Non-thermal radio emission from O-type stars III. Is Cyg OB2 No. 9 a wind-colliding binary?

TL;DR

This study suggests that Cyg OB2 No. 9, a known non-thermal radio emitter, is likely a wind-colliding binary system based on 25 years of radio observation data showing periodic variability.

Contribution

The paper provides the first evidence supporting the binary nature of Cyg OB2 No. 9 through long-term radio observation analysis and proposes preliminary orbital parameters.

Findings

Radio emission varies with a 2.35-year period.

Evidence supports wind-collision as the source of non-thermal emission.

Revised the primary star's mass-loss rate downward.

Abstract

The star Cyg OB2 No. 9 is a well-known non-thermal radio emitter. Recent theoretical work suggests that all such O-stars should be in a binary or a multiple system. However, there is no spectroscopic evidence of a binary component. Re-analysis of radio observations from the VLA of this system over 25 years has revealed that the non-thermal emission varies with a period of 2.35+-0.02 yr. This is interpreted as a strong suggestion of a binary system, with the non-thermal emission arising in a wind-collision region. We derived some preliminary orbital parameters for this putative binary and revised the mass-loss rate of the primary star downward from previous estimates.