@article{LetoTrigilioOskinovaetal.2017, author = {Leto, Paolo and Trigilio, C. and Oskinova, Lida and Ignace, R. and Buemi, C. S. and Umana, G. and Ingallinera, A. and Todt, Helge Tobias and Leone, F.}, title = {The detection of variable radio emission from the fast rotating magnetic hot B-star HR 7355 and evidence for its X-ray aurorae}, series = {Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society}, volume = {467}, journal = {Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society}, publisher = {Oxford Univ. Press}, address = {Oxford}, issn = {0035-8711}, doi = {10.1093/mnras/stx267}, pages = {2820 -- 2833}, year = {2017}, abstract = {In this paper, we investigate the multiwavelength properties of the magnetic early B-type star HR 7355. We present its radio light curves at several frequencies, taken with the Jansky Very Large Array, and X-ray spectra, taken with the XMM-Newton X-ray telescope. Modelling of the radio light curves for the Stokes I and V provides a quantitative analysis of the HR 7355 magnetosphere. A comparison between HR 7355 and a similar analysis for the Ap star CU Vir allows us to study how the different physical parameters of the two stars affect the structure of the respective magnetospheres where the non-thermal electrons originate. Our model includes a cold thermal plasma component that accumulates at high magnetic latitudes that influences the radio regime, but does not give rise to X-ray emission. Instead, the thermal X-ray emission arises from shocks generated by wind stream collisions close to the magnetic equatorial plane. The analysis of the X-ray spectrum of HR 7355 also suggests the presence of a non-thermal radiation. Comparison between the spectral index of the power-law X-ray energy distribution with the non-thermal electron energy distribution indicates that the non-thermal X-ray component could be the auroral signature of the non-thermal electrons that impact the stellar surface, the same non-thermal electrons that are responsible for the observed radio emission. On the basis of our analysis, we suggest a novel model that simultaneously explains the X-ray and the radio features of HR 7355 and is likely relevant for magnetospheres of other magnetic early-type stars.}, language = {en} } @article{AbdallaAbramowskiAharonianetal.2018, author = {Abdalla, Hassan E. and Abramowski, A. and Aharonian, Felix A. and Benkhali, F. Ait and Akhperjanian, A. G. and Andersson, T. and Anguener, E. O. and Arakawa, M. and Arrieta, M. and Aubert, P. and Backes, M. and Balzer, A. and Barnard, M. and Becherini, Y. and Tjus, J. Becker and Berge, D. and Bernhard, S. and Bernloehr, K. and Blackwell, R. and Bottcher, M. and Boisson, C. and Bolmont, J. and Bordas, Pol and Bregeon, J. and Brun, F. and Brun, P. and Bryan, M. and Buechele, M. and Bulik, T. and Capasso, M. and Carr, J. and Casanova, Sabrina and Cerruti, M. and Chakraborty, N. and Chalme-Calvet, R. and Chaves, R. C. G. and Chen, A. and Chevalier, J. and Chretien, M. and Coffaro, M. and Colafrancesco, S. and Cologna, G. and Condon, B. and Conrad, J. and Cui, Y. and Davids, I. D. and Decock, J. and Degrange, B. and Deil, C. and Devin, J. and deWilt, P. and Dirson, L. and Djannati-Atai, A. and Domainko, W. and Donath, A. and Dutson, K. and Dyks, J. and Edwards, T. and Egberts, Kathrin and Eger, P. and Ernenwein, J. -P. and Eschbach, S. and Farnier, C. and Fegan, S. and Fernandes, M. V. and Fiasson, A. and Fontaine, G. and Foerster, A. and Funk, S. and Fuessling, M. and Gabici, S. and Gajdus, M. and Gallant, Y. A. and Garrigoux, T. and Giavitto, G. and Giebels, B. and Glicenstein, J. F. and Gottschall, D. and Goyal, A. and Grondin, M. -H. and Hahn, J. and Haupt, M. and Hawkes, J. and Heinzelmann, G. and Henri, G. and Hermann, G. and Hervet, O. and Hinton, J. A. and Hofmann, W. and Hoischen, Clemens and Holler, M. and Horns, D. and Ivascenko, A. and Iwasaki, H. and Jacholkowska, A. and Jamrozy, M. and Janiak, M. and Jankowsky, D. and Jankowsky, F. and Jingo, M. and Jogler, T. and Jouvin, L. and Jung-Richardt, I. and Kastendieck, M. A. and Katarzynski, K. and Katsuragawa, M. and Katz, U. and Kerszberg, D. and Khangulyan, D. and Khelifi, B. and Kieffer, M. and King, J. and Klepser, S. and Klochkov, D. and Kluzniak, W. and Kolitzus, D. and Komin, Nu. and Kosack, K. and Krakau, S. and Kraus, M. and Kruger, P. P. and Laffon, H. and Lamanna, G. and Lau, J. and Lees, J. -P. and Lefaucheur, J. and Lefranc, V. and Lemiere, A. and Lemoine-Goumard, M. and Lenain, J. -P. and Leser, Eva and Lohse, T. and Lorentz, M. and Liu, R. and Lopez-Coto, R. and Lypova, I. and