Stellar Winds from Massive Stars

Abstract

We review the various techniques through which wind properties of massive stars — O stars, AB supergiants, Luminous Blue Variables (LBVs), Wolf-Rayet (WR) stars and cool supergiants — are derived. The wind momentum-luminosity relation (e.g. Kudritzki et al. 1999) provides a method of predicting mass-loss rates of O stars and blue supergiants which is superior to previous parameterizations. Assuming the theoretical Z ^0.5 metallicity dependence, Magellanic Cloud O star mass-loss rates are typically matched to within a factor of two for various calibrations. Stellar winds from LBVs are typically denser and slower than equivalent B supergiants, with exceptional mass-loss rates during giant eruptions Ṁ = 10 ⁻³ ... 10⁻¹ M _⊙ yr⁻¹ (Drissen et al. 2001). Recent mass-loss rates for Galactic WR stars indicate a downward revision of 2–4 relative to previous calibrations due to clumping (e.g. Schmutz 1997), although evidence for a metallicity dependence remains inconclusive (Crowther 2000). Mass-loss properties of luminous (≥10⁵ L _⊙) yellow and red supergiants from alternative techniques remain highly contradictory. Recent Galactic and LMC results for RSG reveal a large scatter such that typical mass-loss rates lie in the range 10⁻⁶ ... 10⁻⁴ M _⊙ yr⁻¹, with a few cases exhibiting ∼ 10⁻³ M _⊙ yr⁻¹.