Evidence of angular momentum transport in main-sequence solar-like stars

Abstract

AbstractThe rotation rates in the interior and at the surface is determined for the 22 main-sequence stars with masses between 1.0 and 1.6 M⊙. The average interior rotation is measured using asteroseismology, while the surface rotation is measured by the spectroscopic v sin i or the periodic light variation due to surface structures, such as spots. It is found that the difference between the surface rotation rate determined by spectroscopy and the average rotation rate for most of stars is small enough to suggest that an efficient process of angular momentum transport operates during and/or before the main-sequence stage of stars. By comparing the surface rotation rate measured from the light variation with those measured by spectroscopy, we found hints of latitudinal differential rotation. However, this must be confirmed by a further study because our result is sensitive to a few data points.