Engineering topics

Stevens, Ian R.

Publications and source records attributed to Stevens, Ian R..

8 records

NASA NTRS2005

Bulk Velocities, Chemical Composition and Ionization Structure of the X-ray Shocks in WR140 near Periastron as Revealed by the Chandra Gratings

The Wolf-Rayet WC7+O4.5 binary WR140 went through the periastron passage of its 8-year eccentric binary orbit in early 2001 as the two stars made their closest approach. Both stars have powerful supersonic stellar winds which crash into each other between the stars to produce X-rays. Chandra grating observations were made when the X-rays were at their brightest making WR140 the brightest hot-star X-ray source in the sky and giving the opportunity to study the velocity profiles of lines, all of which were resolved and blue-shifted. In the general context of shock physics, the measurements constrain the flow of hot gas and where different ions were made. The lower velocity widths of cool ions imply a plasma that was not in equilibrium. The brightness of lines relative to the strong continuum in conjunction with plasma models gives interim abundance estimates for eight different elements in WC-type material including an Ne/S ratio in good agreement with earlier long-wavelength measurements.

Pollock, A. M. T.↗

NASA NTRS2004

An X-Ray Investigation of the NGC346 Field in the SMC (3): XMM-Newton Data

We present new XMM-Newton results on the field around the NGC346 star cluster in the SMC. This continues and extends previously published work on Chandra observations of the same field. The two XMM-Newton observations were obtained, respectively, six months before and six months after the previously published Chandra data. Of the 51 X-ray sources detected with XMM-Newton, 29 were already detected with Chandru. Comparing the properties of these X-ray sources in each of our three datasets has enabled us to investigate their variability on times scales of a year. Changes in the flux levels and/or spectral properties were observed for 21 of these sources. In addition, we discovered long-term variations in the X-ray properties of the peculiar system HD5980, a luminous blue variable star, that is likely to be a colliding wind binary system, which displays the largest luminosity during the first XMM-Newton observation.

Naze, Yael↗

NASA NTRS1993

An X-ray excited wind in Centaurus X-3

We propose a new interpretation of the behavior of the notable X-ray binary source Centaurus X-3. Based on both theoretical and observational arguments (using EXOSAT data), we suggest that an X-ray excited wind emanating from the O star is present in this system. Further, we suggest that this wind is responsible for the mass transfer in the system rather than Roche-lobe overflow or a normal radiatively driven stellar wind. We show that the ionization conditions in Cen X-3 are too extreme to permit a normal radiatively driven wind to emanate from portions of the stellar surface facing toward the neutron star. In addition, the flux of X-rays from the neutron star is strong enough to drive a thermal wind from the O star with sufficient mass-flux to power the X-ray source. We find that this model can reasonably account for the long duration of the eclipse transitions and other observed features of Cen X-3. If confirmed, this will be the first example of an X-ray excited wind in a massive binary. We also discuss the relationship between the excited wind in Cen X-3 to the situation in eclipsing millisecond pulsars, where an excited wind is also believed to be present.

Day, C. S. R.↗

NASA NTRS1992

Colliding winds from early-type stars in binary systems

The dynamics of the wind and shock structure formed by the wind collision in early-type binary systems is examined by means of a 2D hydrodynamics code, which self-consistently accounts for radiative cooling, and represents a significant improvement over previous attempts to model these systems. The X-ray luminosity and spectra of the shock-heated region, accounting for wind attenuation and the influence of different abundances on the resultant level and spectra of X-ray emission are calculated. A variety of dynamical instabilities that are found to dominate the intershock region is examined. These instabilities are found to be particularly important when postshock material is able to cool. These instabilities disrupt the postshock flow and add a time variability of order 10 percent to the X-ray luminosity. The X-ray spectrum of these systems is found to vary with the nuclear abundances of winds. These theoretical models are used to study several massive binary systems, in particular V444 Cyg and HD 193793.

Stevens, Ian R.↗

NASA NTRS1991

X-ray-illuminated stellar winds - Optically thick wind models for massive X-ray binaries

The work of Stevens and Kallman (1990) on the effect of accretion-powered X-rays from the neutron star on the dynamics of the line-driven stellar wind of the early-type primary is extended. Radiative force multipliers that now depend on the column of attenuating material, as well as the ionization parameter, are calculated. Optical depth effects are found to suppress the effects of X-ray ionization on the force multipliers. A number of dynamical models for the winds of massive X-ray binary systems (MXRBs) are calculated with these force multipliers. Unlike the optically thin models, self-consistent dynamical solutions are found for reasonable values of the X-ray luminosity. These solutions also reveal the presence of nonlinear mechanisms that affect wind dynamics, whereby relatively small changes in the force multipliers can lead to significant changes in the wind structure. The models find the existence of a self-consistent region of solution at an X-ray luminosity of about 10 to the 36th ergs/s and suggest the possible existence of high-luminosity states.

Stevens, Ian R.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Enhanced winds and tidal streams in massive X-ray binaries

The tidal effects created by the presence of a compact companion are expected to induce a stream of enhanced wind from the early-type primary star in massive X-ray binary systems. In this paper, two-dimensional gasdynamical simulations of such streams are presented. It is found that the wind enhancement is a sensitive function of the binary separation, and develops into a tidal stream as the primary approaches its critical surface. For typical system parameters, the Coriolis force deflects the stream sufficiently that it does not impact directly on the compact companion but passes behind it. The density in the stream can reach values of 20-30 times the ambient wind density, leading to strong attenuation of the X-ray flux that passes through the tidal stream, providing a possible explanation of the enhanced absorption events seen at later phases in the X-ray observations of massive X-ray binary systems such as Vela X-1. In contrast to the time-variable accretion wake, the tidal stream is relatively stationary, producing absorption features that should remain fixed from orbit to orbit. For systems with a strong tidal stream, the large asymmetry in the accreting wind results in the accretion of angular momentum of constant sign, as opposed to systems without streams, where the sign of the accreted angular momentum can change.

Blondin, John M.↗

NASA NTRS1990

X-ray illuminated stellar winds - Ionization effects in the radiative driving of stellar winds in massive X-ray binary systems

This paper presents calculations of the effect of changing X-ray ionization conditions on the radiative force experienced by the stellar wind material in a massive X-ray binary system. The radiative line force from the radiation field of the primary is parameterized in terms of the Castor et al. (1975) force multiplier. The results show that the line force decreases sharply, but in a nonlinear way, with increasing X-ray ionization. The dynamic consequences of this effect are discussed.

Stevens, Ian R.↗

NASA NTRS1989

Ionization effects in the radiative driving of stellar winds in massive X ray binary systems

Massive X ray binaries consist of an early type primary lossing mass via a strong stellar wind driven by the stars radiation field, and an accreting neutron star companion. The X rays from the neutron star affect the wind dynamics by changing the temperature and ionization structure. The effect of the accretion powered X rays on the radiative line force that drives the stellar wind is calculated. The consequences of these calculations for the wind dynamics in massive X ray binaries is discussed.

Stevens, Ian R.↗