First detection of a magnetic field in the fast rotating runaway Oe star zeta Ophiuchi
- The star zeta Ophiuchi is one of the brightest massive stars in the northern hemisphere and was intensively studied in various wavelength domains. The currently available observational material suggests that certain observed phenomena are related to the presence of a magnetic field. We acquired spectropolarimetric observations of zeta Oph with FORS 1 mounted on the 8-m Kueyen telescope of the VLT to investigate if a magnetic field is indeed present in this star. Using all available absorption lines, we detect a mean longitudinal magnetic field < B(z)>(all) = 141 +/- 45 G, confirming the magnetic nature of this star. We review the X-ray properties of zeta Oph with the aim to understand whether the X-ray emission of zeta Oph is dominated by magnetic or by wind instability processes.
| Author details: | Swetlana HubrigGND, Lida OskinovaORCiDGND, M. Schoeller |
|---|---|
| DOI: | https://doi.org/10.1002/asna.201111516 |
| ISSN: | 0004-6337 |
| Title of parent work (English): | Astronomische Nachrichten = Astronomical notes |
| Publisher: | Wiley-Blackwell |
| Place of publishing: | Malden |
| Publication type: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Year of first publication: | 2011 |
| Publication year: | 2011 |
| Release date: | 2017/03/26 |
| Tag: | X-rays: stars; stars: early-type; stars: individual: zeta Ophiuchi; stars: kinematics and dynamics; stars: magnetic field; stars: mass-loss |
| Volume: | 332 |
| Issue: | 2 |
| Number of pages: | 6 |
| First page: | 147 |
| Last Page: | 152 |
| Funding institution: | NASA; [FKZ 50 OR 1101] |
| Organizational units: | Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Fakultät / Institut für Physik und Astronomie |
| Peer review: | Referiert |
