Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union

Table of Contents - 2007 - Volume 3, Symposium S250 (Massive Stars as Cosmic Engines)  

Contributed Papers

Can Pulsational Instabilities Impact a Massive Star's Rotational Evolution?

Rich Townsenda1a2 and Jim MacDonalda2

a1 Bartol Research Institute, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716, USA email : rhdt@bartol.udel.edu

a2 Department of Physics & Astronomy, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716, USA email : jimmacd@udel.edu

Abstract

We investigate whether angular momentum transport due to unstable pulsation modes can play a significant role in the rotational evolution of massive stars. We find that these modes can redistribute appreciable angular momentum, and moreover trigger shear-instability mixing in the molecular weight gradient zone adjacent to stellar cores, with significant evolutionary impact.

Keywords

  • stars: early-type – stars: rotation – stars: oscillations – stars: variables: other – instabilities – waves – methods: numerical
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