Interpretative Modeling of Structured Winds Using Linear Polarization

TL;DR

This paper explores how linear polarization can be used to interpret structured stellar winds, focusing on Wolf-Rayet stars and potential UV spectropolarimetry applications.

Contribution

It provides an overview of polarization diagnostics and presents applications to complex wind structures in massive stars.

Findings

Polarization reveals clumpy wind flows and interaction regions in Wolf-Rayet stars.

UV spectropolarimetry with Polstar could open new avenues for studying massive star environments.

Abstract

Polarization provides additional diagnostic opportunities for probing the structured environments of massive stars as well as the illumination of those environments by stars that are not spherical. After a brief overview of polarization considerations relevant to hot massive stars, selected applications are presented. Examples related to dense Wolf-Rayet winds are chosen: clumpy wind flow, co-rotating interaction regions, and colliding wind interactions. Brief remarks are given about the prospects for opening a new window on massive star studies using UV spectropolarimetry with the {\em Polstar} mission concept.