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K. G. Gayley, A. J. Onifer, E. W. Larson (University of Iowa)
We carry out Monte Carlo simulations of photon diffusion in an optically thick wind, where the escape is enhanced by local redistribution of the photon frequency into optically thin regions of the spectrum. Such fluorescence weakens the multiscattering, and results in a lower acceleration far from the star and a lower terminal speed. The results can be effectively described using a one-dimensional analytic treatment, as long as spatial diffusion remains an important escape channel. The results are used to set an upper limit on the degree of frequency redistribution that may occur in a Wolf-Rayet wind, given the observed terminal speeds. This work was funded by NASA ATP grant NAG5-4065.