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About 20% of the white dwarfs possess a magnetic field that may be detected by the splitting and/or polarization of their spectral lines. As they cool, the effective temperatures of the white dwarfs become so low that no spectral lines can be seen in the visible wavelength range. If their atmospheres are not polluted by the debris of a planetary system, these cool white dwarfs have featureless optical spectra. Until quite recently, very little was known about the incidence of magnetic fields in these objects. However, when observed with polarimetric techniques, a significant number of featureless white dwarfs reveal strong magnetic fields in their optical continuum spectra. Measuring the occurrence rate and strength of magnetic fields in old white dwarfs may help us to understand how these fields are generated and evolve. We report the results of an ongoing survey of cool white dwarfs with the high-precision broad-band polarimeter DIPOL-UF, which is deployed at the Nordic Optical Telescope on La Palma, Spain. This survey has led to the firm discovery of 13 new cool magnetic white dwarfs in the solar neighborhood so far, including six new detections that we report in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many stars evolve into magnetic white dwarfs (MWDs), and observations may help to understand when the magnetic field appears at the stellar surface, if and how it evolves during the cooling phase, and, above all, what are the mechanisms that generate it. After obtaining new spectropolarimetric observations and combining them with previous literature data, we have checked almost the entire population of about 152 WDs within 20 pc from the Sun for the presence of magnetic fields, with a sensitivity that ranges from better than 1 kG for most of the stars of spectral class DA, to 1 MG for some of the featureless white dwarfs (WDs). We find that 33 WDs of the local 20 pc volume are magnetic. Statistically, the data are consistent with the possibility that the frequency of the magnetic field occurrence is similar in stars of all spectral classes, except that in the local 20 pc volume, either DQ stars are more frequently magnetic or host much stronger fields than average. The distribution of the observed field strength ranges from 40 kG to 300 MG and is uniform per decade, in striking contrast to the field frequency distribution resulting from spectroscopic surveys. Remarkably, no fields weaker than 40 kG are found. We confirm that magnetic fields are more frequent in WDs with higher than average mass, especially in younger stars. We find a marked deficiency of MWDs younger than 0.5 Gyr, and we find that the frequency of the occurrence of the magnetic field is significantly higher in WDs that have undergone the process of core crystallization than in WDs with fully liquid core. There is no obvious evidence of field strength decay with time. We discuss the implications of our findings in relation to some of the proposals that have been put forward to explain the origin and evolution of magnetic fields in degenerate stars, in particular those that predict the presence of a dynamo acting during the crystallization phase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite their rarity, massive stars dominate the ecology of galaxies via their strong, radiatively-driven winds throughout their lives and as supernovae in their deaths. However, their evolution and subsequent impact on their environment can be significantly affected by the presence of a magnetic field. While recent studies indicate that about 7% of OB stars in the Milky Way host strong, stable, organised (fossil) magnetic fields at their surfaces, little is known about the fields of very massive stars, nor the magnetic properties of stars outside our Galaxy. We aim to continue searching for strong magnetic fields in a diverse set of massive and very massive stars (VMS) in the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds (LMC/SMC), and we evaluate the overall capability of FORS2 to usefully search for and detect stellar magnetic fields in extra-galactic environments. We have obtained FORS2 spectropolarimetry of a sample of 41 stars, which principally consist of spectral types B, O, Of/WN, WNh, and classical WR stars in the LMC and SMC. Four of our targets are Ofp stars; one of them was just recently discovered. Each spectrum was analysed to infer the longitudinal magnetic field. No magnetic fields were formally detected in our study, although Bayesian statistical considerations suggest that the Ofp star SMC 159-2 is magnetic with a dipolar field of the order of 2.4-4.4 kG. In addition, our first constraints of magnetic fields in VMS provide interesting insights into the formation of the most massive stars in the Universe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we investigate the photometric variability of magnetic O-type stars. Such stars possess oblique, predominantly dipolar magnetic fields that confine their winds roughly axisymmetrically about the magnetic equator, thus forming a magnetosphere. We interpret their photometric variability as phase-dependent magnetospheric occultations. For massive star winds dominated by electron scattering opacity in the optical and NIR, we can compute synthetic light curves