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We present the first spectroscopic observations of individual stars in R136a, the most dense part of the starburst cluster 30 Doradus in the LMC. Spectra of two stars are scheduled to be obtained with the GHRS on board the HST: R136a5, the brightest of the complex and R136a2, a Wolf-Rayet star of type WN.
The 30 Doradus cluster is the only starburst region in which individual stars can be studied. Therefore, quantitative knowledge of the basic stellar parameters will yield valuable insight into the formation of massive stars in starbursts and into their subsequent evolution. Detailed modeling of the structure of the atmosphere and wind of these stars will also lead to a better understanding of the mechanism(s) that govern their dynamics.
We present the first results of our detailed quantitative spectral analysis using state-of-the-art non-LTE model atmospheres for stars with extended and expanding atmospheres. The models are computed using the Improved-Sobolev Approximation wind code (ISA-WIND) of de~Koter, Schmutz \& Lamers (1993, A\&A 277, 561), which has been extended to include C, N and Si. Our model computations are not based on the core-halo approximation, but use a unified treatment of the photosphere and wind. This approach is essential for Wolf-Rayet stars. Our synthetic spectra, dominated by the P Cygni profiles of the UV resonance lines, also account for the numerous weak metal lines of photospheric origin.
