| Type |
Journal Article |
| Names |
R. H. D. Townsend, M. E. Oksala, D. H. Cohen, S. P. Owocki, A. ud-Doula |
| Publication |
The Astrophysical Journal |
| Volume |
714 |
| Issue |
2 |
| Pages |
L318-L322 |
| Date |
May 1, 2010 |
| URL |
http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2010ApJ...714L.318T |
| Library Catalog |
NASA ADS |
| Abstract |
We present new U-band photometry of the magnetic helium-strong star
σ Ori E, obtained over 2004-2009 using the SMARTS 0.9 m telescope
at Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory. When combined with
historical measurements, these data constrain the evolution of the
star's 1.19 day rotation period over the past three decades. We are able
to rule out a constant period at the p null = 0.05% level,
and instead find that the data are well described (p null =
99.3%) by a period increasing linearly at a rate of 77 ms per year. This
corresponds to a characteristic spin-down time of 1.34 Myr, in good
agreement with theoretical predictions based on magnetohydrodynamical
simulations of angular momentum loss from magnetic massive stars. We
therefore conclude that the observations are consistent with σ Ori
E undergoing rotational braking due to its magnetized line-driven wind. |
| Tags |
stars: chemically peculiar, stars: individual: HD 37479, stars: magnetic field, stars: mass-loss, stars: massive, stars: rotation |