Magnetic field studies of massive main sequence stars

TL;DR

This paper discusses spectropolarimetric observations of massive main sequence stars, revealing magnetic fields in various types and exploring their effects on stellar properties and evolution.

Contribution

It provides new observational data on magnetic fields in massive stars and investigates their impact on stellar rotation, pulsation, winds, and chemical abundances.

Findings

Magnetic fields detected in numerous massive stars including O, B, and Be types.

Magnetic fields influence stellar rotation, pulsation, and wind properties.

Temporal variability of magnetic fields observed, aiding in understanding stellar magnetic geometry.

Abstract

We report on the status of our spectropolarimetric observations of massive stars. During the last years, we have discovered magnetic fields in many objects of the upper main sequence, including Be stars, beta Cephei and Slowly Pulsating B stars, and a dozen O stars. Since the effects of those magnetic fields have been found to be substantial by recent models, we are looking into their impact on stellar rotation, pulsation, stellar winds, and chemical abundances. Accurate studies of the age, environment, and kinematic characteristics of the magnetic stars are also promising to give us new insight into the origin of the magnetic fields. Furthermore, longer time series of magnetic field measurements allow us to observe the temporal variability of the magnetic field and to deduce the stellar rotation period and the magnetic field geometry. Studies of the magnetic field in massive stars are indispensable to understand the conditions controlling the presence of those fields and their implications on the stellar physical parameters and evolution.