Far-ultraviolet spectroscopy of O+O binaries in the Magellanic Clouds

• Main Authors: Iping, R.C., Sonneborn, G., Massa, D.L., Gies, D., Williams, S.
• Format: Others
• Language: English
• Published: Universität Potsdam 2007
• Subjects: Astronomy and allied sciences
• Online Access: http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus-17896; http://opus.kobv.de/ubp/volltexte/2008/1789/

We report FUSE observations in 2005–2006 of three O-type, double-lined spectroscopic binaries in the Magellanic Clouds. The systems have very short periods (1.4–2.25 d), represent rare, young evolutionary stages of massive stars and binaries, and provide a unique glimpse at some of the most massive systems that form in dense clusters of massive stars. Improved orbit parameters, including revised masses, for LH54-425 are derived from new ctio spectroscopy. The systems are: LH54-425 in the LMC (O3V + O5V, P=2.25d, 62+37M⊙), J053441-693139 in the LMC (O2-3If+O6V, P=1.4 d, 41+27M⊙), and Hodge 53-47 in the SMC (O6V + O4-5IIIf, P=2.2 d, 24+14M⊙, where the O4 star appears to be less massive than the O6 star). Their short periods indicates that wind interaction and mass transfer are likely important factors in their evolution. The spectra provide quantitative and systematic studies of phase-dependent stellar wind properties, wind collision effects in O+O binaries at lower metallicities, improved radial velocity curves, and FUV spectro-photometric changes as a function of orbital phase.