Characterising the magnetic fields of the Herbig Ae/Be stars HD97048, HD150193, HD176386, and MWC480

TL;DR

This study investigates the magnetic fields of four Herbig Ae/Be stars using spectropolarimetric observations, revealing complex magnetic geometries and strong fields, thus improving understanding of magnetic roles in intermediate-mass pre-main-sequence stars.

Contribution

First detailed magnetic characterization of four Herbig Ae/Be stars using both low- and high-resolution spectropolarimetry, revealing magnetic field strengths and geometries.

Findings

Detected rotational periods for three stars.

Magnetic fields likely dipolar with several hundred Gauss.

MWC480 hosts a strong kG magnetic field.

Abstract

Our knowledge of the presence and the role of magnetic fields in intermediate-mass pre-main-sequence stars remains very poor. We present the magnetic properties of four Herbig Ae/Be stars that have not been previously studied in detail. Our results for the three Herbig Ae/Be stars HD97048, HD150193, and HD176386 are based on multi-epoch low-resolution spectra obtained in spectropolarimetric mode with FORS2 mounted on the VLT. New high-resolution polarimetric spectra were obtained for MWC480 with the SOFIN spectrograph installed at the Nordic Optical Telescope. We discuss 41 FORS2 low-resolution observations of the Herbig Ae/Be stars HD97048, HD150193, and HD176386 and determine their rotational periods. Using stellar fundamental parameters and the longitudinal magnetic field phase curves, we place constraints on the magnetic field geometry. Three high-resolution circularly polarised SOFIN spectra obtained for MWC480 were measured using the moment technique where wavelength shifts between right- and left-hand side circularly polarised spectra are interpreted in terms of a longitudinal magnetic field <B_z>. Our search for periodicities resulted in P=0.693d for HD97048, P=1.317d for HD150193, and P=0.899d for HD176386. The magnetic field geometry can likely be described by a centred dipole with a polar magnetic field strength B_d of several hundred Gauss. The longitudinal magnetic-field measurements of MWC480 reveal the presence of a strong kG field, which was undetected in our previous low-resolution polarimetric observations with FORS1. A weak magnetic field was detected in the circumstellar components of the Ca II H&K lines and the Na I D lines, indicating a complex interaction between the stellar magnetic field and the circumstellar environment.