The Magnetic Be Star Sigma Orionis E

Abstract

Over the past two years, we have obtained high resolution high signal/noise (S/N) spectra of the magnetic Be star σ Ori E at the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope and McDonald Observatory. These spectra, which cover the spectral regions 399-417.5 and 440-458.5 nm and the Hα line and have typical S/N>200 and spectral resolution ≃0.02 nm, were obtained at a variety of rotational phases in order to study the magnetic field structure, the distribution of elements in the photosphere, and the effects of the magnetic field on the emission envelope. Our analysis of these spectra confirms, refines and extends the results obtained by Landstreet & Borra (1978), Groote & Hunger (1982 and references therein), and Nakajima (1985).The Hα emission is usually double-peaked, but it undergoes remarkable variations with the 1.19081 d rotational period of the star, which show that the emitting gas is localized into two regions which co-rotate with the star.