paper

X-ray and radio data obtained by XMM-Newton and VLA constrain the stellar wind of the magnetic quasi-Wolf-Rayet star in HD45166

arXiv:2503.07205 · doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202452899

Abstract

Recently, a powerful magnetic field was discovered in the hot helium star classified as a quasi-Wolf-Rayet star of ~2Msun, member of the HD45166 system. Upon its explosion as a core-collapse supernova, it is expected to produce a strongly magnetic neutron star, a magnetar. Among the key parameters governing the pre-supernova evolution is the amount of mass lost via stellar wind. However, the magnetic nature of this helium star is expected to affect its stellar wind making the estimation of the wind parameters uncertain. We report the first observations of HD45166 in X-rays with the XMM-Newton telescope and in radio with the VLA interferometer array. By placing the observation results in a theoretical framework, we aim to provide a reliable estimate of the wind strength of the magnetic qWR star. The X-ray properties are explained in the framework of the MCWS scenario, and the semi-analytic XADM model is applied to reproduce the X-ray emission. The thermal radio emission of the wind and its absorption effect on possible gyro-synchrotron emission from the underlying dipolar magnetosphere, sampled in 3D, are computed by integrating the radiative transfer equation. We did not detect radio emissions, this enabled us to set sensitive upper limits on the radio luminosity. The magnetic qWR star is a slow rotator, comparison with models reveals that the possible acceleration mechanisms occurring within its dynamical magnetosphere are not as efficient as in fast-rotating magnetic ApBp-type stars. In contrast, the system is detected in X-rays with log(L_X/L_bol)~ -5.6. Using suitable models, we constrain the mass lost from this magnetic quasi-Wolf-Rayet star as dot{M}~3e-10 Msun/yr. This novel empirical estimate of the mass-loss rate in a ~2Msun helium star confirms that it maintains super-Chandrasekhar mass till collapse and can produce a magnetar as its final evolutionary product.

arXiv commentAccepted to A&A; 10 pages, 6 figures

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