The blue hypergiant Cyg OB2 12 (B3Ia+) is a representative member of the class of very massive stars in a poorly understood evolutionary stage. We obtained its high-resolution X-ray spectrum using the Chandra observatory. PoWR model atmospheres were calculated to provide realistic wind opacities and to establish the wind density structure. We find that collisional de-excitation is the dominant mechanism depopulating the metastable upper levels of the forbidden lines of the He-like ions Si xivand Mg xii. Comparison between the model and observations reveals that X-ray emission is produced in a dense plasma, which could reside only at the photosphere or in a colliding wind zone between binary components. The observed X-ray spectra are well-fitted by thermal plasma models, with average temperatures in excess of 10 MK. The wind speed in Cyg OB2 12 is not high enough to power such high temperatures, but the collision of two winds in a binary system can be sufficient. We used archival data to investigate the X-ray properties of other blue hypergiants. In general, stars of this class are not detected as X-ray sources. We suggest that our new Chandra observations of Cyg OB2 12 can be best explained if Cyg OB2 12 is a colliding wind binary possessing a late O-type companion. This makes Cyg OB2 12 only the second binary system among the 16 known Galactic hypergiants. This low binary fraction indicates that the blue hypergiants are likely products of massive binary evolution during which they either accreted a significant amount of mass or already merged with their companions.

Context. High spectral resolution and long exposure times are providing unprecedented levels of data quality of massive stars at X-ray wavelengths. Aims. A key diagnostic of the X-ray emitting plasma are the fir lines for He-like triplets. In particular, owing to radiative pumping effects, the forbidden-to-intercombination line luminosity ratio, R = f∕i, can be used to determine the proximity of the hot plasma to the UV-bright photospheres of massive stars. Moreover, the era of large observing programs additionally allows for investigation of line variability. Methods. This contribution is the second to explore how variability in the line ratio can provide new diagnostic information about distributed X-rays in a massive star wind. We focus on wind integration for total line luminosities, taking account of radiative pumping and stellar occultation. While the case of a variable stellar radiation field was explored in the first paper, the effects of wind variability are emphasized in this work. Results. We formulate an expression for the ratio of line luminosities f∕i that closely resembles the classic expression for the on-the-spot result. While there are many ways to drive variability in the line ratio, we use variable mass loss as an illustrative example for wind integration, particularly since this produces no variability for the on-the-spot case. The f∕i ratio can be significantly modulated owing to evolving wind properties. The extent of the variation depends on how the timescale for the wind flow compares to the timescale over which the line emissivities change. Conclusions. While a variety of factors can ellicit variable line ratios, a time-varying mass-loss rate serves to demonstrate the range of amplitude and phased-dependent behavior in f∕i line ratios. Importantly, we evaluate how variable mass loss might bias measures of f∕i. For observational exposures that are less than the timescale of variable mass loss, biased measures (relative to the time-averaged wind) can result; if exposures are long, the f∕i ratio is reflective of the time-averaged spherical wind.

<p>A major fraction of stars will pass through a short period of dramatic events in their final evolutionary stage. Low- to intermediate-mass stars, studied here, are stripped of their outer parts in a slow massive wind. This mass loss reshapes both the star and the surrounding medium. The formation of the wind is a consequence of the non-linear interaction of a number of physical processes. Stellar pulsations and efficient dust formation are examples of such key processes. Time-dependent theoretical models, in combination with observations, are useful tools for understanding these winds.</p><p>The main object of this thesis has been the physical improvement of a theoretical wind model. Here the coupling between the dust and gas in the wind is studied in further detail, allowing drift. The methods that have been developed earlier to describe the micro-physical interaction are overviewed and summarized. Previously dust has often been assumed to move at the same velocity as gas. New time-dependent wind models are presented where grain drift has been treated self-consistently. Specifically, the coupling between dust and gas in the wind has been modeled more realistically, with descriptions of both the modified momentum and energy balances, and drift dependent dust formation. The results of these new ``drift models'' have been compared with the results of non-drift models. </p><p>A general result of the study is that the effects of drift are significant and difficult to predict if a simple analytical theory is used. It has been found that dust in drift models tends to accumulate in certain dense regions, an accumulation that was not possible without drift. Moreover the new models show an increased variability in the wind structure. The use of drift in dust formation tends to markedly increase the produced dust. Some sets of model parameters lead to a wind without including drift, but a corresponding wind does not form when drift is included -- and vice versa. The effects of drift are important and can probably not be ignored in realistic models.</p>

