Comments on the ultraviolet spectrum of gamma 2 Velorum.

Abstract

A table of spectral features, including narrow, very broad, and 'photospheric' lines, in the ultraviolet spectrum of the Wolf-Rayet binary gamma(2) Velorum is given together with radial velocities at phase 0.99. The very broad lines display P Cygni profiles. Ten weak absorption features are tentatively assigned to blends of numerous lines of Fe IV, and three other similar features are possibly due to Fe V blends. These iron lines appear to be associated with the Wolf-Rayet component. The narrow features are present with a wide range of ionization. The Si IV, and probably C IV, features are circumstellar, while the other narrow absorptions are either interstellar or possibly a combination of interstellar and circumstellar. A model is proposed for the outer layers of the extended envelope of the Wolf-Rayet star.