A Study of 2 Velorum with a Stellar Intensity Interferometer

Abstract
The stellar intensity interferometer at Narrabri Observatory has been used, for the first time, to make observations of a multiple star ( γ Vel). Measurements have been made in the continuum at λ4430 and in the C III–IV emission feature at λ4650. The observations at λ4430 give the angular size of the semi-major axis of the binary system γ2 Vel and the angular diameter of the Wolf–Rayet component, while the observations at λ4650 give the angular size of the extended region responsible for the emission feature. The results have been combined with spectroscopic and photometric data to find the distance of γ Vel, the radius, absolute magnitude and emergent flux (λ5460) of the Wolf–Rayet star, and the radius and emergent flux (λ4650) of the emission region. The surface gravity and effective temperature of the Wolf–Rayet star have been estimated and the size of the emission region has been found to correspond to the critical Roche equipotential lobe around the Wolf–Rayet star. It is concluded that a stellar intensity interferometer can be applied profitably to the study of close binaries and emission-line stars.

This publication has 0 references indexed in Scilit: