THE VLT-FLAMES TARANTULA SURVEY: THE FASTEST ROTATING O-TYPE STAR AND SHORTEST PERIOD LMC PULSAR-REMNANTS OF A SUPERNOVA DISRUPTED BINARY?

Philip Dufton, P.R. Dunstall, C.J. Evans, I. Brott, M. Cantiello, A. De Koter, S.E. De Mink, Morgan Fraser, V. Henault-Brunet, I.D. Howarth, N. Langer, D.J. Lennon, N. Markova, H. Sana, W.D. Taylor

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

59 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

We present a spectroscopic analysis of an extremely rapidly rotating late O-type star, VFTS102, observed during a spectroscopic survey of 30 Doradus. VFTS102 has a projected rotational velocity larger than 500 km s(-1) and probably as large as 600 km s-1; as such it would appear to be the most rapidly rotating massive star currently identified. Its radial velocity differs by 40 kms(-1) from the mean for 30 Doradus, suggesting that it is a runaway. VFTS102 lies 12 pc from the X-ray pulsar PSR J0537-6910 in the tail of its X-ray diffuse emission. We suggest that these objects originated from a binary system with the rotational and radial velocities of VFTS102 resulting from mass transfer from the progenitor of PSR J0537-691 and the supernova explosion, respectively.
Original languageEnglish
Article numberL22
Pages (from-to)22-27
Number of pages6
JournalAstrophysical Journal Letters
Volume743
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 10 Dec 2011

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Space and Planetary Science
  • Astronomy and Astrophysics

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