Magnetic Modulation of Stellar Angular Momentum Loss

TL;DR

This paper investigates how stellar magnetic activity, field complexity, and magnetic cycles influence angular momentum loss, affecting stellar rotation and evolution, with implications for various astrophysical phenomena.

Contribution

It introduces the significance of magnetic field complexity and latitudinal distribution in modulating stellar angular momentum loss, beyond just large-scale magnetic field strength.

Findings

Magnetic field complexity affects angular momentum loss rates.

Magnetic cycles modulate stellar spin-down processes.

Large-scale magnetic field strength alone is insufficient to explain angular momentum loss.

Abstract

Angular Momentum Loss is important for understanding astrophysical phenomena such as stellar rotation, magnetic activity, close binaries, and cataclysmic variables. Magnetic breaking is the dominant mechanism in the spin down of young late-type stars. We have studied angular momentum loss as a function of stellar magnetic activity. We argue that the complexity of the field and its latitudinal distribution are crucial for angular momentum loss rates. In this work we discuss how angular momentum is modulated by magnetic cycles, and how stellar spin down is not just a simple function of large scale magnetic field strength.