Document Type

Article

Publication Date

1-1-2009

Abstract

We present high resolution spectra of the five known hydrogen-deficient carbon (HdC) stars in the vicinity of the 10830 line of neutral helium. In R Coronae Borealis (RCB) stars the He I line is known to be strong and broad, often with a PCygni profile, and must be formed in the powerful winds of those stars. RCB stars have similar chemical abundances as HdC stars and also share greatly enhanced 18O abundances with them, indicating a common origin for these two classes of stars, which has been suggested to be white dwarf mergers. A narrow He I absorption line may be present in the hotter HdC stars, but no line is seen in the cooler stars, and no evidence for a wind is found in any of them. The presence of wind lines in the RCB stars is strongly correlated with dust formation episodes so the absence of wind lines in the HdC stars, which do not make dust, is as expected. © 2009. The American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved..

Publication Source (Journal or Book title)

Astrophysical Journal

First Page

735

Last Page

739

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