Nesta tese é apresentado um catálogo fotométrico no infravermelho próximo de 35 Regiões HII, todas pertencentes ao disco Galáctico. Esta faixa espectral é útil uma vez que os comprimentos de onda são grandes o suficiente para se ter uma baixa extinção interestelar comparada ao visível, e são pequenos o suficiente para diagnosticar as fotosferas estelares. Foram obtidas imagens nas bandas J, H e K e imagens do Spitzer nos canais de 3,5, 5,8 e 8,0 m. Após a fotometria nas imagens JHK, foi possível construir diagramas cor-cor e cor-magnitude. Foram utilizadas imagens coloridas, compostas de uma combinação RGB das imagens nas três bandas, tanto para as imagens JHK quanto para as imagens do Spitzer. Estas imagens, junto com os diagramas, foram utilizadas para levantar candidatos a fontes ionizantes das regiões HII, assim como objetos ainda em estágios primordiais de evolução (CTTs e MYSOs). Estes dados também foram utilizados para associar à cada região HII um estágio evolutivo (de A até D, da região mais jovem à mais evoluída). Baseado na posição da Sequência Principal em diagramas cor-magnitude, foi possível comparar as distâncias cinemáticas com nossos dados. Além disso, quando possível, foram utilizadas distâncias de regiões HII determinadas por paralaxe espectrofotométrica (disponíveis na literatura) e utilizando duas leis de extinção interestelar extremas mostrou-se que estas distâncias são menores que suas contrapartidas cinemáticas, e estão em acordo com distâncias determinadas por outros métodos, como por paralaxe trigonométrica. Sabendo que estas regiões de formação estelar seguem a dinâmica do gás, o mapeamento da distribuição destas regiões permite checar a estrutura espiral da Via Láctea. / In this work, a near infrared photometric catalog of 35 HII regions that belongs to the Galactic plane is presented. This spectral range is useful since the wavelengths are long enough to have less influence of the interstellar extinction compared to the visible domain, and they are small enough to still show stellar photospheric features. Images of these HII regions in the J, H and K-band together with IRAC-Spitzer images (channels 4.5, 5.8 and 8.0 m) were used. After the photometry in the JHK images, color-color and color-magnitude diagrams were constructed. These two group of images (JHK and 4.5, 5.8 and 8.0 m) colored in a RGB combination were used, together with the diagrams, to identify the ionizing sources candidates, as well as objects still embedded in their natal cocoon (CTTs and MYSOs). An evolutionary stage to these regions (from A to D, from the younger region to the more evolved) was inferred based on the images and diagrams. These diagrams were also used to infer if the kinematic distance is correct, based on the Main Sequence location. Non-kinematic distances to several HII regions, when it was possible, were collected from the literature. Using two extreme interstellar extinction laws, it was possible to compare these distances with the kinematic results. These non-kinematic distances are lower than that from kinematic techniques. Also, these distance discrepancies are in agreement with distances derived by others methodologies, as trigonometric parallax. Since these star forming regions follow the gas dynamics, mapping their distribution along the Galaxy allows to check the spiral pattern of the Milky Way.

The consequences of structured flows continue to be a pressing topic in relating spectral data to physical processes occurring in massive star winds. In a preceding paper, our group reported on hydrodynamic simulations of hypersonic flow past a rigid spherical clump to explore the structure of bow shocks that can form around wind clumps. Here we report on profiles of emission lines that arise from such bow shock morphologies. To compute emission line profiles, we adopt a two-component flow structure of wind and clumps using two “beta” velocity laws. While individual bow shocks tend to generate double-horned emission line profiles, a group of bow shocks can lead to line profiles with a range of shapes with blueshifted peak emission that depends on the degree of X-ray photoabsorption by the interclump wind medium, the number of clump structures in the flow, and the radial distribution of the clumps. Using the two beta law prescription, the theoretical emission measure and temperature distribution throughout the wind can be derived. The emission measure tends to be power law, and the temperature distribution is broad in terms of wind velocity. Although restricted to the case of adiabatic cooling, our models highlight the influence of bow shock effects for hot plasma temperature and emission measure distributions in stellar winds and their impact on X-ray line profile shapes. Previous models have focused on geometrical considerations of the clumps and their distribution in the wind. Our results represent the first time that the temperature distribution of wind clump structures are explicitly and self-consistently accounted for in modeling X-ray line profile shapes for massive stars.

