Challenges of Modelling Wolf-Rayet stars Prescribed and Dynamically Consistent Winds

Open Access
Authors
  • R.R. Lefever
  • T. Shenar
  • A.A.C. Sander
  • L. Poniatowski
  • K. Dsilva
  • H. Todt
Publication date 2026
Host editors
  • Jose Miguel Rodriguez-Espinosa
Book title Astronomy in Focus
Book subtitle As presented at the IAU XXXI General Assembly, 2022
ISBN
  • 9781009433341
Edition A31
Event Astronomy in Focus - As presented at the IAU 31st General Assembly, GA 2022
Volume | Issue number 20
Pages (from-to) 270-274
Publisher Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
Organisations
  • Faculty of Science (FNWI) - Anton Pannekoek Institute for Astronomy (API)
Abstract
Wolf-Rayet stars typically form most of their spectrum far out in their optically thick stellar winds. Due to this, accurately modelling the wind regime of these stars is crucial to determine their characteristics. The current wind modelling relies on a prescribed β -law for the velocity structure, of which observational evidence shows that not all Wolf-Rayet stars adhere to the standard β = 1 velocity law. By computing and comparing Wolf-Rayet star models with different β -laws, we show that the velocity structure strongly influences the emergent spectrum of these stars. While the more appropriate dynamically consistent modelling gives physically more accurate velocity descriptions, the prescribed velocity law models have significantly lower computational load but the effects of different β -laws need to be taken into account.
Document type Conference contribution
Language English
Published at
https://doi.org/10.1017/S1743921324000528 (Final published version)
Other links
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Challenges of Modelling Wolf-Rayet stars (Final published version)
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