Three-dimensional dust radiative-transfer models: the Pinwheel Nebula of WR 104

Abstract

We present radiative-transfer modelling of the dusty spiral Pinwheel Nebula observed around the Wolf‐Rayet/OB-star binary WR 104. The models are based on the three-dimensional radiative-transfer code TORUS, modified to include an adaptive mesh that allows us to adequately resolve both the inner spiral turns (subau scales) and the outer regions of the nebula (distances of 10 4 au from the central source). The spiral model provides a good fit to both the spectral energy distribution and Keck aperture masking interferometry, reproducing both the maximum entropy recovered images and the visibility curves. We deduce a dust creation rate of 8 ± 1 ×