Open AccessThe Asymmetrical Wind of the Candidate Luminous Blue Variable MWC 314
Author(s) -
John P. Wisniewski,
B. Babler,
K. S. Bjorkman,
A. V. Kurchakov,
M. R. Meade,
А. С. Мирошниченко
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
publications of the astronomical society of the pacific
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.294
H-Index - 172
eISSN - 1538-3873
pISSN - 0004-6280
DOI - 10.1086/506182
Subject(s) - physics , position angle , polarization (electrochemistry) , wavelength , stokes parameters , astrophysics , scattering , luminous blue variable , degree of polarization , envelope (radar) , optics , stars , radar , chemistry , telecommunications , galaxy , computer science
We present the results of long-term spectropolarimetric and spectroscopicmonitoring of MWC 314, a candidate Luminous Blue Variable star. We detect thefirst evidence of H$\alpha$ variability in MWC 314, and find no apparentperiodicity in this emission. The total R-band polarization is observed to varybetween 2.21% and 3.00% at a position angle consistently around$\sim0^{\circ}$, indicating the presence of a time-variable intrinsicpolarization component, hence an asymmetrical circumstellar envelope. We findsuggestive evidence that MWC 314's intrinsic polarization exhibits awavelength-independent magnitude varying between 0.09% and 0.58% at awavelength-independent position angle covering all four quadrants of the StokesQ-U plane. Electron scattering off of density clumps in MWC 314's wind isconsidered as the probable mechanism responsible for these variations.Comment: 19 pages, 6 figures, accepted in PAS
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