Investigation of changing stellar wind of Eta Carinae in NIR and UV

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26400227
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Astronomy
• Research Institution: Nagoya University
• Principal Investigator: Ishibashi Kazunori 名古屋大学, 理学研究科, 講師 (50547536)
• Research Collaborator: DAVIDSON Kris University of Minnesota, Minnesota Institute for Astrophysics, Professor Emeritus ; HUMPHREYS Roberta University of Minnesota, Minnesota Institute for Astrophysics, Professor Emeritus ; MEHNER Andrea European Southern Observatory, Instrument Scientist ; NAGAYAMA Takahiro 鹿児島大学, 理工学研究科物理宇宙専攻, 准教授
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 紫外線天文学 / 赤外線天文学 / 恒星 / 大質量星 / 変光星 / 国際共同研究 / IRSF / HST

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Super-massive star Eta Carinae was well-known for its tremendous mass loss rate -- 1/1000th of the solar mass per year -- and its physical mechanism is not understood at all. Then, in early 2000s, it is noted that Eta Car is undergoing rapid changes in its brightness and apparent changes in its massive stellar wind. In this research program, with the use of Hubble Space Telescope (STIS) and IRSF telescope at SAAO, the cause is identified to be a significant reduction in Eta Car's massive stellar wind, roughly by 50% of the reduction merely in 10 years or so.

Free Research Field

宇宙物理学