2005/09/30 by J. M. Pittard, Pittard, J. M., S. M. Dougherty +1
Physics and Astronomy · #Astro and Planetary Science #Astrophysical Phenomena and Observations #Astrophysics (astro-ph) #FOS: Physical sciences #Gamma-ray bursts and supernovae
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.astro-ph/0509896
openalex publication_date 2005/09/30 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
WR140 is the archetype long-period colliding wind binary (CWB) system, and is well known for dramatic variations in its synchrotron emission during its 7.9-yr, highly eccentric orbit. This emission is thought to arise from relativistic electrons accelerated at the global shocks bounding the wind-collision region (WCR). The presence of non-thermal electrons and ions should also give rise to X-ray and gamma-ray emission from several separate mechanisms, including inverse-Compton cooling, relativistic bremsstrahlung, and pion decay. We describe new calculations of this emission and make some preliminary predictions for the new generation of gamma-ray observatories. We determine that WR140 will likely require several Megaseconds of observation before detection with INTEGRAL, but should be a reasonably strong source for GLAST.