2004/10/20 by Yael Fuchs, Yaël Fuchs, Fuchs, Yael +5
Engineering · Physics and Astronomy · #Astronomical Observations and Instrumentation #Astrophysical Phenomena and Observations #Astrophysics (astro-ph) #FOS: Physical sciences #Stellar, planetary, and galactic studies #astro-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.astro-ph/0410480
5 pages, 2 ps figure files, to appear in proceedings of "Massive Stars in Interacting Binaries" (Lac Sacacomie, Quebec, 16-20 Aug 2004) eds. Nicole St-Louis & Tony Moffat, ASP Conference Series
arxiv created 2004/10/20 · openalex publication_date 2004/10/20 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
We present mid-infrared spectra of the microquasar SS 433 obtained with the Infrared Space Observatory (spectroscopic mode of ISOPHOT) and compare them to the spectra of four Wolf-Rayet stars. The mid-infrared spectrum of SS 433 shows mainly HI and HeI emission lines and is very similar to the spectrum of WR 147, a WN8(h)+B0.5V binary with a colliding wind. The 2-12 micron continuum emission corresponds to optically thin and partially optically thick free-free emission from which we calculate a mass loss rate of 1.4-2.2x10-4 Msun/yr if the wind is homogeneous and a third of these values if it is clumped, which is consistent with a strong WN stellar wind. We propose that this strong wind outflows from a geometrically thick envelope of material surrounding the compact object like a stellar atmosphere, imitating the Wolf-Rayet phenomenon.