Mu Columbae is a prototypical weak-wind O star for which we have obtained a high-resolution X-ray spectrum with the Chandra LETG/ACIS instrument and a low-resolution spectrum with Suzaku. This allows us, for the first time, to investigate the role of X-rays on the wind structure in a bona fide weak-wind system and to determine whether there actually is a massive hot wind. The X-ray emission measure indicates that the outflow is an order of magnitude greater than that derived from UV lines and is commensurate with the nominal wind-luminosity relationship for O stars. Therefore, the "weak-wind problem"--identified from cool wind UV/optical spectra--is largely resolved by accounting for the hot wind seen in X-rays. From X-ray line profiles, Doppler shifts, and relative strengths, we find that this weak-wind star is typical of other late O dwarfs. The X-ray spectra do not suggest a magnetically confined plasma-the spectrum is soft and lines are broadened; Suzaku spectra confirm the lack of emission above 2 keV. Nor do the relative line shifts and widths suggest any wind decoupling by ions. The He-like triplets indicate that the bulk of the X-ray emission is formed rather close to the star, within five stellar radii. Our results challenge the idea that some OB stars are "weak-wind" stars that deviate from the standard wind-luminosity relationship. The wind is not weak, but it is hot and its bulk is only detectable in X-rays.

No description available.

The purpose of this dissertation is to study the Red Supergiant stars (RSGs) in the supermassive young cluster Westerlund 1 through a photometric and spectral analysis. Due to its characteristics, Westerlund 1 is one of the most interesting young massive clusters in the Milky Way and has an impressive population of massive stars, with four RSGs among them. This represents a rare oportunity to study this type of stars in a cluster with well known distance and reddening. Apart from contributing to the general knowledge about RSGs, which parameters are poorly known due to their scarcity, an analysis of these four stars will contribute to solve the puzzle of the formation history of Westerlund 1. For the analysis presented here, photometric data of the four RSGs in Westerlund 1 were used, along with near infrared spectra covering the region from ~8400 Å to ~8900 Å, obtained at two different epochs with the 1.60 m telescope at Observatório do Pico dos Dias (OPD) and the Southern Astrophysical Research Telescope (SOAR). Magnitudes obtained with JHK band photometry were used to calculate effective temperatures and bolometric corrections at the K band through different methods involving the color indices (V-K)_0 and (J-K)_0, in order to determine the luminosities and locate the four RSGs in a Hertzsprung-Russell diagram (HRD). A spectral analysis was performed with the aim of estimating spectral types and the same stellar parameters calculated with the photomety. First, a visual comparison of the depth and strength of the main spectral features (TiO and VO bandheads, and CaT and Fe I lines) was carried out to classify the stars by spectral type. For this purpose, spectra of the four RSGs in the cluster were compared to a group of spectra from well studied reference stars, some of them also RSGs. Then, given their strong dependence on Teff, equivalent widths (EWs) of Fe I lines were measured in all the spectra available. By comparing the EWs measured on spectra of the four RSGs and the reference stars, the Teff\'s of the most similar reference stars were assigned to the RSGs in the cluster. With the Teff\'s obtained through the spectral analysis, new points were added to the initial HRD. The final objective of the present work was to estimate the initial masses and ages of the RSGs in Westerlund 1. This was accomplished by superimposing up to date evolutionary tracks and isochrones to the HRD. Masses and ages were determined for the cases with and without rotation, obtaining an average age for the RSGs of 8 Myr, thus doubling the age of the host cluster determined from the pre-main sequence (PMS). In the final part, it is presented a brief discussion about the discrepancy of the age of Westerlund 1 measured with the PMS isochrones and the age of the RSGs, as well as the uncertainties it raises regarding the formation history of the cluster. / O objetivo desta dissertação é estudar as estrelas Supergigantes Vermelhas (RSGs) no aglomerado jovem supermassivo Westerlund 1 através de uma análise fotométrica e espectral. Devido às suas características, Westerlund 1 é um dos aglomerados jovens mais interessantes da Via Láctea e tem uma população importante de estrelas massivas, com quatro RSGs entre elas. Isso representa uma oportunidade rara para estudar este tipo de estrelas em um aglomerado com a distância e avermelhamento bem conhecidos. Além de contribuir