Marandon, V. and Marcowith, Alexandre and Mariaud, C. and Marx, R. and Maurin, G. and Maxted, N. and Mayer, M. and Meintjes, P. J. and Meyer, M. and Mitchell, A. M. W. and Moderski, R. and Mohamed, M. and Mohrmann, L. and Mora, K. and Moulin, Emmanuel and Murach, T. and Nakashima, S. and de Naurois, M. and Niederwanger, F. and Niemiec, J. and Oakes, L. and Odaka, H. and Oettl, S. and Ohm, S. and Ostrowski, M. and Oya, I. and Padovani, M. and Panter, M. and Parsons, R. D. and Pekeur, N. W. and Pelletier, G. and Perennes, C. and Petrucci, P. -O. and Peyaud, B. and Piel, Q. and Pita, S. and Poon, H. and Prokhorov, D. and Prokoph, H. and Puehlhofer, G. and Punch, M. and Quirrenbach, A. and Raab, S. and Reimer, A. and Reimer, O. and Renaud, M. and de los Reyes, R. and Richter, S. and Rieger, F. and Romoli, C. and Rowell, G. and Rudak, B. and Rulten, C. B. and Sahakian, V. and Saito, S. and Salek, D. and Sanchez, D. A. and Santangelo, A. and Sasaki, M. and Schlickeiser, R. and Schussler, F. and Schulz, A. and Schwanke, U. and Schwemmer, S. and Seglar-Arroyo, M. and Settimo, M. and Seyffert, A. S. and Shafi, N. and Shilon, I. and Simoni, R. and Sol, H. and Spanier, F. and Spengler, G. and Spies, F. and Stawarz, L. and Steenkamp, R. and Stegmann, Christian Michael and Stycz, K. and Sushch, I. and Takahashi, T. and Tavernet, J. -P. and Tavernier, T. and Taylor, A. M. and Terrier, R. and Tibaldo, L. and Tiziani, D. and Tluczykont, M. and Trichard, C. and Tsuji, N. and Tuffs, R. and Uchiyama, Y. and van der Walt, D. J. and van Eldik, C. and van Rensburg, C. and van Soelen, B. and Vasileiadis, G. and Veh, J. and Venter, C. and Viana, A. and Vincent, P. and Vink, J. and Voisin, F. and Voelk, H. J. and Vuillaume, T. and Wadiasingh, Z. and Wagner, S. J. and Wagner, P. and Wagner, R. M. and White, R. and Wierzcholska, A. and Willmann, P. and Woernlein, A. and Wouters, D. and Yang, R. and Zabalza, V. and Zaborov, D. and Zacharias, M. and Zanin, R. and Zdziarski, A. A. and Zech, Alraune and Zefi, F. and Ziegler, A. and Zywucka, N.}, title = {Systematic search for very-high-energy gamma-ray emission from bow shocks of runaway stars}, series = {Astronomy and astrophysics : an international weekly journal}, volume = {612}, journal = {Astronomy and astrophysics : an international weekly journal}, publisher = {EDP Sciences}, address = {Les Ulis}, organization = {HESS Collaboration}, issn = {1432-0746}, doi = {10.1051/0004-6361/201630151}, pages = {6}, year = {2018}, abstract = {Context. Runaway stars form bow shocks by ploughing through the interstellar medium at supersonic speeds and are promising sources of non-thermal emission of photons. One of these objects has been found to emit non-thermal radiation in the radio band. This triggered the development of theoretical models predicting non-thermal photons from radio up to very-high-energy (VHE, E >= 0.1 TeV) gamma rays. Subsequently, one bow shock was also detected in X-ray observations. However, the data did not allow discrimination between a hot thermal and a non-thermal origin. Further observations of different candidates at X-ray energies showed no evidence for emission at the position of the bow shocks either. A systematic search in the Fermi-LAT energy regime resulted in flux upper limits for 27 candidates listed in the E-BOSS catalogue. Aims. Here we perform the first systematic search for VHE gamma-ray emission from bow shocks of runaway stars. Methods. Using all available archival H.E.S.S. data we search for very-high-energy gamma-ray emission at the positions of bow shock candidates listed in the second E-BOSS catalogue release. Out of the 73 bow shock candidates in this catalogue, 32 have been observed with H.E.S.S. Results. None of the observed 32 bow shock candidates in this population study show significant emission in the H.E.S.S. energy range. Therefore, flux upper limits are calculated in five energy bins and the fraction of the kinetic wind power that is converted into VHE gamma rays is constrained. Conclusions. Emission from stellar bow shocks is not detected in the energy range between 0.14 and 18 TeV. The resulting upper limits constrain the level of VHE gamma-ray emission from these objects down to 0.1-1\% of the kinetic wind energy.