Maxwellian Distributions for Stellar Rotations

Abstract

AbstractFor stars in the main-sequence band, the distributions of ‘line-widths’ Ksin; are rediscussed, with the inclusion of recent measurements by Walker and Hodge for B stars, and by Preston for Ap stars. The Ap stars are counted with normal stars of the same color-class. Over the whole range from B2 to A2, the observed incidence of sharp-line stars far exceeds the incidence predicted on the hypothesis that the true rotational velocities have a Maxwellian distribution. The ‘extra’ slow rotators are probably close binary remnants, in the sense of Van den Heuvel. However, it remains unclear how to distinguish individual members of this group of stars.