Abstract

The helium spectrum of the WN5 star HD 50896 (EZ Canis Majoris, WR6) is studied. Our aim is to establish a technique which allows the determination of the parameters of a Wolf-Rayet star from a systematic analysis of its spectral lines. Since the method of “iteration with approximate Lambda operators” became available for application to expanding atmospheres (Hamann, 1986, 1987), we are now able to compare observed spectra to realistic model calculations (Hamann and Schmutz, 1987; Wessolowski et al., 1987).We consider the non-LTE spectral formation in a spherically expanding atmosphere. The velocity field v(r) is specified in its supersonic part by the usual analytical law with the parameters v∞ (final velocity) and the exponent ß=1. The temperature structure is derived from the assumption of radiative equilibrium, but only approximately evaluated for the grey LTE case. The atmosphere is assumed to consist of pure helium. The model atom has a total of 28 energy levels, among these 17 levels of He I. The line radiation transfer is treated in the “comoving frame”.

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