}, language = {en} } @article{KrtičkaFeldmeier2021, author = {Krtička, Jiř{\´i} and Feldmeier, Achim}, title = {Stochastic light variations in hot stars from wind instability}, series = {Astronomy and astrophysics : an international weekly journal / European Southern Observatory (ESO)}, volume = {648}, journal = {Astronomy and astrophysics : an international weekly journal / European Southern Observatory (ESO)}, publisher = {EDP Sciences}, address = {Les Ulis}, issn = {1432-0746}, doi = {10.1051/0004-6361/202040148}, pages = {9}, year = {2021}, abstract = {Context Line-driven wind instability is expected to cause small-scale wind inhomogeneities, X-ray emission, and wind line profile variability. The instability can already develop around the sonic point if it is initiated close to the photosphere due to stochastic turbulent motions. In such cases, it may leave its imprint on the light curve as a result of wind blanketing. Aims We study the photometric signatures of the line-driven wind instability. Methods We used line-driven wind instability simulations to determine the wind variability close to the star. We applied two types of boundary perturbations: a sinusoidal one that enables us to study in detail the development of the instability and a stochastic one given by a Langevin process that provides a more realistic boundary perturbation. We estimated the photometric variability from the resulting mass-flux variations. The variability was simulated assuming that the wind consists of a large number of independent conical wind sectors. We compared the simulated light curves with TESS light curves of OB stars that show stochastic variability. Results We find two typical signatures of line-driven wind instability in photometric data: a knee in the power spectrum of magnitude fluctuations, which appears due to engulfment of small-scale structure by larger structures, and a negative skewness of the distribution of fluctuations, which is the result of spatial dominance of rarefied regions. These features endure even when combining the light curves from independent wind sectors. Conclusions The stochastic photometric variability of OB stars bears certain signatures of the line-driven wind instability. The distribution function of observed photometric data shows negative skewness and the power spectra of a fraction of light curves exhibit a knee. This can be explained as a result of the line-driven wind instability triggered by stochastic base perturbations.}, language = {en} } @article{RamachandranHainichHamannetal.2017, author = {Ramachandran, Varsha and Hainich, Rainer and Hamann, Wolf-Rainer and Oskinova, Lida and Shenar, T. and Sander, Andreas Alexander Christoph and Todt, Helge Tobias and Gallagher, John S.}, title = {Stellar population of the superbubble N206 in the LMC I. Analysis of the Of-type stars}, series = {Astronomy and astrophysics : an international weekly journal}, volume = {609}, journal = {Astronomy and astrophysics : an international weekly journal}, publisher = {EDP Sciences}, address = {Les Ulis}, issn = {1432-0746}, doi = {10.1051/0004-6361/201731093}, pages = {26}, year = {2017}, abstract = {Context. Massive stars severely influence their environment by their strong ionizing radiation and by the momentum and kinetic energy input provided by their stellar winds and supernovae. Quantitative analyses of massive stars are required to understand how their feedback creates and shapes large scale structures of the interstellar medium. The giant H II region N206 in the Large Magellanic Cloud contains an OB association that powers a superbubble filled with hot X-ray emitting gas, serving as an ideal laboratory in this context. Aims. We aim to estimate stellar and wind parameters of all OB stars in N206 by means of quantitative spectroscopic analyses. In this first paper, we focus on the nine Of-type stars located in this region. We determine their ionizing flux and wind mechanical energy. The analysis of nitrogen abundances in our sample probes rotational mixing. Methods. We obtained optical spectra with the multi-object spectrograph FLAMES at the ESO-VLT. When possible, the optical spectroscopy was complemented by UV spectra from the HST, IUE, and FUSE archives. Detailed spectral classifications are presented for our sample Of-type stars. For the quantitative spectroscopic analysis we used the Potsdam Wolf-Rayet model atmosphere code. We determined the physical parameters and nitrogen abundances of our sample stars by fitting synthetic spectra to the observations. Results. The stellar and wind parameters of nine Of-type stars, which are largely derived from spectral analysis are used to construct wind momentum luminosity relationship. We find that our sample follows a relation close to the theoretical prediction, assuming clumped winds. The most massive star in the N206 association is an Of supergiant that has a very high mass-loss rate. Two objects in our sample reveal composite spectra, showing that the Of primaries have companions of late O subtype. All stars in our sample have an evolutionary age of less than 4 million yr, with the O2-type star being the youngest. All these stars show a systematic discrepancy between evolutionary and spectroscopic masses. All stars in our sample are nitrogen enriched. Nitrogen enrichment shows a clear correlation with increasing projected rotational velocities. Conclusions. The mechanical energy input from the Of stars alone is comparable to the energy stored in the N206 superbubble as measured from the observed X-ray and H alpha emission.