A major fraction of stars will pass through a short period of dramatic events in their final evolutionary stage. Low- to intermediate-mass stars, studied here, are stripped of their outer parts in a slow massive wind. This mass loss reshapes both the star and the surrounding medium. The formation of the wind is a consequence of the non-linear interaction of a number of physical processes. Stellar pulsations and efficient dust formation are examples of such key processes. Time-dependent theoretical models, in combination with observations, are useful tools for understanding these winds. The main object of this thesis has been the physical improvement of a theoretical wind model. Here the coupling between the dust and gas in the wind is studied in further detail, allowing drift. The methods that have been developed earlier to describe the micro-physical interaction are overviewed and summarized. Previously dust has often been assumed to move at the same velocity as gas. New time-dependent wind models are presented where grain drift has been treated self-consistently. Specifically, the coupling between dust and gas in the wind has been modeled more realistically, with descriptions of both the modified momentum and energy balances, and drift dependent dust formation. The results of these new ``drift models'' have been compared with the results of non-drift models. A general result of the study is that the effects of drift are significant and difficult to predict if a simple analytical theory is used. It has been found that dust in drift models tends to accumulate in certain dense regions, an accumulation that was not possible without drift. Moreover the new models show an increased variability in the wind structure. The use of drift in dust formation tends to markedly increase the produced dust. Some sets of model parameters lead to a wind without including drift, but a corresponding wind does not form when drift is included -- and vice versa. The effects of drift are important and can probably not be ignored in realistic models.

Aim. In this project, theoretical models of dust driven winds of asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars with effective temperatures within a range of 2400 − 3200 [K] and relative carbon-to-oxygen abundance C/O &gt; 1 are studied. The aim is to understand if and how a detailed description of the grain size in winds of carbon rich AGB stars affects the wind formation and wind driving processes. Method. The computations were performed with a well tested FORTRAN code by calculating a grid of 60 models with different stellar parameters using grain size-dependent opacities. The results were then compared with models where the small particle approximation (SPA) had been used. Conclusions. The results indicate a certain dependency on grain size of the wind properties. The results from the computations of the majority of the models show no significant diferences however, especially not for the mass loss rates. Thus earlier computations performed using the SPA need not necessarily to be rejected.

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Polarization is a powerful tool for understanding stellar atmospheres and circumstellar environments. Mira and semi-regular variable stars have been observed for decades and some are known to be polarimetrically variable, however, the semi-regular variable V Canes Venatici displays an unusually large, unexplained amount of polarization. We present ten years of optical polarization observations obtained with the HPOL instrument, supplemented by published observations spanning a total interval of about forty years for V CVn. We find that V CVn shows large polarization variations ranging from 1 - 6%. We also find that for the past forty years the position angle measured for V CVn has been virtually constant suggesting a long-term, stable, asymmetric structure about the star. We suggest that this asymmetry is caused by the presence of a stellar wind bow shock and tail, consistent with the star's large space velocity.

This thesis primarily uses submillimetre molecular line data from HARP, a heterodyne array on the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope (JCMT), to further investigate star formation in the Ophiuchus L1688 cloud. HARP was used to observe CO J = 3-2 isotopologues: 12CO, 13CO and C18O; and the dense gas tracer HCO+ J = 4-3. A method for calculating molecular line contamination in the SCUBA-2 450 and 850 μm dust continuum data was developed, which can be used to convert 12CO J =6-5and J =3-2 maps of integrated intensity (K km s−1) to molecular line flux (mJy beam−1) contaminating the continuum emission. Using HARP maps of 12CO J = 3-2, I quantified the amount of molecular line contamination found in the SCUBA-2 850 μm maps of three different regions, including NGC 1333 of Perseus and NGC 2071 and NGC 2024 of Orion B. Regions with ‘significant’ (i.e. > 20%) molecular line contamination correspond to molecular outflows. This method is now being used to remove molecular line contamination from regions with both SCUBA-2 dust continuum and HARP 12CO map coverage in the Gould Belt Legacy Survey (GBS). The Ophiuchus L1688 cloud was observed in all three CO J = 3-2 isotopologues. I carried out a molecular outflow analysis in the region on a list of 30 sources from the Spitzer ‘c2d’ survey [Evans et al., 2009]. Out of the 30 sources, 8 had confirmed bipolar outflows, 20 sources had ‘confused’ outflow detections and 2 sources did not have outflow detections. The Ophiuchus cloud was found to be gravitationally bound with the turbulent kinetic energy a factor of 7 lower than the gravitational binding energy. The high-velocity outflowing gas was found to be only 21% of the turbulence in the cloud, suggesting outflows are significant but not the dominant source of turbulence in the region. Other factors were found to influence the global high-velocity outflowing gas in addition to molecular outflows, including hot dust from nearby B-type stars, outflow remnants from less embedded sources and stellar winds from the Upper Scorpius OB association. To trace high density gas in the Ophiuchus L1688 cloud, HCO+ J = 4-3 was observed to further investigate the relationship between high column density and high density in the molecular cloud. Non-LTE codes RADEX and TORUS were used to develop density models corresponding to the HCO+ emission. The models involved both constant density and peaked density profiles. RADEX [van der Tak et al., 2007] models used a constant density model along the line-of-sight and indicated the HCO+ traced densities that were predominantly subthermally excited with den- sities ranging from 10^3–10^5 cm^−3. Line-of-sight estimates ranged from several parsecs to 90 pc, which was unrealistic for the Ophiuchus cloud. This lead to the implementation of peaked density profiles using the TORUS non-LTE radiative transfer code. Initial models used a ‘triangle’ density profile and a more complicated log-normal density probability density function (PDF) profile was subsequently implemented. Peaked density models were relatively successful at fitting the HCO+ data. Triangle models had density fits ranging from 0.2–2.0×10^6 cm^−3 and 0.1–0.3×10^6 cm^−3 for the 0.2 and 0.3 pc cloud length models re- spectively. Log-normal density models with constant-σ had peak density ranges from 0.2–1.0 ×10^5 cm^−3 and 0.6–2.0×10^5 cm^−3 for 0.2 and 0.3 pc models respectively. Similarly, log-normal models with varying-σ had lower and upper density limits corresponding to the range of FWHM velocities. Densities (lower and upper limits) ranged from 0.1–1.0 ×10^6 and 0.5–3.0 ×10^5 cm^-3 for the 0.2 and 0.3 pc models respectively. The result of the HCO+ density modelling indicated the distributions of starless, prestellar and protostellar cores do not have a preference for higher densities with respect to the rest of the cloud. This is contrary to past research suggesting the probability of finding a submillimetre core steeply rises as a function of column density (i.e. density; Belloche et al. 2011; Hatchell et al. 2005). Since the majority of sources are less embedded (i.e Class II/III), it is possible the evolutionary state of Ophiuchus is the main reason the small sample of Class 0/I protostars do not appear to have a preference for higher densities in the cloud.

