On the variation of specific angular momentum among Main Sequence stars

Abstract

The specific angular momentum is found to vary with mass for earlier and later-type Main Sequence stars. Of various plausible causes, the difference in the interior density distribution of earlier and later-type stars is not sufficient enough to explain the difference either in angular momentum or in its gradient between earlier and later-type stars. The non-rigid rotation, however, may account for this difference in specific angular momentum as well as its gradient, if faster angular velocity in the interior for later-type and/or slower angular velocity for earlier-type stars than the surface value is allowed. A few other possibilities have also been briefly considered to understand this difference.