Related papers: Zeta Oph and the weak-wind problem
Analyses of Galactic late O dwarfs (O8-O9.5V) raised the `weak wind problem': spectroscopic mass loss rates ($\dot{M}$) are up to two orders of magnitude lower than the theoretical values. We investigated the stellar and wind properties of…
Mass loss forms an important aspect of the evolution of massive stars, as well as for the enrichment of the surrounding ISM. Our goal is to predict accurate mass-loss rates and terminal wind velocities. These quantities can be compared to…
We study the stellar and wind properties of a sample of Galactic O dwarfs to track the conditions under which weak winds (i.e mass loss rates lower than ~ 1e-8 Msol/yr) appear. The sample is composed of low and high luminosity dwarfs…
In an attempt to understand the extraordinarily small mass-loss rates of late-type O dwarfs, mass fluxes in the relevant part of (T_{eff}, g)-space are derived from first principles using a previously-described code for constructing moving…
We have investigated the stellar and wind properties of a sample of five late-type O dwarfs in order to address the weak wind problem. A grid of TLUSTY models was used to obtain the stellar parameters, and the wind parameters were…
Radiation-driven winds heavily influence the evolution and fate of massive stars. Feedback processes from these winds impact the properties of the interstellar medium of their host galaxies. The dependence of mass loss on stellar properties…
Context. Radiation-driven mass loss is key to our understanding of massive-star evolution. However, for low-luminosity O-type stars there are big discrepancies between theoretically predicted and empirically derived mass-loss rates (called…
We review recent developments regarding radiation driven mass loss from OB-stars. We first summarize the fundamental theoretical predictions, and then compare these to observational results (including the VLT-FLAMES survey of massive…
Mass-loss from massive stars is fundamental to stellar and galactic evolution and enrichment of the interstellar medium. Reliable determination of mass-loss rate is dependent upon unravelling details of massive star outflows, including…
The rate at which massive stars eject mass in stellar winds significantly influences their evolutionary path. Cosmic rates of nucleosynthesis, explosive stellar phenomena, and compact object genesis depend on this poorly known facet of…
[Abridged] We present a comprehensive study of the metallicity dependence of the mass-loss rates in stationary stellar winds of hot massive stars. Assuming a power-law dependence of mass loss on metallicity, Mdot \propto Z^{m}, and adopting…
Mass fluxes J are computed for the extragalactic O stars investigated by Tramper et al. (2011; TSKK). For one early-type O star, computed and observed rates agree within errors. However, for two late-type O stars, theoretical mass-loss…
We constrain wind parameters of a sample of 18 O-type stars in the LMC, through analysis with stellar atmosphere and wind models including the effects of optically thick clumping. This allows us to determine the most accurate spectroscopic…
Some studies have claimed a universal stellar upper-mass limit of 150 Msun. A factor that is often overlooked is that there might be a difference between the current and initial masses of the most massive stars, as a result of mass loss. We…
Context. Mass-loss, occurring through radiation driven supersonic winds, is a key issue throughout the evolution of massive stars. Two outstanding problems are currently challenging the theory of radiation-driven winds: wind clumping and…
The winds of low-mass stars carry away angular momentum and impact the atmospheres of surrounding planets. Determining the properties of these winds is necessary to understand the mass-loss history of the star and the evolution of…
Mass loss governs the evolution of massive stars and shapes the stellar surroundings. To quantify the impact of the stellar winds we need to know the exact mass-loss rates; however, empirical constraints on the rates are hampered by limited…
Context: The mass-loss rate is a key parameter of massive stars. Adequate stellar atmosphere models are required for spectral analyses and mass-loss determinations. Present models can only account for the inhomogeneity of stellar winds in…
We review the various techniques through which wind properties of massive stars - O stars, AB supergiants, Luminous Blue Variables (LBVs), Wolf-Rayet (WR) stars and cool supergiants - are derived. The wind momentum-luminosity relation (e.g.…
Towards the end of their evolution hot massive stars develop strong stellar winds and appear as emission line stars, such as WR stars or LBVs. The quantitative description of the mass loss in these important pre-SN phases is hampered by…