The UVMag space project: UV and visible spectropolarimetry of massive stars

TL;DR

UVMag is a proposed space telescope with UV and visible spectropolarimetry capabilities designed to study massive stars, their magnetic fields, and circumstellar environments in unprecedented detail, advancing stellar astrophysics.

Contribution

It introduces a novel space-based spectropolarimeter for UV and visible wavelengths, enabling comprehensive magnetic and spectral studies of massive stars and their environments.

Findings

First simultaneous measurement of magnetic fields at stellar surface and wind lines.

Detailed spectroscopic analysis of massive star circumstellar environments.

Potential to map magnetospheres of massive stars.

Abstract

UVMag is a medium-size space telescope equipped with a high-resolution spectropolarimeter working in the UV and visible domains. It will be proposed to ESA for a future M mission. It will allow scientists to study all types of stars as well as e.g. exoplanets and the interstellar medium. It will be particularly useful for massive stars, since their spectral energy distribution peaks in the UV. UVMag will allow us to study massive stars and their circumstellar environment (in particular the stellar wind) spectroscopically in great details. Moreover, with UVMag's polarimetric capabilities we will be able, for the first time, to measure the magnetic field of massive stars simultaneously at the stellar surface and in the wind lines, i.e. to completely map their magnetosphere.