2004/01/28 by O. Preuss, M. Schüßler, M. Schuessler +2 · 5 citations
Physics and Astronomy · #Astro and Planetary Science #Astrophysics and Star Formation Studies #Stellar, planetary, and galactic studies #astro-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.1051/0004-6361:20034525
published as Astron.Astrophys. 417 (2004) 987-992 · Accepted for publication in A&A
arxiv created 2004/01/28 · openalex publication_date 2004/03/26 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/31
We consider the mechanical equilibrium and stability of matter trapped in the magnetosphere of a rapidly rotating star. Assuming a dipolar magnetic field and arbitrary inclination of the magnetic axis with respect to the axis of rotation we find stable equilibrium positions a) in a (warped) disk roughly aligned with the magnetic equatorial plane and b) at two locations above and below the disk, whose distance from the star increases with decreasing inclination angle between dipole and rotation axis. The distribution of matter is not strongly affected by allowing for a spatial offset of the magnetic dipole. These results provide a possible explanation for some observations of corotating localized mass concentrations in hot magnetic stars.