Spectropolarimetry of Wolf-Rayet stars in the Magellanic Clouds: constraining the progenitors of gamma-ray bursts

Abstract

Wolf–Rayet stars have been identified as objects in their final phase of massive star evolution. It has been suggested that Wolf–Rayet stars are the progenitors of long-duration gamma-ray bursts in low-metallicity environments. However, this deduction has yet to be proven. Here we report on our initial results from a VLT/FORS linear spectropolarimetry survey of Wolf–Rayet stars in the Magellanic Clouds, which is intended to constrain the physical criteria — such as weaker stellar winds, rapid rotation, and associated asymmetry — of the collapsar model. Finally, we provide an outlook for polarisation studies with an extremely large telescope.