Modelling the time variation of the surface differential rotation in AB Doradus and LQ Hydrae

TL;DR

This paper models the temporal variation of surface differential rotation in young, rapidly rotating stars AB Doradus and LQ Hydrae using a mean-field theory approach to understand magnetic stresses in their convection zones.

Contribution

It introduces a simple mean-field model to describe the time variation of differential rotation in these stars, linking magnetic stresses to observed rotational changes.

Findings

Variations in surface differential rotation are linked to magnetic stresses.

The model provides insights into the internal magnetic dynamics of young stars.

Results suggest a connection between rotation changes and stellar magnetic activity.

Abstract

Sequences of Doppler images of the young, rapidly rotating late-type stars AB Dor and LQ Hya show that their equatorial angular velocity and the amplitude of their surface differential rotation vary versus time. Such variations can be modelled to obtain information on the intensity of the azimuthal magnetic stresses within stellar convection zones. We introduce a simple model in the framework of the mean-field theory and discuss briefly the results of its application to those solar-like stars.