Are magnetic OB stars more prone to mixing? Still an unsettled issue

TL;DR

This paper reviews the current understanding of mixing in magnetic OB stars, examining whether magnetic fields influence chemical transport, but conclusive evidence remains elusive due to limited data samples.

Contribution

It critically assesses observational data and theoretical predictions regarding magnetic influence on mixing in OB stars, highlighting the need for larger, well-defined samples.

Findings

Emerging statistical link between magnetic fields and enhanced mixing.

Current data insufficient for definitive conclusions.

Call for larger, more comprehensive observational samples.

Abstract

We review our knowledge of the mixing properties of magnetic OB stars and discuss whether the observational data presently available support, as predicted by some theoretical models, the idea that magnetic phenomena favour the transport of the chemical elements. A (likely statistical) relationship between enhanced mixing and the existence of a field has been emerging over the last few years. As discussed in this contribution, however, a clear answer to this question is presently hampered by the lack of large and well-defined samples of magnetic and non-magnetic stars.