para o conhecimento geral sobre RSGs, cujos parâmetros são pouco conhecidos devido à sua escassez, uma análise dessas quatro estrelas contribuirá para resolver o enigma da história da formação de Westerlund 1. Para a análise apresentada aqui, foram utilizados dados fotométricos das quatro RSGs em Westerlund 1, juntamente com espectros no infravermelho próximo cobrindo a região de ~8400 Å a ~8900 Å, obtidos em duas épocas diferentes com o telescópio de 1.60 m do Observatório do Pico dos Dias (OPD) e o Southern Astrophysical Research Telescope (SOAR). Magnitudes obtidas com a fotometria nos filtros JHK foram usadas para calcular temperaturas efetivas e correções bolométricas na banda K através de diferentes métodos envolvendo os índices de cor (V-K)_0 e (J-K)_0, a fim de determinar as luminosidades e localizar as quatro RSGs em um diagrama de Hertzsprung-Russell (HRD). Uma análise espectral foi realizada com o objetivo de estimar os tipos espectrais e os mesmos parâmetros estelares calculados com a fotometria. Primeiramente, uma comparação visual da profundidade e força das principais características espectrais (as bandas moleculares de TiO e VO e as linhas de CaT e Fe I) foi realizada para classificar as estrelas por tipo espectral. Para este propósito, os espectros das quatro RSGs no aglomerado foram comparados com um grupo de espectros de estrelas de referência bem estudadas, algumas delas também RSGs. Depois, dada a sua forte dependência com a Teff, as larguras equivalentes (EWs) das linhas de Fe I foram medidas em todos os espectros disponíveis. Comparando as EWs medidas nos espectros das quatro RSGs e nos das estrelas de referência, as Teff das estrelas de referência mais similares foram atribuídas às RSGs do aglomerado. Com as Teff obtidas através da análise espectral, novos pontos foram adicionados ao HRD inicial. O objetivo final do presente trabalho foi estimar as massas iniciais e as idades das RSGs em Westerlund 1. Isto foi realizado através da sobreposição no HRD de caminhos evolutivos e de isócronas. Massas e idades foram determinadas para os casos com e sem rotação, obtendo-se uma média de idade para as RSGs de 8 milhões de anos, duplicando assim a idade do aglomerado ao que as RSGs pertencem, e que foi medida através de estrelas de pré-sequência principal (PMS). Na parte final, é apresentada uma breve discussão sobre a discrepância da idade de Westerlund 1 medida com as isócronas da PMS e a idade das RSGs, bem como as incertezas que isso suscita em relação à história da formação do aglomerado.

The purpose of this dissertation is to study the Red Supergiant stars (RSGs) in the supermassive young cluster Westerlund 1 through a photometric and spectral analysis. Due to its characteristics, Westerlund 1 is one of the most interesting young massive clusters in the Milky Way and has an impressive population of massive stars, with four RSGs among them. This represents a rare oportunity to study this type of stars in a cluster with well known distance and reddening. Apart from contributing to the general knowledge about RSGs, which parameters are poorly known due to their scarcity, an analysis of these four stars will contribute to solve the puzzle of the formation history of Westerlund 1. For the analysis presented here, photometric data of the four RSGs in Westerlund 1 were used, along with near infrared spectra covering the region from ~8400 Å to ~8900 Å, obtained at two different epochs with the 1.60 m telescope at Observatório do Pico dos Dias (OPD) and the Southern Astrophysical Research Telescope (SOAR). Magnitudes obtained with JHK band photometry were used to calculate effective temperatures and bolometric corrections at the K band through different methods involving the color indices (V-K)_0 and (J-K)_0, in order to determine the luminosities and locate the four RSGs in a Hertzsprung-Russell diagram (HRD). A spectral analysis was performed with the aim of estimating spectral types and the same stellar parameters calculated with the photomety. First, a visual comparison of the depth and strength of the main spectral features (TiO and VO bandheads, and CaT and Fe I lines) was carried out to classify the stars by spectral type. For this purpose, spectra of the four RSGs in the cluster were compared to a group of spectra from well studied reference stars, some of them also RSGs. Then, given their strong dependence on Teff, equivalent widths (EWs) of Fe I lines were measured in all the spectra available. By comparing the EWs measured on spectra of the four RSGs and the reference stars, the Teff\'s of the most similar reference stars were assigned to the RSGs in the cluster. With the Teff\'s obtained through the spectral analysis, new points were added to the initial HRD. The final objective of the present work was to estimate the initial masses and ages of the RSGs in Westerlund 