| Issue |
A&A
Volume 417, Number 3, April III 2004
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Page(s) | 987 - 992 | |
| Section | Interstellar and circumstellar matter | |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361:20034525 | |
| Published online | 26 March 2004 | |
Distribution of magnetically confined circumstellar matter in oblique rotators
1
Max-Planck-Institut für Aeronomie, 37191 Katlenburg-Lindau, Germany
2
School of Physics and Astronomy, University of St. Andrews, St. Andrews Fife KY16 9SS, Scotland, UK
Corresponding author: M. Schüssler, schuessler@linmpi.mpg.de
Received:
16
October
2003
Accepted:
27
December
2003
We consider the mechanical equilibrium and stability of matter trapped in the magnetosphere of a rapidly rotating star. Assuming a dipolar magnetic field and arbitrary inclination of the magnetic axis with respect to the axis of rotation we find stable equilibrium positions a) in a (warped) disk roughly aligned with the magnetic equatorial plane and b) at two locations above and below the disk, whose distance from the star increases with decreasing inclination angle between dipole and rotation axis. The distribution of matter is not strongly affected by allowing for a spatial offset of the magnetic dipole. These results provide a possible explanation for some observations of corotating localized mass concentrations in hot magnetic stars.
Key words: stars: circumstellar matter / stars: emission lines, Be / stars: magnetic fields / stars: rotation / stars: winds, outflows / stars: mass-loss
© ESO, 2004
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