Magnetic fields of massive stars and their compact remnants

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Norbert Langer
• Subject Area: Astrophysics and Astronomy
• Term: from 2011 to 2016
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 200013763

Massive stars are the major agents which drive the evolution of galaxies throughout the cosmic history. There is growing evidence that magnetic fields play an important role in their evolution. This project will unify previously separate efforts in Germany and in Chile to understand the evolution of magnetic fields of massive stars, from their birth to their final stage as compact remnants (white dwarfs or neutron stars).Some of the key issues to be addressed in this project are:1. What is the origin of this magnetic field? Why is a fraction of massive stars strongly magnetized?2. What kind of stable magnetic configurations can exist in these stars? What are the conditions for their stability? Does stable stratification play a crucial role?3. How do these magnetic fields affect the evolution of these stars and particularly their (differential or global) rotation?4. How does the magnetic field change along the stellar evolution? Do dynamo processes play an important role, for instance, in a newborn neutron star?5. How does the magnetic field evolve in a mature neutron star? Can its decay be the source that powers “magnetars”?These questions will be addressed by combining an analysis of existing observational data, rigorous physical reasoning, analytical calculations, and well-focused numerical computations.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• International Connection: Chile
• Partner Organisation: Comisión Nacional de Investigación Cientifica; y Tecnológica - CONICYT
• Participating Persons: Dr. Jonathan Braithwaite; Professor Dr. Andreas Reisenegger; Professor Dr. Hendrik C. Spruit