WR140 at apastron - a benchmark for colliding-wind binaries and plasma physics

The Xray spectrum of the collidingwind binary WR140 at apastron is producedunder benign conditions of minimum density and minimum orbital velocity andforms the initial plasma state from which subsequent evolution occurs. Thestar.s precise orbit, exceptional Xray brightness, rich observational historyand characteristic Xray temperature very similar to that of the Perseus Clusterof Galaxies make it the ideal reference for calibration of models of plasmasproduced under dynamical and thermodynamical conditions similar to those thathold in a variety of prominent Xray sources. As well as precise tests ofpredicted photometry, a joint RGSHETG highresolution spectrum will test apredicted emissionline redshift at apastron. truncated!, Please see actual data for full text [truncated!, Please see actual data for full text]