from simply knowing the magnetosphere's mass density distribution. We exploit the newly developed Analytical Dynamical Magnetosphere (ADM) model in order to obtain the predicted circumstellar density structures of magnetic O-type stars. The simplicity in our light-curve synthesis model allows us to readily conduct a parameter space study. For validation purposes, we first apply our algorithm to HD 191612, the prototypical Of?p star. Next, we attempt to model the photometric variability of the Of?p-type stars identified in the Magellanic Clouds using OGLE photometry. We evaluate the compatibility of the ADM predictions with the observed photometric variations and discuss the magnetic field properties that are implied by our modelling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magnetic fields are present in roughly 10% of white dwarfs. These fields affect the structure and evolution of such stars, and may provide clues about their earlier evolution history. Particularly important for statistical studies is the collection of high-precision spectropolarimetric observations of (1) complete magnitude-limited samples and (2) complete volume-limited samples of white dwarfs. In the course of one of our surveys we have discovered previously unknown kG-level magnetic fields on two nearby white dwarfs, WD 1105–340 and WD 2150+591. Both stars are brighter than mV = 15. WD 2150+591 is within the 20 pc volume around the Sun, while WD 1105–340 is just beyond 25 pc in distance. These discoveries increase the small sample of such weak-field white dwarfs from 21 to 23 stars. Our data appear consistent with roughly dipolar field topology, but it also appears that the surface field structure may be more complex on the older star than on the younger one, a result similar to one found earlier in our study of the weak-field stars WD 2034+372 and WD 2359–434. This encourages further efforts to uncover a clear link between magnetic morphology and stellar evolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magnetic fields are detected in a few percent of white dwarfs. The number of such magnetic white dwarfs known is now some hundreds. Fields range in strength from a few kG to several hundred MG. Almost all the known magnetic white dwarfs have a mean field modulus≥1 MG. We are trying to fill a major gap in observational knowledge at the low field limit (≤200 kG) using circular spectro-polarimetry. In this paper we report the discovery and monitoring of strong, periodic magnetic variability in two previously discovered "super-weak field" magnetic white dwarfs, WD2047+372 and WD2359-434. WD2047+372 has a mean longitudinal field that reverses between about -12 and +15 kG, with a period of 0.243 d, while its mean field modulus appears nearly constant at 60 kG. The observations can be interpreted in terms of a dipolar field tilted with respect to the stellar rotation axis. WD2359-434 always shows a weak positive longitudinal field with values between about 0 and +12 kG, varying only weakly with stellar rotation, while the mean field modulus varies between about 50 and 100 kG. The rotation period is found to be 0.112 d using the variable shape of the H line core, consistent with available photometry. The field of this star appears to be much more complex than a dipole, and is probably not axisymmetric. Available photometry shows that WD2359-434 is a light variable with an amplitude of only 0.005 mag; our own photometry shows that if WD2047+372 is photometrically variable, the amplitude is below about 0.01 mag. These are the first models for magnetic white dwarfs with fields below about 100 kG based on magnetic measurements through the full stellar rotation. They reveal two very different magnetic surface configurations, and that, contrary to simple ohmic decay theory, WD2359-434 has a much more complex surface field than the much younger WD2047+372. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Massive O-type stars play a dominant role in our Universe, but many of their properties remain poorly constrained. In the last decade magnetic fields have been detected in all Galactic members of the distinctive Of?p class, opening the door to a better knowledge of all O-type stars. With the aim of extending the study of magnetic massive stars to nearby galaxies, to better understand the role of metallicity in the formation of their magnetic fields and magnetospheres, and to broaden our knowledge of the role of magnetic fields in massive star evolution, we carried out spectropolarimetry of five extra-Galactic Of?p stars, and of a couple of dozen neighbouring stars. We were able to measure magnetic fields with typical error bars from 0.2 to 1.0 kG, depending on the apparent magnitude and on weather conditions. No magnetic field was firmly detected in any of our measurements, but we were able to estimate upper limits on the field values of our target stars. One of our targets, 2dFS 936, exhibited an unexpected strengthening of emission lines. We confirm the unusual behaviour of BI 57, which exhibits a 787 d period with two photometric peaks and one spectroscopic maximum. The observed strengthening of the emission lines of 2dFS 936, and the lack of detection of a strong magnetic field in a star with such strong emission lines is at odd with expectations. Together with the