The MiMeS survey of magnetism in massive stars: magnetic properties of the O-type star population

Author:

Petit V1ORCID,Wade G A2,Schneider F R N34,Fossati L5,Kamp K6,Neiner C7ORCID,David-Uraz A1ORCID,Alecian E8,

Affiliation:

1. Department of Physics & Astronomy, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716, USA

2. Department of Physics & Space Science, Royal Military College of Canada, PO Box 17000, Kingston, ON K7K 7B4, Canada

3. Zentrum für Astronomie der Universität Heidelberg, Astronomisches Rechen-Institut, Mönchhofstr 12–14, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany

4. Heidelberger Institut für Theoretische Studien, Schloss-Wolfsbrunnenweg 35, D-69118 Heidelberg, Germany

5. Space Research Institute, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Schmiedlstrasse 6, A-8042 Graz, Austria

6. Department of Aerospace, Physics and Space Sciences, Florida Institute of Technology, 150 W. University Blvd, Melbourne, FL 32901, USA

7. LESIA, Paris Observatory, PSL University, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, Université de Paris, 5 place Jules Janssen, F-92195 Meudon, France

8. Université Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, IPAG, F-38000 Grenoble, France

Abstract

ABSTRACT In this paper, we describe an analysis of the MiMeS (Magnetism in Massive Stars) survey of O-type stars to explore the range of dipolar field strengths permitted by the polarization spectra that do not yield a magnetic detection. We directly model the Stokes V profiles with a dipolar topology model using Bayesian inference. The noise statistics of the Stokes V profiles are in excellent agreement with those of the null profiles. Using a Monte Carlo approach, we conclude that a model in which all the stars in our sample were to host 100 G, dipolar magnetic field can be ruled out by the MiMeS data. Furthermore, if all the stars with no detection were to host a magnetic field just below their detection limit, the inferred distribution in strength of these undetected fields would be distinct from the known distribution in strength of the known magnetic O-type stars. This indicates that the 'initial magnetic field function' (IBF) is likely bimodal – young O-type stars are expected to have either weak/absent magnetic fields or strong magnetic fields. We also find that better upper limits, by at least a factor of 10, would have been necessary to rule out a detection bias as an explanation for the apparent lack of evolved main-sequence magnetic O-type stars reported in the literature, and we conclude that the MiMeS survey cannot confirm or refute a magnetic flux decay in O-type stars.

Funder

University of Hawaii

National Science Foundation

Natural Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada

Publisher

Oxford University Press (OUP)

Subject

Space and Planetary Science,Astronomy and Astrophysics

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