The exceptional Herbig Ae star HD101412: The first detection of resolved magnetically split lines and the presence of chemical spots in a Herbig star

TL;DR

This study reports the first detection of resolved magnetically split lines and chemical spots on a Herbig Ae star, HD101412, revealing complex magnetic and surface features with implications for stellar magnetic field origins.

Contribution

First detection of resolved magnetic splitting and chemical spots on a Herbig Ae star, providing new insights into stellar magnetic fields and surface inhomogeneities.

Findings

Magnetic field modulus varies from 2.5 to 3.5 kG.

Detected element spots on the star's surface.

Estimated rotation period of approximately 13.86 days.

Abstract

We obtained high-resolution, high signal-to-noise UVES and a few lower quality HARPS spectra revealing the presence of resolved magnetically split lines. HD101412 is the first Herbig Ae star for which the rotational Doppler effect was found to be small in comparison to the magnetic splitting. The measured mean magnetic field modulus varies from 2.5 to 3.5kG, while the mean quadratic field was found to vary in the range of 3.5 to 4.8kG. To determine the period of variations, we used radial velocity, equivalent width, line width, and line asymmetry measurements of variable spectral lines of several elements, as well as magnetic field measurements. The most pronounced variability was detected for spectral lines of He I and the iron peak elements, whereas the spectral lines of CNO elements are only slightly variable. From spectral variations and magnetic field measurements we derived a potential rotation period P_rot=13.86d, which has to be proven in future studies with a larger number of observations. It is the first time that the presence of element spots is detected on the surface of a Herbig Ae/Be star. Our previous study of Herbig Ae stars revealed a trend towards stronger magnetic fields for younger Herbig Ae stars, confirmed by statistical tests. This is in contrast to a few other (non-statistical) studies claiming that magnetic Herbig Ae stars are progenitors of the magnetic Ap stars. New developments in MHD theory show that the measured magnetic field strengths are compatible with a current-driven instability of toroidal fields generated by differential rotation in the stellar interior. This explanation for magnetic intermediate-mass stars could be an alternative to a frozen-in fossil field.