A systematic study of Hα profiles of Be stars

J. Silaj; C. E. Jones; C. Tycner; T. A.A. Sigut; A. D. Smith

doi:10.1088/0067-0049/187/1/228

A systematic study of Hα profiles of Be stars

J. Silaj, C. E. Jones, C. Tycner, T. A.A. Sigut, A. D. Smith

Physics

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

77 Scopus citations

Abstract

We present a set of theoretical Hα emission-line profiles of Be stars, created by systematically varying model input parameters over a wide range of accepted values. Models were generated with a non-LTE radiative transfer code that incorporates a non-isothermal disk structure and a solar-type chemical composition. The theoretical Hα emission-line profiles were compared to a large set of Be star spectra with the aim of reproducing their global characteristics. We find that the observed profile shapes cannot be used to uniquely determine the inclination angle of Be star+disk systems. Drastically different profile shapes arise at a given inclination angle as a direct result of the state of the gas, and self-consistent disk physical conditions are therefore crucial for interpreting the observations.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	228-250
Number of pages	23
Journal	Astrophysical Journal, Supplement Series
Volume	187
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1088/0067-0049/187/1/228
State	Published - 2010

Keywords

Circumstellar matter
Line: formation
Line: profiles
Stars: emission-line, Be

Access to Document

10.1088/0067-0049/187/1/228

Cite this

@article{49f7b22f2f3345c181a1a7996f9cbb37,

title = "A systematic study of Hα profiles of Be stars",

abstract = "We present a set of theoretical Hα emission-line profiles of Be stars, created by systematically varying model input parameters over a wide range of accepted values. Models were generated with a non-LTE radiative transfer code that incorporates a non-isothermal disk structure and a solar-type chemical composition. The theoretical Hα emission-line profiles were compared to a large set of Be star spectra with the aim of reproducing their global characteristics. We find that the observed profile shapes cannot be used to uniquely determine the inclination angle of Be star+disk systems. Drastically different profile shapes arise at a given inclination angle as a direct result of the state of the gas, and self-consistent disk physical conditions are therefore crucial for interpreting the observations.",

keywords = "Circumstellar matter, Line: formation, Line: profiles, Stars: emission-line, Be",

author = "J. Silaj and Jones, {C. E.} and C. Tycner and Sigut, {T. A.A.} and Smith, {A. D.}",

year = "2010",

doi = "10.1088/0067-0049/187/1/228",

language = "English",

volume = "187",

pages = "228--250",

journal = "Astrophysical Journal, Supplement Series",

issn = "0067-0049",

number = "1",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - A systematic study of Hα profiles of Be stars

AU - Silaj, J.

AU - Jones, C. E.

AU - Tycner, C.

AU - Sigut, T. A.A.

AU - Smith, A. D.

PY - 2010

Y1 - 2010

N2 - We present a set of theoretical Hα emission-line profiles of Be stars, created by systematically varying model input parameters over a wide range of accepted values. Models were generated with a non-LTE radiative transfer code that incorporates a non-isothermal disk structure and a solar-type chemical composition. The theoretical Hα emission-line profiles were compared to a large set of Be star spectra with the aim of reproducing their global characteristics. We find that the observed profile shapes cannot be used to uniquely determine the inclination angle of Be star+disk systems. Drastically different profile shapes arise at a given inclination angle as a direct result of the state of the gas, and self-consistent disk physical conditions are therefore crucial for interpreting the observations.

AB - We present a set of theoretical Hα emission-line profiles of Be stars, created by systematically varying model input parameters over a wide range of accepted values. Models were generated with a non-LTE radiative transfer code that incorporates a non-isothermal disk structure and a solar-type chemical composition. The theoretical Hα emission-line profiles were compared to a large set of Be star spectra with the aim of reproducing their global characteristics. We find that the observed profile shapes cannot be used to uniquely determine the inclination angle of Be star+disk systems. Drastically different profile shapes arise at a given inclination angle as a direct result of the state of the gas, and self-consistent disk physical conditions are therefore crucial for interpreting the observations.

KW - Circumstellar matter

KW - Line: formation

KW - Line: profiles

KW - Stars: emission-line, Be

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=77949516010&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1088/0067-0049/187/1/228

DO - 10.1088/0067-0049/187/1/228

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:77949516010

SN - 0067-0049

VL - 187

SP - 228

EP - 250

JO - Astrophysical Journal, Supplement Series

JF - Astrophysical Journal, Supplement Series

IS - 1

ER -

A systematic study of Hα profiles of Be stars

Abstract

Keywords

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this