unusual periodic behaviour of BI 57, it represents a challenge for the current models of Of?p stars. The limited precision that we obtained in our field measurements (in most cases as a consequence of poor weather) has led to field-strength upper limits that are substantially larger than those typically measured in Galactic magnetic O stars. Further higher precision observations and monitoring are clearly required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context. Searches for magnetic fields in white dwarfs have clarified both the frequency of occurrence and the global structure of the fields found down to field strengths of the order of 500 kG. Below this level, the situation is still very unclear. Aims. We are engaged in a project to find and study the weakest magnetic fields that are detectable in white dwarfs, in order to empirically determine how the frequency of occurrence and the structure of fields present changes with field strength. In this paper we report the successful testing of a very sensitive method of longitudinal field detection in DA white dwarfs. We use this method to carry out an extremely sensitive search for magnetism in the bright white dwarf 40 Eri B. Methods. The method of field measurement we use is to measure, at high spectral resolution, the polarisation signal V/I of the narrow non-LTE line core in Hα in DA stars. This small feature provides a much higher amplitude polarisation signal than the broad Balmer line wings. We test the usefulness of this technique by searching for a weak magnetic field in 40 Eri B. Results. One hour of observation of I and V Stokes components of the white dwarf 40 Eri B using ESPaDOnS at the CFHT is found to provide a standard error of measurement of the mean longitudinal magnetic field of about 85 G. This is the smallest standard error of field measurement ever obtained for a white dwarf. The non-detections obtained are generally consistent with slightly less accurate measurements of 40 Eri B obtained with ISIS at the WHT and the Main Stellar Spectrograph at SAO, in order to provide comparison standards for the new method. These further measurements allow us to make a quantitative comparison of the relative efficiencies of low-resolution spectropolarimetery (using most or all of the Balmer lines) with the new method (using only the core of Hα). Conclusions. The new method of field detection reaches the level of sensitivity that was expected. It appears that for suitable DA stars, about the same field uncertainties can be reached with ESPaDOnS on the CFHT, in a given integration time, as with FORS on an 8-m telescope, and uncertainties are a factor of two better than with low-resolution spectropolarimetry with other 4-6-m class telescopes. However, even with this extraordinary sensitivity, there is no clear indication of the presence of any magnetic field in 40 Eri B above the level of about 250 G. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context. The low-resolution, Cassegrain mounted, FORS spectropolarimeter of the ESO Very Large Telescope is being extensively used for magnetic field surveys. Some of the new discoveries suggest that relatively strong magnetic fields may play an important role in numerous physical phenomena observed in the atmospheres as well as in the circumstellar environments of certain kinds of stars. Aims. We show in detail how small instabilities or data-reduction inaccuracies represent an alternative explanation for the origin of certain signals of circular polarisation published in recent years. Methods. With the help of analytical calculations we simulate the observation of a spectral line in spectropolarimetric mode, adding very small spurious wavelength shifts, which may mimic the effects of seeing variations, rapid variations of the stellar radial velocity, or instrument instabilities. As a case study, we then re-visit the FORS2 measurements that have been used to claim the discovery of a magnetic field in the A0 supergiant HD92207. In addition, we present new observations of this star obtained with the HARPSpol instrument. Results. Both calibration and science data show compelling evidence that photon-noise is not the only source of error in magnetic field measurements, especially in sharp spectral lines. Non-photon noise may be kept under control by accurate data reduction and quality controls. Our re-analysis of FORS2 observations of HD92207 shows no evidence of a magnetic field, and we are able to reproduce the previous FORS detection only by degrading the quality of our wavelength calibration. Our HARPSpol spectropolarimetric measurements show no evidence of a magnetic field at the level of 10 G. Conclusions. Our work contributes to a better understanding of the importance of accurate data treatment and instrument characterisation, and demonstrates that ultra-high signal-to-noise ratio measurements do not automatically translate into ultra-high accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This is the first in a series of papers in which we describe and report the analysis of a large survey of Herbig Ae/Be stars in circular spectropolarimetry. Using the ESPaDOnS and Narval high-resolution spectropolarimeters at the Canada–France–Hawaii and Bernard Lyot Telescopes, respectively, we have acquired 132 circularly polarized spectra