind-driving, we term this scenario as self regulated shocks. This effect is found to greatly increase the range of binary separations at which a wind-photosphere collision is likely to occur in systems where the momenta of the two winds are significantly different. Furthermore, the excessive levels of X-ray ionization close to the shocks completely suppresses the line force, and we suggest that this may render radiative braking less effective. Comparisons of model results against observations reveals reasonable agreement in terms of log(LX/Lbol). The inclusion of self regulated shocks improves the match for kT values in roughly equal wind momenta systems, but there is a systematic offset for systems with unequal wind momenta (if considered to be a wind-photosphere collision).
More than half of stars reside in binary or multiple star systems and many planets have been found in binary systems. From theoretical point of view, however, whether or not the planetary formation proceeds in a binary system is a very complex problem, because secular perturbation from the companion star can easily stir up the eccentricity of the planetesimals and cause high-velocity, destructive collisions between planetesimals. Early stage of planetary formation process in binary systems has been studied by restricted three-body approach with gas drag and it is commonly accepted that accretion of planetesimals can proceed due to orbital phasing by gas drag. However, the gas drag becomes less effective as the planetesimals become massive. Therefore it is still uncertain whether the collision velocity remains small and planetary accretion can proceed, once the planetesimals become massive. We performed {it N}-body simulations of planetary formation in binary systems starting from massive planetesimals whose size is about 100-500 km. We found that the eccentricity vectors of planetesimals quickly converge to the forced eccentricity due to the coupling of the perturbation of the companion and the mutual interaction of planetesimals if the initial disk model is sufficiently wide in radial distribution. This convergence decreases the collision velocity and as a result accretion can proceed much in the same way as in isolated systems. The basic processes of the planetary formation, such as runaway growth and oligarchic growth and final configuration of the protoplanets are essentially the same in binary systems and single star systems, at least in the late stage where the effect of gas drag is small.
Context. Most massive stars are in binary or multiple systems. Several massive stars have been detected as doublelined spectroscopic binaries and among these, the OWN Survey has detected a non-negligible number whose components show very different spectral line broadening (i.e., projected rotational velocities). This fact raises a discussion about the contributing processes, such as angular-momentum transfer and tidal forces. Aims. We seek to constrain the physical and evolutionary status of one of such systems, the O+O binary HD 93343. Methods. We analyzed a series of high-resolution multiepoch optical spectra to determine the orbital parameters, projected rotational velocities, and evolutionary status of the system. Results. HD 93343 is a binary system comprised of two O7.5 Vz stars that each have minimum masses of approximately 22 Mo in a wide and eccentric orbit (e = 0.398$pm$0.004; P=50.432$pm$0.001 d). Both stars have very similar stellar parameters, and hence ages. As expected from the qualitative appearance of the combined spectrum of the system, however, these stars have very different projected rotational velocities (~65 and ~325 km/s, respectively). Conclusions. The orbits and stellar parameters obtained for both components seem to indicate that their youth and relative separation is enough to discard the effects of mass transfer and tidal friction. Thus, non-synchronization should be intrinsic to their formation.
High-resolution radio observations have revealed that non-thermal radio emission in WR stars arises where the stellar wind of the WR star collides with that of a binary companion. These colliding-wind binary (CWB) systems offer an important laboratory for investigating the underlying physics of particle acceleration. Hydrodynamic models of the binary stellar winds and the wind-collision region (WCR) that account for the evolution of the electron energy spectrum, largely due to inverse Compton cooling, are now available. Radiometry and imaging obtained with the VLA, MERLIN, EVN and VLBA provide essential constraints to these models. Models of the radio emission from WR146 and WR147 are shown, though these very wide systems do not have defined orbits and hence lack a number of important model parameters. Multi-epoch VLBI imaging of the archetype WR+O star binary WR140 through a part of its 7.9-year orbit has been used to define the orbit inclination, distance and the luminosity of the companion star to enable the best constraints for any radio emitting CWB system. Models of the spatial distribution of relativistic electrons and ions, and the magnetic energy density are used to model the radio emission, and also to predict the high energy emission at X-ray and gamma-ray energies. It is clear that high-energy facilities e.g. GLAST and VERITAS, will be important for constraining particle acceleration parameters such as the spectral index of the energy spectrum and the acceleration efficiency of both ions and electrons, and in turn, identify unique models for the radio spectra. This will be especially important in future attempts to model the spectra of WR140 throughout its complete orbit. A WCR origin for the synchrotron emission in O-stars, the progenitors of WR stars, is illustrated by observations of Cyg OB2 No. 9.