A Pipeline for Modeling Rapidly Rotating Stars

Abstract

Recent stellar intensity interferometry observations of stars at 416 nm complement Michelson interferometry observations in the near-infrared where stellar surface intensity gradients (e.g., limb darkening) are weaker. Intensity gradients due to gravity darkening in rapidly rotating stars are also expected to show higher contrast at 416 nm relative to the near-infrared. We have created a software pipeline to model stellar photospheres of rapidly rotating stars to compare predictions at these wavelength regions. The pipeline can produce model images, visibility predictions, and synthetic spectra. Here we show examples for the Be star β CMi, which has not been interferometrically imaged. We see higher contrast from gravity darkening at 416 nm in model images for rapid rotators, but only for those stars that are not viewed equator-on.