Our target is the nitrogen-rich Wolf-Rayet (WR) star (= HD4004) that hasrecently been shown to display line-profile variability with a period of 7.7days, similar in nature to the 3.8 day period variability long known for WR6 (=EZ CMa = HD50896). For neither star is binarity thought to be the culprit of theperiodic variability; instead, large scale wind asymmetry is invoked. We arerequesting three 20 ksec EPIC pointings of WR1, roughly equally spaced in phase.We seek to detect X-ray variability as a means of characterizing the nature ofthe globally coherent wind structure.
Instrument
EMOS1, EMOS2, EPN, OM, RGS1, RGS2
Temporal Coverage
2009-02-04T21:24:18Z/2009-02-05T04:42:21Z
Version
17.56_20190403_1200
Mission Description
The European Space Agencys (ESA) X-ray Multi-Mirror Mission (XMM-Newton) was launched by an Ariane 504 on December 10th 1999. XMM-Newton is ESAs second cornerstone of the Horizon 2000 Science Programme. It carries 3 high throughput X-ray telescopes with an unprecedented effective area, and an optical monitor, the first flown on a X-ray observatory. The large collecting area and ability to make long uninterrupted exposures provide highly sensitive observations. Since Earths atmosphere blocks out all X-rays, only a telescope in space can detect and study celestial X-ray sources. The XMM-Newton mission is helping scientists to solve a number of cosmic mysteries, ranging from the enigmatic black holes to the origins of the Universe itself. Observing time on XMM-Newton is being made available to the scientific community, applying for observational periods on a competitive basis.
European Space Agency, Dr Richard Ignace, 2010, 'Wolf-Rayet 1: A Study of X-ray Production from a Structured and Massive Wind', 17.56_20190403_1200, European Space Agency, https://doi.org/10.5270/esa-rbdqxe0
