Abstract:
New spectrophotometric observations of the Wolf-Rayet system HD 50896 are presented and interpreted in terms of its binary nature. The lines of N V, N IV and C IV show moderate variations which can be explained using a binary model with a compact companion. The He II 4686A line appears to arise from a larger region than other lines. The distortion caused by the wind can partly explain its flux variations. The emission fluxes of He I lines are generally constant, indicating their nonparticipation in the orbit. The results are compared with other Wolf-Rayet binaries (V444 Cyg and CQ Cep) and the evolutionary status is discussed.
