Letters to the Editor

Massive star models with magnetic braking

Geneva Observatory, Geneva University, 1290 Sauverny, Switzerland
e-mail: georges.meynet@unige.ch; Patrick.Eggenberger@unige.ch; Andre.Maeder@unige.ch

Received: 28 October 2010
Accepted: 22 November 2010

Abstract

Context. Magnetic fields at the surface of a few early-type stars have been directly detected. These fields have magnitudes between a few hundred G up to a few kG. In one case, evidence of magnetic braking has been found.

Aims. We investigate the effects of magnetic braking on the evolution of rotating (υ_ini = 200 km s^-1) × 10   M_⊙ stellar models at solar metallicity during the main-sequence (MS) phase.

Methods. The magnetic braking process is included in our stellar models according to the formalism deduced from 2D MHD simulations of magnetic wind confinement by ud-Doula and co-workers. Various assumptions are made regarding both the magnitude of the magnetic field and of the efficiency of the angular momentum transport mechanisms in the stellar interior.

Results. When magnetic braking occurs in models with differential rotation, a strong and rapid mixing is obtained at the surface accompanied by a rapid decrease in the surface velocity. Such a process might account for some MS stars showing strong mixing and low surface velocities. When solid-body rotation is imposed in the interior, the star is slowed down so rapidly that surface enrichments are smaller than in similar models with no magnetic braking. In both kinds of models (differentially or uniformly rotating), magnetic braking due to a field of a few 100 G significantly reduces the angular momentum of the core during the MS phase. This reduction is much greater in solid-body rotating models.