A Nonspherically Symmetric Model for the Peculiar A Star Alpha 2 CVn

June 1987 • 1987AJ.....93.1527B

Authors • Bohm-Vitense, Erika • van Dyk, Schuyler D.

Abstract • Observations show that in the optical region the peculiar A star α²CVn has a flatter energy distribution during maximum light than during minimum light. This indicates that during maximum light we see a lower-temperature region, but necessarily larger surface area, than during minimum light. This suggests a nonspherically symmetric star, which is oblate with respect to the magnetic axis and which is cooler at the magnetic poles than at the magnetic equator. The authors have studied the light variations of such nonspherically symmetric oblique rotator models. They find for an oblate ellipsoid with an axial ratio of 0.92 and a temperature difference of about 1000K between the poles and the equator that the overall variations of the optical and the ultraviolet energy distributions can be well understood.

Links

• SIMBAD http://simbad.u-strasbg.fr/simbo.pl?bibcode=1987AJ.....93.1527B
• DATA https://archive.stsci.edu/mastbibref.php?bibcode=1987AJ.....93.1527B
• GIF http://articles.adsabs.harvard.edu/full/1987AJ.....93.1527B
• ARTICLE http://articles.adsabs.harvard.edu/full/1987AJ.....93.1527B?defaultprint=YES