Untangling magnetic massive star properties with linear polarization variability and the analytic dynamical magnetosphere model

Abstract

ABSTRACT Light scattered off particles can become linearly polarized. Stars surrounded by oblique, co-rotating envelopes are therefore expected to manifest periodic linear polarimetric variations. The electron scattering magnetospheres of magnetic massive stars are expected to be suitable candidates to observe this effect. In this paper, we present the first semi-analytical model capable of synthesizing the continuum polarimetric signatures of magnetic O-type stars in an optically thin, single electron scattering limit. The purpose of this investigation is to improve our general understanding of magnetic hot stars by characterizing their polarimetric behaviour. Our linear polarization model is constructed by combining the analytical expressions for the polarimetric variations of an obliquely rotating envelope with the analytic dynamical magnetosphere model to represent a physical model for the envelope density structure. We compute grids of model Stokes Q and U curves and show that their shapes are unique to the choice of inclination and obliquity angles. We apply our model to HD 191612, a prototypical Of?p-type star, having both polarimetric and photometric observations. We find that the polarimetric modulations are best reproduced with $i=19^{+12}_{-3}$○, $\beta =71^{+3}_{-9}$○, and $\log \dot{M}_{B=0}=-6.11^{+0.12}_{-0.06}$ [M⊙ yr−1]. These results agree with previous investigations of this star. By combining both polarimetric and photometric synthesis tools, we simultaneously model the observations thus adding further refinement of the wind and magnetic properties of HD 191612.