Newly Discovered Wolf–Rayet Stars in M31
The evolved massive star populations of the Local Group galaxies are generally thought to be well understood. However, recent work has suggested that the Wolf–Rayet (WR) content of M31 may have been underestimated. We therefore began a pilot project to search for new WRs in M31 and to reexamine the...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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IOP Publishing
2023-01-01
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| Series: | The Astronomical Journal |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-3881/ace25f |
| _version_ | 1827825938093572096 |
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| author | Kathryn F. Neugent Philip Massey |
| author_facet | Kathryn F. Neugent Philip Massey |
| author_sort | Kathryn F. Neugent |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The evolved massive star populations of the Local Group galaxies are generally thought to be well understood. However, recent work has suggested that the Wolf–Rayet (WR) content of M31 may have been underestimated. We therefore began a pilot project to search for new WRs in M31 and to reexamine the completeness of our previous WR survey, finished almost a decade prior. Our improved imaging data and spectroscopic follow-up confirmed 19 new WRs across three small fields in M31. These newly discovered WRs are generally fainter than the previously known sample due to slightly increased reddening as opposed to intrinsic faintness. From these findings, we estimate that there are another ∼60 WRs left to be discovered in M31; however, the overall ratio of WN-type (nitrogen-rich) to WC-type (carbon-rich) WRs remains unchanged with our latest additions to the M31 WR census. We are in the process of extending this pilot WR survey to include the rest of M31, and a more complete population will be detailed in our future work. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T02:57:45Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-0f3de9058c1a4a06b1b7bf8636fd7206 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1538-3881 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T02:57:45Z |
| publishDate | 2023-01-01 |
| publisher | IOP Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | The Astronomical Journal |
| spelling | doaj.art-0f3de9058c1a4a06b1b7bf8636fd72062023-09-03T15:07:13ZengIOP PublishingThe Astronomical Journal1538-38812023-01-0116626810.3847/1538-3881/ace25fNewly Discovered Wolf–Rayet Stars in M31Kathryn F. Neugent0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5787-138XPhilip Massey1https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6563-7828Center for Astrophysics, Harvard & Smithsonian , 60 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA ; Kathryn.Neugent@cfa.harvard.eduLowell Observatory , 1400 W Mars Hill Road, Flagstaff, AZ 86001, USA; Department of Astronomy and Planetary Science, Northern Arizona University , Flagstaff, AZ 86011-6010, USAThe evolved massive star populations of the Local Group galaxies are generally thought to be well understood. However, recent work has suggested that the Wolf–Rayet (WR) content of M31 may have been underestimated. We therefore began a pilot project to search for new WRs in M31 and to reexamine the completeness of our previous WR survey, finished almost a decade prior. Our improved imaging data and spectroscopic follow-up confirmed 19 new WRs across three small fields in M31. These newly discovered WRs are generally fainter than the previously known sample due to slightly increased reddening as opposed to intrinsic faintness. From these findings, we estimate that there are another ∼60 WRs left to be discovered in M31; however, the overall ratio of WN-type (nitrogen-rich) to WC-type (carbon-rich) WRs remains unchanged with our latest additions to the M31 WR census. We are in the process of extending this pilot WR survey to include the rest of M31, and a more complete population will be detailed in our future work.https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-3881/ace25fWolf-Rayet starsMassive starsEvolved starsAndromeda GalaxyStellar populations |
| spellingShingle | Kathryn F. Neugent Philip Massey Newly Discovered Wolf–Rayet Stars in M31 The Astronomical Journal Wolf-Rayet stars Massive stars Evolved stars Andromeda Galaxy Stellar populations |
| title | Newly Discovered Wolf–Rayet Stars in M31 |
| title_full | Newly Discovered Wolf–Rayet Stars in M31 |
| title_fullStr | Newly Discovered Wolf–Rayet Stars in M31 |
| title_full_unstemmed | Newly Discovered Wolf–Rayet Stars in M31 |
| title_short | Newly Discovered Wolf–Rayet Stars in M31 |
| title_sort | newly discovered wolf rayet stars in m31 |
| topic | Wolf-Rayet stars Massive stars Evolved stars Andromeda Galaxy Stellar populations |
| url | https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-3881/ace25f |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT kathrynfneugent newlydiscoveredwolfrayetstarsinm31 AT philipmassey newlydiscoveredwolfrayetstarsinm31 |