1. This was accomplished by superimposing up to date evolutionary tracks and isochrones to the HRD. Masses and ages were determined for the cases with and without rotation, obtaining an average age for the RSGs of 8 Myr, thus doubling the age of the host cluster determined from the pre-main sequence (PMS). In the final part, it is presented a brief discussion about the discrepancy of the age of Westerlund 1 measured with the PMS isochrones and the age of the RSGs, as well as the uncertainties it raises regarding the formation history of the cluster. / O objetivo desta dissertação é estudar as estrelas Supergigantes Vermelhas (RSGs) no aglomerado jovem supermassivo Westerlund 1 através de uma análise fotométrica e espectral. Devido às suas características, Westerlund 1 é um dos aglomerados jovens mais interessantes da Via Láctea e tem uma população importante de estrelas massivas, com quatro RSGs entre elas. Isso representa uma oportunidade rara para estudar este tipo de estrelas em um aglomerado com a distância e avermelhamento bem conhecidos. Além de contribuir para o conhecimento geral sobre RSGs, cujos parâmetros são pouco conhecidos devido à sua escassez, uma análise dessas quatro estrelas contribuirá para resolver o enigma da história da formação de Westerlund 1. Para a análise apresentada aqui, foram utilizados dados fotométricos das quatro RSGs em Westerlund 1, juntamente com espectros no infravermelho próximo cobrindo a região de ~8400 Å a ~8900 Å, obtidos em duas épocas diferentes com o telescópio de 1.60 m do Observatório do Pico dos Dias (OPD) e o Southern Astrophysical Research Telescope (SOAR). Magnitudes obtidas com a fotometria nos filtros JHK foram usadas para calcular temperaturas efetivas e correções bolométricas na banda K através de diferentes métodos envolvendo os índices de cor (V-K)_0 e (J-K)_0, a fim de determinar as luminosidades e localizar as quatro RSGs em um diagrama de Hertzsprung-Russell (HRD). Uma análise espectral foi realizada com o objetivo de estimar os tipos espectrais e os mesmos parâmetros estelares calculados com a fotometria. Primeiramente, uma comparação visual da profundidade e força das principais características espectrais (as bandas moleculares de TiO e VO e as linhas de CaT e Fe I) foi realizada para classificar as estrelas por tipo espectral. Para este propósito, os espectros das quatro RSGs no aglomerado foram comparados com um grupo de espectros de estrelas de referência bem estudadas, algumas delas também RSGs. Depois, dada a sua forte dependência com a Teff, as larguras equivalentes (EWs) das linhas de Fe I foram medidas em todos os espectros disponíveis. Comparando as EWs medidas nos espectros das quatro RSGs e nos das estrelas de referência, as Teff das estrelas de referência mais similares foram atribuídas às RSGs do aglomerado. Com as Teff obtidas através da análise espectral, novos pontos foram adicionados ao HRD inicial. O objetivo final do presente trabalho foi estimar as massas iniciais e as idades das RSGs em Westerlund 1. Isto foi realizado através da sobreposição no HRD de caminhos evolutivos e de isócronas. Massas e idades foram determinadas para os casos com e sem rotação, obtendo-se uma média de idade para as RSGs de 8 milhões de anos, duplicando assim a idade do aglomerado ao que as RSGs pertencem, e que foi medida através de estrelas de pré-sequência principal (PMS). Na parte final, é apresentada uma breve discussão sobre a discrepância da idade de Westerlund 1 medida com as isócronas da PMS e a idade das RSGs, bem como as incertezas que isso suscita em relação à história da formação do aglomerado.

AH Cep and CW Cep are both early B-type binaries with short orbital periods of 1.8 days and 2.7 days, respectively. All four components are B0.5V types. The binaries are also double-lined spectroscopic and eclipsing. Consequently, solutions for orbital and stellar parameters make the pair of binaries ideal targets for a study of the colliding winds between two B stars. Chandra ACIS-I observations were obtained to determine X-ray luminosities. AH Cep was detected with an unabsorbed X-ray luminosity at a 90% confidence interval of erg s−1, or , relative to the combined Bolometric luminosities of the two components. While formally consistent with expectations for embedded wind shocks, or binary wind collision, the near-twin system of CW Cep was a surprising nondetection. For CW Cep, an upper limit was determined with , again for the combined components. One difference between these two systems is that AH Cep is part of a multiple system. The X-rays from AH Cep may not arise from standard wind shocks nor wind collision, but perhaps instead from magnetism in any one of the four components of the system. The possibility could be tested by searching for cyclic X-ray variability in AH Cep on the short orbital period of the inner B stars.