}, language = {en} } @article{HainichRamachandranShenaretal.2019, author = {Hainich, Rainer and Ramachandran, Varsha and Shenar, Tomer and Sander, Andreas Alexander Christoph and Todt, Helge Tobias and Gruner, David and Oskinova, Lida and Hamann, Wolf-Rainer}, title = {PoWR grids of non-LTE model atmospheres for OB-type stars of various metallicities}, series = {Astronomy and astrophysics : an international weekly journal}, volume = {621}, journal = {Astronomy and astrophysics : an international weekly journal}, publisher = {EDP Sciences}, address = {Les Ulis}, issn = {1432-0746}, doi = {10.1051/0004-6361/201833787}, pages = {12}, year = {2019}, abstract = {The study of massive stars in different metallicity environments is a central topic of current stellar research. The spectral analysis of massive stars requires adequate model atmospheres. The computation of such models is difficult and time-consuming. Therefore, spectral analyses are greatly facilitated if they can refer to existing grids of models. Here we provide grids of model atmospheres for OB-type stars at metallicities corresponding to the Small and Large Magellanic Clouds, as well as to solar metallicity. In total, the grids comprise 785 individual models. The models were calculated using the state-of-the-art Potsdam Wolf-Rayet (PoWR) model atmosphere code. The parameter domain of the grids was set up using stellar evolution tracks. For all these models, we provide normalized and flux-calibrated spectra, spectral energy distributions, feedback parameters such as ionizing photons, Zanstra temperatures, and photometric magnitudes. The atmospheric structures (the density and temperature stratification) are available as well. All these data are publicly accessible through the PoWR website.}, language = {en} } @article{IrrgangGeierHeberetal.2019, author = {Irrgang, Andreas and Geier, Stephan and Heber, Ulrich and Kupfer, Thomas and F{\"u}rst, F.}, title = {PG 1610+062: a runaway B star challenging classical ejection mechanisms}, series = {Astronomy and astrophysics : an international weekly journal}, volume = {628}, journal = {Astronomy and astrophysics : an international weekly journal}, publisher = {EDP Sciences}, address = {Les Ulis}, issn = {1432-0746}, doi = {10.1051/0004-6361/201935429}, pages = {17}, year = {2019}, abstract = {Hypervelocity stars are rare objects, mostly main-sequence (MS) B stars, traveling so fast that they will eventually escape from the Milky Way. Recently, it has been shown that the popular Hills mechanism, in which a binary system is disrupted via a close encounter with the supermassive black hole at the Galactic center, may not be their only ejection mechanism. The analyses of Gaia data ruled out a Galactic center origin for some of them, and instead indicated that they are extreme disk runaway stars ejected at velocities exceeding the predicted limits of classical scenarios (dynamical ejection from star clusters or binary supernova ejection). We present the discovery of a new extreme disk runaway star, PG 1610+062, which is a slowly pulsating B star bright enough to be studied in detail. A quantitative analysis of spectra taken with ESI at the Keck Observatory revealed that PG 1610+062 is a late B-type MS star of 4-5 M⊙ with low projected rotational velocity. Abundances (C, N, O, Ne, Mg, Al, Si, S, Ar, and Fe) were derived differentially with respect to the normal B star HD 137366 and indicate that PG 1610+062 is somewhat metal rich. A kinematic analysis, based on our spectrophotometric distance (17.3 kpc) and on proper motions from Gaia's second data release, shows that PG 1610+062 was probably ejected from the Carina-Sagittarius spiral arm at a velocity of 550 ± 40 km s-1, which is beyond the classical limits. Accordingly, the star is in the top five of the most extreme MS disk runaway stars and is only the second among the five for which the chemical composition is known.