3D Line Driven Winds: Clumpy Outflows

We study non-axisymmetric features of 3D line driven winds in the Sobolev approximation and discuss implications for O stars and AGN. We find that non-axisymmetric density features, so called clumps, form primarily at the base of the wind on super-Sobolev length scales. The density of clumps differs by a factor of ∼ 3 from the azimuthal average, the magnitude of their velocity dispersion is comparable to the flow velocity and they produce ∼ 20% variations in the column density. Clumps may be observable because differences in density produce enhancements in emission and absorption profiles or through their velocity dispersion which enhances line broadening.