The history of recent galactic nucleosynthesis activity can be studied by <br />measurements of the 1.809 MeV gamma-ray line arising from the decay of <br />radioactive 26Al.<br />The COMPTEL telescope aboard the Compton Gamma-Ray Observatory, launched on <br />April 5, 1991, permits for the first time an extensive investigation of the <br />1.8 MeV radiation throughout the entire sky.<br />The aim of this thesis is to infer the galactic distribution of 26Al from <br />these measurements and to identify the dominant sources of this <br />radioactive isotope.<br /><br />The first part of the thesis is dedicated to the reconstruction of <br />the 1.8 MeV intensity distribution from the measured data.<br />It is demonstrated that the use of conventional deconvolution <br />algorithms, like maximum likelihood or maximum entropy inversion, <br />leads to lumpy, noise-dominated intensity distributions.<br />Nevertheless, simulations can help to assess the uncertainties in the <br />reconstructed images, which permits the scientific exploitation of the <br />recovered skymaps.<br />Alternatively, a multiresolution approach is proposed, which largely <br />reduces the uncertainties in the reconstructed 1.8 MeV intensity <br />distribution.<br />In summary, 1.8 MeV emission is mainly concentrated towards the <br />galactic plane, which clearly demonstrates that the bulk of 26Al is of <br />galactic rather than local origin.<br />However, distinct emission features towards Cygnus, Carina, and the <br />Auriga-Camelopardalis-Perseus region are inconsistent with a smooth <br />galactic 1.8 MeV emission profile, pointing towards a massive star <br />origin of 26Al.<br /><br />The second part of the thesis consists of a multi-wavelength <br />comparison of COMPTEL 1.8 MeV data which aims in the <br />identification of the origin of galactic 26Al.<br />For the comparison, a rigorous Bayesian analysis is applied, which <br />is the only consistent framework that allows inference based on the <br />comparison.<br />It turned out that the 1.8 MeV distribution follows very closely <br />the distribution of free electrons in the Galaxy which is traced by <br />thermal bremsstrahlung, observable in the microwave domain.<br />The similarity of the 1.8 MeV intensity distribution to the<br />thermal bremsstrahlung distribution implies a direct proportionality <br />between the 26Al and the massive star column densities, which strongly <br />supports that massive stars are the origin of galactic 26Al.<br />In particular, ONeMg-novae and AGB stars can be excluded as dominant <br />26Al sources since their galactic distribution is not expected to <br />correlate with the distribution of free electrons.<br /><br />The correlation between 26Al and free electrons established, the <br />analysis of 1.8 MeV gamma-ray line emission can complement our knowledge <br />about star formation and the distribution of ionized gas throughout <br />the entire Galaxy. <br />While COMPTEL made the first step in providing the first all-sky map <br />in the light of the 1.809 MeV line, INTEGRAL, the next generation gamma-ray spectrometer, will allow a detailed study of current star formation <br />in the Galaxy.

La recherche des exoplanètes traverse aujourd'hui une période décisive. D'un côté, notre connaissance des planètes géantes gazeuses s'est considérablement développée, et l'objectif de la recherche est maintenant de caractériser leurs propriétés physiques et de mieux comprendre leurs mécanismes de formation et d'évolution. D'un autre côté, la précision et la stabilité des instruments ont atteint un niveau qui rend techniquement possible la détection de planètes telluriques situées dans la zone habitable de leur étoile. Cependant, les perturbations du signal dues à l'étoile elle-même constituent un obstacle important à cette avancée. Mon travail de thèse se situe à la rencontre de ces problématiques. Il a consisté d'une part en l'analyse de deux relevés de vitesses radiales visant des étoiles relativement exotiques pour la recherche d'exoplanètes: les étoiles naines de type AF massives. Ce travail a donné lieu à la première caractérisation de la population de planètes géantes autour de ces étoiles et a montré que les mécanismes de migration planétaire étaient au moins partiellement inhibés autour de ces étoiles par rapport aux étoiles de type FGKM. Dans un second temps, j'ai conduit les observations et l'analyse des premiers résultats de deux grands relevés de vitesses radiales débutés pendant ma thèse et visant à détecter des planètes géantes en orbite autour d'étoiles jeunes et proches. Ces étoiles jeunes sont les seules sources pour lesquelles une exploration complète des planètes géantes à toutes les séparations devient possible, par combinaison des techniques de vitesses radiales et de l'imagerie. Cette combinaison permettra de tester de manière unique les modèles de formation et d'évolution planétaire. Les résultats provisoires de ces relevés indiquent une absence de planètes géantes à très courte séparation (Jupiters chauds) autour de nos cibles. Un autre résultat intéressant est la découverte d'une binaire spectroscopique eccentrique au centre d'un système planétaire imagé à grande séparation. Pour compléter cette approche observationnelle et mieux évaluer la détectabilité des exoplanètes semblables à la Terre, j'ai étalonné et caractérisé un modèle entièrement paramétré de l'activité d'une étoile semblable au Soleil et de son impact sur les