3-D Radiative Transfer Modelling of Massive-Star UV Wind Line Variability

TL;DR

This study models ultraviolet wind line variability in a massive B supergiant using 3-D radiative transfer, revealing narrow density enhancements called RMRs that co-exist with larger CIR structures.

Contribution

It introduces semi-empirical 3-D radiative transfer models to characterize RMRs in stellar winds, distinguishing them from CIRs and quantifying their density enhancements.

Findings

RMRs are narrow sector-like density enhancements in the stellar wind.

RMRs have maximum density enhancements of about 17%.

RMRs co-exist with broader CIR structures in the wind.

Abstract

We present detailed semi-empiric models for rotational modulations observed in ultraviolet wind lines of B0.5 supergiant HD 64760. We model the Rotational Modulation Regions (RMRs) with advanced 3-D radiative transfer calculations in the stellar wind and quantitatively fit the time-evolution of the Si IV 1395 resonance line. We find that the RMRs are due to linearly-shaped narrow sector-like density enhancements in the equatorial wind. Unlike the Co-rotating Interaction Regions (CIRs) which produce Discrete Absorption Components in the line, the RMRs do not spread out with larger distance above the stellar surface. The detailed best fit shows that the RMRs of HD 64760 have maximum density enhancements of ~17% above the surrounding smooth wind density, about twice smaller than the hydrodynamic models of CIRs that warp around the star. The semi-empiric 3-D transfer modelling reveals that the narrow spoke-like RMRs must co-exist with broader and curved large-scale CIR wind density structures in the equatorial plane of this fast rotating Ib-supergiant.