Author:

Keywords:

radiation mechanisms : non-thermal, stars : early-type, X-rays : stars, radio continuum : stars, stars : individual : HD 168112, Science & Technology, Physical Sciences, Astronomy & Astrophysics, COLLIDING STELLAR WINDS, RAYET SYSTEM HD-193793, LONG-TERM PHOTOMETRY, EARLY-TYPE STARS, O-TYPE STARS, X-RAY, WOLF-RAYET, SUBMILLIMETER OBSERVATIONS, MULTIFREQUENCY VARIATIONS, MAGNETIC-FIELD, 0201 Astronomical and Space Sciences, 5101 Astronomical sciences, 5107 Particle and high energy physics, 5109 Space sciences

Abstract:

We report the results of a multiwavelength study of the non-thermal radio emitter HD 168112 (O5.5III(f+)). The detailed analysis of two quasi-simultaneous XMM-Newton and VLA observations reveals strong variability of this star both in the X-ray and radio ranges. The X-ray observations separated by five months reveal a decrease of the X-ray flux of ˜30%. The radio emission on the other hand increases by a factor 5-7 between the two observations obtained roughly simultaneously with the XMM-Newton pointings. The X-ray data reveal a hard emission that is most likely produced by a thermal plasma at kT ˜ 2-3 keV while the VLA data confirm the non-thermal status of this star in the radio waveband. Comparison with archive X-ray and radio data confirms the variability of this source in both wavelength ranges over a yet ill defined time scale. The properties of HD 168112 in the X-ray and radio domain point towards a binary system with a significant eccentricity and an orbital period of a few years. However, our optical spectra reveal no significant changes of the star's radial velocity suggesting that if HD 168112 is indeed a binary, it must be seen under a fairly low inclination.