vitesses radiales. Je l'ai dans un premier temps étalonné en comparant ses résultats à ceux obtenus à partir d'observations des zones actives du Soleil, puis je l'ai utilisé pour caractériser l'impact de l'inclinaison de l'étoile sur le signal induit par l'activité. Ce modèle paramétré ouvre de très nombreuses possibilités, étant en effet potentiellement adaptable à des types d'étoiles et d'activité différents. Il permettrait ainsi de caractériser les perturbations en vitesses radiales attendues pour chaque cas testé, et donc à la fois de déterminer quelles étoiles et quels types d'activité sont les plus favorables pour la détection de planètes de masse terrestre dans la zone habitable. En explorant ces trois problématiques en apparence très diverses mais complémentaires, j'y ai retrouvé un motif commun, celui de l'importance des étoiles elles-mêmes et de la physique stellaire pour la recherche d'exoplanètes. / The search for exoplanets has reached a decisive moment. On the one hand, our knowledge of giant gaseous planets has significantly developed, and the aim of the research is now to characterize their physical properties and to better understand the formation and evolution processes. On the other hand, the instrumental precision and stability have reached a level that makes it technically possible to detect telluric planets in the habitable zone of their host star. However, the signal alterations induced by the star itself definitely challenge this breakthrough. My PhD stands at the crossroads of these problems. It consisted first in the analysis of two radial velocity surveys dedicated to stars somewhat exotic to exoplanet searches: the massive AF dwarf stars. This work has led to the first characterization of the giant planet population found around these stars and has showed that the planetary migration mechanisms were at least partially inhibited around these stars compared to FGKM stars. I then made the observations and the first analysis of two radial velocity surveys dedicated to the search for giant planets around young, nearby stars. Young stars are the only sources for which a full exploration of the giant planets at all separations can be reached, through the combination of radial velocities techniques and direct imaging. Such a combination will allow to test uniquely the planetary formation and evolution processes. The first results of these surveys show an absence of giant planets at very short separations (Hot Jupiters) around our targets. Another interesting result is the detection of an eccentric spectroscopic binary at the center of a planetary system imaged at a wide separation. To complete this observational approach and better estimate the detectability of Earth-like planets, I calibrated and characterized a fully parameterized model of the activity pattern of a Sun-like star and its impact on the radial velocities. I first calibrated it by comparing it to the results obtained with observations of the solar active structures, and then characterized the impact of stellar inclination on the activity-induced signal. Such a fully parameterized model is potentially adaptable to different types of stars and of activity and would thus allow to characterize the expected radial velocity jitter for each tested case, and then allow both to determine which types of stars and of activity patterns are the most favorable for detecting Earth-like planets in the habitable zone. While investigating these three seemingly different but complementary topics, I found that they shared a basic feature, namely the importance of the stars themselves and of stellar physics in exoplanet searches.

Line ratios in "fir" triplets of helium-like ions have proven to be a powerful diagnostic of conditions in X-ray emitting gas surrounding massive stars. Recent observations indicate that these ratios can be variable with time. The possible causes of variation in line ratios are limited: changes in the radiation field or changes in density, and changes in mass-loss or geometry. In this paper, we investigate the ability of changes in the radiation field to induce variability in the ratio R=f/i. To isolate the radiative effect, we use a heuristic model of temperature and radius changes in variable stars in the B and O range with low-density, steady-state winds. We model the changes in emissivity of X-ray emitting gas close to the star due to differences in level-pumping from available UV photons at the location of the gas. We find that under these conditions, variability in R is dominated by the stellar temperature. Although the relative amplitude of variability is roughly comparable for most lines at most temperatures, detectable variations are limited to a few lines for each spectral type. We predict that variable values in R due to stellar variability must follow predictable trends found in our simulations. Our model uses radial pulsations as a mode of stellar variability that maximizes the amplitude of variation in R. This model is robust enough to show which ions will provide the best opportunity for observing variability in the f/i ratio at different stellar temperatures, and the correlation of that variability with other observable parameters. In real systems, the effects would be more complex than in our model, with differences in phase and suppressed amplitude in the presence of non-radial pulsations. This suggests that changes in R across many lines concurrently are not likely to be produced by a variable radiation field.