Ce mémoire s’intéresse au système binaire massif CV Serpentis, composé d’une Wolf- Rayet riche en carbone et d’une étoile de la séquence principale, de type spectral O (WC8d + O8-9IV). D’abord, certains phénomènes affectant les étoiles massives sont mentionnés, de leur passage sur la séquence principale à leur mort (supernova). Au cours du premier cha- pitre, un rappel est fait concernant certaines bases de l’astrophysique stellaire observa- tionnelle (diagramme Hertzsprung-Russell, phases évolutives, etc...). Au chapitre suivant, un des aspects les plus importants de la vie des étoiles massives est abordé : la perte de masse sous forme de vents stellaires. Un historique de la découverte des vents ouvre le chapitre, suivi des fondements théoriques permettant d’expliquer ce phénomène. Ensuite, différents aspects propres aux vents stellaires sont présentés. Au troisième chapitre, un historique détaillé de CV Ser est présenté en guise d’introduc- tion à cet objet singulier. Ses principales caractéristiques connues y sont mentionnées. Finalement, le cœur de ce mémoire se retrouve au chapitre 4. Des courbes de lumière ultra précises du satellite MOST (2009 et 2010) montrent une variation apparente du taux de perte de masse de la WR de l’ordre de 62% sur une période orbitale de 29.701 jours. L’analyse des résidus permet de trouver une signature suggérant la présence de régions d’interaction en corotation (en anglais corotating interaction regions, ou CIR) dans le vent WR. Une nouvelle solution orbitale est présentée ainsi que les paramètres de la région de collision des vents et les types spectraux sont confirmés. / This thesis focuses on the massive binary CV Serpentis, consisting of a carbon-rich Wolf-Rayet star and a main-sequence O-type star (WC8d + O8-9IV). First off, different phenomena linked to massive stars throughout their existence - from main sequence to the supernova explosion - are mentioned. The first chapter offers a brief overview of some of the basics of observational stellar astrophysics (Hertzsprung- Russell diagram, evolution, etc...). The next chapter covers one of the most important aspects of massive stars : mass loss through stellar winds. The chapter opens with a chronology of the discovery of stellar winds, followed by the foundations of stellar wind theory. Finally, different processes involved in wind ejection are presented. The third chapter reviews chronologically the main studies carried out on CV Ser and helps introduce this peculiar system. Its main characteristics are given in this chapter. Finally, chapter 4 is the central part of this work. MOST light curves taken in 2009 and 2010 show what appears to be a 62% increase of the mass-loss rate over one or- bital period (29.701d). There also seems to be evidence for the presence of corotating interaction regions (CIR) in the WR wind. Indeed, the analysis of the residuals yields a CIR-like signature. A new orbit is derived, as well as the wind-collision zone parame- ters, while the spectral types of both stars are confirmed.

No description available.