}, language = {en} } @article{HuenemoerderOskinovaIgnaceetal.2012, author = {H{\"u}nem{\"o}rder, David P. and Oskinova, Lida and Ignace, Richard and Waldron, Wayne L. and Todt, Helge Tobias and Hamaguchi, Kenji and Kitamoto, Shunji}, title = {On the weak-wind problem in massive stars X-ray spectra reveal a massive hot wind in mu columbaea}, series = {The astrophysical journal : an international review of spectroscopy and astronomical physics ; Part 2, Letters}, volume = {756}, journal = {The astrophysical journal : an international review of spectroscopy and astronomical physics ; Part 2, Letters}, number = {2}, publisher = {IOP Publ. Ltd.}, address = {Bristol}, issn = {2041-8205}, doi = {10.1088/2041-8205/756/2/L34}, pages = {5}, year = {2012}, abstract = {mu Columbae is a prototypical weak-wind O star for which we have obtained a high-resolution X-ray spectrum with the Chandra LETG/ACIS instrument and a low-resolution spectrum with Suzaku. This allows us, for the first time, to investigate the role of X-rays on the wind structure in a bona fide weak-wind system and to determine whether there actually is a massive hot wind. The X-ray emission measure indicates that the outflow is an order of magnitude greater than that derived from UV lines and is commensurate with the nominal wind-luminosity relationship for O stars. Therefore, the "weak-wind problem"-identified from cool wind UV/optical spectra-is largely resolved by accounting for the hot wind seen in X-rays. From X-ray line profiles, Doppler shifts, and relative strengths, we find that this weak-wind star is typical of other late O dwarfs. The X-ray spectra do not suggest a magnetically confined plasma-the spectrum is soft and lines are broadened; Suzaku spectra confirm the lack of emission above 2 keV. Nor do the relative line shifts and widths suggest any wind decoupling by ions. The He-like triplets indicate that the bulk of the X-ray emission is formed rather close to the star, within five stellar radii. Our results challenge the idea that some OB stars are "weak-wind" stars that deviate from the standard wind-luminosity relationship. The wind is not weak, but it is hot and its bulk is only detectable in X-rays.}, language = {en} } @article{SanderShenarHainichetal.2015, author = {Sander, Andreas Alexander Christoph and Shenar, Tomer and Hainich, Rainer and Gimenez-Garcia, Ana and Todt, Helge Tobias and Hamann, Wolf-Rainer}, title = {On the consistent treatment of the quasi-hydrostatic layers in hot star atmospheres}, series = {Astronomy and astrophysics : an international weekly journal}, volume = {577}, journal = {Astronomy and astrophysics : an international weekly journal}, publisher = {EDP Sciences}, address = {Les Ulis}, issn = {0004-6361}, doi = {10.1051/0004-6361/201425356}, pages = {13}, year = {2015}, abstract = {Context. Spectroscopic analysis remains the most common method to derive masses of massive stars, the most fundamental stellar parameter. While binary orbits and stellar pulsations can provide much sharper constraints on the stellar mass, these methods are only rarely applicable to massive stars. Unfortunately, spectroscopic masses of massive stars heavily depend on the detailed physics of model atmospheres. Aims. We demonstrate the impact of a consistent treatment of the radiative pressure on inferred gravities and spectroscopic masses of massive stars. Specifically, we investigate the contribution of line and continuum transitions to the photospheric radiative pressure. We further explore the effect of model parameters, e.g., abundances, on the deduced spectroscopic mass. Lastly, we compare our results with the plane-parallel TLUSTY code, commonly used for the analysis of massive stars with photospheric spectra. Methods. We calculate a small set of O-star models with the Potsdam Wolf-Rayet (PoWR) code using different approaches for the quasi-hydrostatic part. These models allow us to quantify the effect of accounting for the radiative pressure consistently. We further use PoWR models to show how the Doppler widths of line profiles and abundances of elements such as iron affect the radiative pressure, and, as a consequence, the derived spectroscopic masses. Results. Our study implies that errors on the order of a factor of two in the inferred spectroscopic mass are to be expected when neglecting the contribution of line and continuum transitions to the radiative acceleration in the photosphere. Usage of implausible microturbulent velocities, or the neglect of important opacity sources such as Fe, may result in errors of approximately 50\% in the spectroscopic mass. A comparison with TLUSTY model atmospheres reveals a very good agreement with PoWR at the limit of low mass-loss rates.