Discovery of Rotational Braking in the Magnetic Helium-Strong Star Sigma Orionis E

Details Discovery of Rotational Braking in the Magnetic Helium-Strong Star Sigma Orionis E Discovery of Rotational Braking in the Magnetic Helium-Strong Star Sigma Orionis E

2010-04-12

arxiv.org/abs/1004.2038v2

Astronomy and Astrophysics

Astrophysics

Solar and Stellar Astrophysics

6 pages, 3 figures, accepted by ApJ Letters, typos corrected

Scientific paper

We present new U-band photometry of the magnetic Helium-strong star Sigma 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 d 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 Sigma Ori E undergoing rotational braking due to its magnetized line-driven wind.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

No associations

Rating

Discovery of Rotational Braking in the Magnetic Helium-Strong Star Sigma Orionis E does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.

If you have personal experience with Discovery of Rotational Braking in the Magnetic Helium-Strong Star Sigma Orionis E, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Discovery of Rotational Braking in the Magnetic Helium-Strong Star Sigma Orionis E will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-263347