Review: Magnetic fields of O stars
Abstract
Since 2002, strong, organized magnetic fields have been firmly detected at the surfaces of about 10 Galactic O-type stars. In this paper I will review the characteristics of the inferred fields of individual stars, as well as the overall population. I will discuss the extension of the 'magnetic desert', first inferred among the A-type stars, to O stars up to 60 solar masses. I will discuss the interaction of the winds of the magnetic stars with the fields above their surfaces, generating complex 'dynamical magnetosphere' structures detected in optical and UV lines, and in X-ray lines and continuum. Finally, I will discuss the detection of a small number of variable O stars in the LMC and SMC that exhibit spectral characteristics analogous to the known Galactic magnetic stars, and that almost certainly represent the first known examples of extra-Galactic magnetic stars.
Keywords
Cite
@article{arxiv.1411.3604,
title = {Review: Magnetic fields of O stars},
author = {G. A. Wade and the MiMeS Collaboration},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1411.3604},
year = {2014}
}
Comments
Proceedings of Magnetic Stars 2014, Special Astrophysical Observatory