}, language = {en} } @article{HainichOskinovaShenaretal.2018, author = {Hainich, Rainer and Oskinova, Lida and Shenar, Tomer and Marchant Campos, Pablo and Eldridge, J. J. and Sander, Andreas Alexander Christoph and Hamann, Wolf-Rainer and Langer, Norbert and Todt, Helge Tobias}, title = {Observational properties of massive black hole binary progenitors}, series = {Astronomy and astrophysics : an international weekly journal}, volume = {609}, journal = {Astronomy and astrophysics : an international weekly journal}, publisher = {EDP Sciences}, address = {Les Ulis}, issn = {1432-0746}, doi = {10.1051/0004-6361/201731449}, pages = {62}, year = {2018}, abstract = {Context: The first directly detected gravitational waves (GW 150914) were emitted by two coalescing black holes (BHs) with masses of ≈ 36 M⊙ and ≈ 29 M⊙. Several scenarios have been proposed to put this detection into an astrophysical context. The evolution of an isolated massive binary system is among commonly considered models. Aims: Various groups have performed detailed binary-evolution calculations that lead to BH merger events. However, the question remains open as to whether binary systems with the predicted properties really exist. The aim of this paper is to help observers to close this gap by providing spectral characteristics of massive binary BH progenitors during a phase where at least one of the companions is still non-degenerate. Methods: Stellar evolution models predict fundamental stellar parameters. Using these as input for our stellar atmosphere code (Potsdam Wolf-Rayet), we compute a set of models for selected evolutionary stages of massive merging BH progenitors at different metallicities. Results: The synthetic spectra obtained from our atmosphere calculations reveal that progenitors of massive BH merger events start their lives as O2-3V stars that evolve to early-type blue supergiants before they undergo core-collapse during the Wolf-Rayet phase. When the primary has collapsed, the remaining system will appear as a wind-fed high-mass X-ray binary. Based on our atmosphere models, we provide feedback parameters, broad band magnitudes, and spectral templates that should help to identify such binaries in the future. Conclusions: While the predicted parameter space for massive BH binary progenitors is partly realized in nature, none of the known massive binaries match our synthetic spectra of massive BH binary progenitors exactly. Comparisons of empirically determined mass-loss rates with those assumed by evolution calculations reveal significant differences. The consideration of the empirical mass-loss rates in evolution calculations will possibly entail a shift of the maximum in the predicted binary-BH merger rate to higher metallicities, that is, more candidates should be expected in our cosmic neighborhood than previously assumed.}, language = {en} } @article{SchoellerHubrigIlyinetal.2011, author = {Schoeller, M. and Hubrig, Swetlana and Ilyin, Ilya and Kharchenko, N. V. and Briquet, Maryline and Gonzalez, J. F. and Langer, Norbert and Oskinova, Lida}, title = {Magnetic field studies of massive main sequence stars}, series = {Astronomische Nachrichten = Astronomical notes}, volume = {332}, journal = {Astronomische Nachrichten = Astronomical notes}, number = {9-10}, publisher = {Wiley-Blackwell}, address = {Malden}, organization = {MAGORI Collaboration}, issn = {0004-6337}, doi = {10.1002/asna.201111606}, pages = {994 -- 997}, year = {2011}, abstract = {We report on the status of our spectropolarimetric observations of massive stars. During the last years, we have discovered magnetic fields in many objects of the upper main sequence, including Be stars, beta Cephei and Slowly Pulsating B stars, and a dozen O stars. Since the effects of those magnetic fields have been found to be substantial by recent models, we are looking into their impact on stellar rotation, pulsation, stellar winds, and chemical abundances. Accurate studies of the age, environment, and kinematic characteristics of the magnetic stars are also promising to give us new insight into the origin of the magnetic fields. Furthermore, longer time series of magnetic field measurements allow us to observe the temporal variability of the magnetic field and to deduce the stellar rotation period and the magnetic field geometry. Studies of the magnetic field in massive stars are indispensable to understand the conditions controlling the presence of those fields and their implications on the stellar physical parameters and evolution.}, language = {en} }