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Issue A&A Volume 393, Number 1, October I 2002 Page(s) 345 - 357 Section Instruments, observational techniques and data processing DOI 10.1051/0004-6361:20021015

A&A 393, 345-357 (2002)
DOI: 10.1051/0004-6361:20021015

Modelling rapid rotators for stellar interferometry

A. Domiciano de Souza¹, F. Vakili^{1, 2}, S. Jankov^{1, 3}, E. Janot-Pacheco⁴ and L. Abe<sup>1

1</sup>  Observatoire de la Côte d'Azur, Département FRESNEL, CNRS UMR 6528, 2130 route de l'Observatoire, Caussols, 06460 St Vallier de Thiey, France
²  Département d'Astrophysique de l'Université de Nice/Sophia-Antipolis, CNRS UMR 6525, France
³  Astronomical Observatory Belgrade, MNTRS 1940, Volgina 7, 11050 Beograd, Yugoslavia
⁴  Instituto de Astronomia, Geofísica e Ciências Atmosféricas da Universidade de São Paulo, CP 9638, 01065-970, São Paulo, SP, Brasil

(Received 6 March 2002 / Accepted 14 June 2002)

Abstract
Optical long baseline interferometry is a powerful tool to study detailed stellar structures. In particular, rapid rotation induces interferometric signatures requiring a detailed modelling for correctly interpreting high angular resolution data. In the present paper we study the effects of uniform stellar rotation on interferometric observables using a physically coherent model that includes gravity darkening and geometrical deformation, as well as a radiation transfer code. We investigate the use of multi-baseline and/or multi-channel observations, both in the continuum and spectral lines, in order to obtain the unique solutions for relevant model parameters. We show that this is possible and we provide a guide for observers in order to perform this task. However, this turns out to be quite demanding in terms of sensitivity requiring the use of new generation interferometers.

Key words: techniques: high angular resolution -- techniques: interferometric -- techniques: spectroscopic -- stars: rotation

Offprint request: A. Domiciano de Souza, Armando.Domiciano@obs-azur.fr

© ESO 2002

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