Bibcode
Shenar, T.; Richardson, N. D.; Sablowski, D. P.; Hainich, R.; Sana, H.; Moffat, A. F. J.; Todt, H.; Hamann, W.-R.; Oskinova, L. M.; Sander, A.; Tramper, F.; Langer, N.; Bonanos, A. Z.; de Mink, S. E.; Gräfener, G.; Crowther, P. A.; Vink, J. S.; Almeida, L. A.; de Koter, A.; Barbá, R.; Herrero, A.; Ulaczyk, K.
Bibliographical reference
Astronomy and Astrophysics, Volume 598, id.A85, 16 pp.
Advertised on:
2
2017
Journal
Citations
43
Refereed citations
41
Description
We present the first SB2 orbital solution and disentanglement of the
massive Wolf-Rayet binary R145 (P = 159 d) located in the Large
Magellanic Cloud. The primary was claimed to have a stellar mass greater
than 300 M⊙, making it a candidate for being the most
massive star known to date. While the primary is a known late-type,
H-rich Wolf-Rayet star (WN6h), the secondary has so far not been
unambiguously detected. Using moderate-resolution spectra, we are able
to derive accurate radial velocities for both components. By performing
simultaneous orbital and polarimetric analyses, we derive the complete
set of orbital parameters, including the inclination. The spectra are
disentangled and spectroscopically analyzed, and an analysis of the
wind-wind collision zone is conducted. The disentangled spectra and our
models are consistent with a WN6h type for the primary and suggest that
the secondary is an O3.5 If*/WN7 type star. We derive a high
eccentricity of e = 0.78 and minimum masses of
M1sin3I ≈ M2sin3I = 13
± 2 M⊙, with q = M2/M1 =
1.01 ± 0.07. An analysis of emission excess stemming from a
wind-wind collision yields an inclination similar to that obtained from
polarimetry (I = 39 ± 6°). Our analysis thus implies and ,
excluding M1 > 300 M⊙. A detailed
comparison with evolution tracks calculated for single and binary stars
together with the high eccentricity suggests that the components of the
system underwent quasi-homogeneous evolution and avoided mass-transfer.
This scenario would suggest current masses of ≈ 80 M⊙
and initial masses of MI,1 ≈ 105 and MI,2 ≈
90 M⊙, consistent with the upper limits of our derived
orbital masses, and would imply an age of ≈ 2.2 Myr.
A copy of the disentangled spectra, as either FITS files or tables are
available at the CDS via anonymous ftp to http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (http://130.79.128.5) or via http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr/viz-bin/qcat?J/A+A/598/A85