Modeling O-Star X-Ray Emission-Line Profiles: Fitting a Parameterized, Spherically-Symmetric Wind Model to Chandra Spectra

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2003
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Swarthmore College. Dept. of Physics & Astronomy
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Thesis (B.A.)
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Full copyright to this work is retained by the student author. It may only be used for non-commercial, research, and educational purposes. All other uses are restricted.
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Abstract
X-ray emission from hot (0- and B-type) stars is a long-standing astrophysical puzzle. High-resolution x-ray spectroscopy of hot stars resolves emission line profile shapes, offering direct insight into the dynamics and spatial distribution of the x-ray-emitting plasma. The 0 supergiant ( Puppis shows broad, blueshifted, and asymmetric line profiles, generally consistent with the wind-shock picture of OB star X-ray production. Here, for the first time, this is demonstrated quantitatively by fitting a spherically-symmetric phenomenological wind model to a Chandra spectrum of ( Puppis. The results of the fits to eight lines are presented here. Statistically good fits to seven of the lines are achieved, with extracted parameters providing constraints on the amount of absorption in the wind and the minimum radius of x-ray emission. The results indicate that a modest amount of wind attenuation is required, which is inconsistent with previous theoretical calculations of continuum optical depths. The implications of these results are discussed in light of other recent observational and theoretical work.
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