Bimodal mass and angular momentum losses by magnetically controlled winds during stellar evolution |
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Authors: | V. Castellani,L. Paternò |
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Abstract: | In recent times evidence for bimodal distributions of stars in the H–R diagram has reached a striking evidence. These bimodal distributions seem to be correlated with a bimodal distribution of masses and angular velocities. The approach we propose to explain the observed bimodality suggests that this latter is due to a bimodal mass loss by magnetically controlled stellar winds during stellar evolution, owing to different magnetic field configurations. It is assumed a mechanism analogous to that which produces solar wind, with magnetic field generated by dynamo working in the convection zone. Different field geometries (dipole cr quadrupole), which depend on the mode the dynamo operates, can produce different but discrete mass losses during stellar evolution, thus producing bimodal distributions of masses and angular velocities. |
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