Contribution of the Electron Scattering Process to the Broad Hα Wings

Abstract

We modeled the extended wings of the OVI 1032, 1038 Å resonance lines and He II 1640 Å emission line in the spectra of Z And, AG Dra and V1016 Cyg by the electron scattering process. By this way we determined the electron temperature and the electron optical depth of the layer of electrons, through which the line photons are transferred in the direction of the observer. We derived an empirical relationship between the emission measure of the symbiotic nebula and the electron optical depth. This relationship allows us to distinguish the flux contribution in the broad Hα wings, which is due to the electron scattering and that produced by the Hα transition in the moving hydrogen plasma. For example, subtracting the electron scattering contribution from the Hα line profile leads to a reduction in the mass-loss rate by approximately 15 %.

Keywords

• stars
• binaries
• symbiotic
• line
• profiles
• scattering