WE PROPOSE PILOT PROGRAM WITH CHANDRA/ ACIS TO CONFIRM X-RAY EMISSION FROM RY SCUTI AND ESTIMATE THE HARDNESS OF ITS SPECTRUM. AT THE VERY LEAST WE EXPECT TO DETECT X-RAYS FROM THE SUPERSONIC STELLAR WIND (THERMAL PLASMA WITH TEMPERATURE KT ~ 0.7KEY). HOWEVER BASED ON THE INTERACTION ACTIVITY IN THIS MASSIVE BINARY THE SUSPECTED FAST ROTATION OF THE MASS-GAINING STAR AND THE RECENT EJECTION OF THE TOROIDAL OUTFLOW IT IS LIKELY THAT WE WILL DETECT ADDITIONAL HARDER X-RAY COMPONENTS (KT>2 KEY) FROM COLLIDING STELLAR WINDS MAGNETICALLY CONFINED WINDS INTERACTIONS BETWEEN STELLAR WINDS AND CIRCUMSTELLAR GAS ACCRETION OR HOT CORONAE. SIGNIFICANT EMISSION FROM ANY OF THESE PROCESSES WILL RESULT IN AN DETECTABLY ELEVATED LX / LBOL RATIO AND A SPECTRAL HARDNESS RATIO (E.G. SOFT: 0.5-2.0 KEY; HARD: 2.0-8.0 KEY) THAT WILL DEVIATE FROM THE SAMPLE OF KNOWN NON-INTERACTING O-TYPE STARS THAT GENERALLY HAVE SOFTER THERMAL SPECTRA (KT ~ 0.7KEY) FOR WHICH THERE IS PLENTY OF ARCHIVAL CHANDRA DATA TO COMPARE.
$43,518FY2020National Aeronautics and Space AdministrationNASA
The Aerospace Corporation