of 70 Herbig Ae/Be stars and Herbig candidates. The large majority of these spectra are characterized by a resolving power of about 65 000, and a spectral coverage from about 3700 Å to 1 μm. The peak signal-to-noise ratio per CCD pixel ranges from below 100 (for the faintest targets) to over 1000 (for the brightest). The observations were acquired with the primary aim of searching for magnetic fields in these objects. However, our spectra are suitable for a variety of other important measurements, including rotational properties, variability, binarity, chemical abundances, circumstellar environment conditions and structure, etc. In this paper, we describe the sample selection, the observations and their reduction, and the measurements that will comprise the basis of much of our following analysis. We describe the determination of fundamental parameters for each target. We detail the least-squares deconvolution (LSD) that we have applied to each of our spectra, including the selection, editing and tuning of the LSD line masks. We describe the fitting of the LSD Stokes I profiles using a multicomponent model that yields the rotationally broadened photospheric profile (providing the projected rotational velocity and radial velocity for each observation) as well as circumstellar emission and absorption components. Finally, we diagnose the longitudinal Zeeman effect via the measured circular polarization, and report the longitudinal magnetic field and Stokes V Zeeman signature detection probability. As an appendix, we provide a detailed review of each star observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT In this paper we describe and evaluate new spectral line polarization observations obtained with the goal of mapping the surfaces of magnetic Ap stars in great detail. One hundred complete or partial Stokes IQUV sequences, corresponding to 297 individual polarized spectra, have been obtained for seven bright Ap stars using the Échelle SpectroPolarimetric Device for the Observation of Stars (ESPaDOnS) and NARVAL high-resolution spectropolarimeters. The targets span a range of masses from approximately 1.8 to 3.4 M⊙, a range of rotation periods from 2.56 to 6.80 d and a range of maximum longitudinal magnetic field strengths from 0.3 to over 4 kG. For three of the seven stars, we have obtained dense phase coverage sampling the entire rotational cycle. These data sets are suitable for immediate magnetic and chemical abundance surface mapping using magnetic Doppler imaging. For the remaining four stars, partial phase coverage has been obtained, and additional observations will be required in order to map the surfaces of these stars. The median signal-to-noise ratio of the reduced observations is over 700 per 1.8 km s−1 pixel. Spectra of all stars show Stokes V Zeeman signatures in essentially all individual lines, and most stars show clear Stokes QU signatures in many individual spectral lines. The observations provide a vastly improved data set compared to previous generations of observations in terms of signal-to-noise ratio, resolving power and measurement uncertainties. Measurement of the longitudinal magnetic field demonstrates that the data are internally consistent within computed uncertainties typically at the 50-100σ level. Data are also shown to be in excellent agreement with published observations and in qualitative agreement with the predictions of published surface structure models. In addition to providing the foundation for the next generation of surface maps of Ap stars, this study establishes the performance and stability of the ESPaDOnS and NARVAL high-resolution spectropolarimeters during the period 2006-2010. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT The photospheres of about 10-20 per cent of main-sequence A- and B-type stars exhibit a wide range of chemical peculiarities, often associated with the presence of a magnetic field. It is not exactly known at which stage of stellar evolution these chemical peculiarities develop. To investigate this issue, in this paper we study the photospheric compositions of a sample of Herbig Ae and Be stars, which are considered to be the pre-main-sequence progenitors of A and B stars. We have performed a detailed abundance analysis of 20 Herbig stars (three of which have confirmed magnetic fields), and one dusty young star. We have found that half the stars in our sample show λ Boötis (λ Boo) chemical peculiarities to varying degrees, only one star shows weak Ap/Bp peculiarities and all the remaining stars are chemically normal. The incidence of λ Boo chemical peculiarities we find in Herbig stars is much higher than what is seen on the main sequence. We argue that a selective accretion model for λ Boo star formation is a natural explanation for the remarkably large number of λ Boo stars in our sample. We also find that the magnetic Herbig stars do not exhibit a range of chemical compositions remarkably different from the normal stars: one magnetic star displays λ Boo chemical peculiarities (HD 101412), one displays weak Ap/Bp peculiarities (V380 Ori A) and one (HD 190073) is chemically normal. This is completely different from what is seen on the main sequence, where all magnetic A and cool B stars show Ap/Bp chemical peculiarities, and this is consistent with the idea that the magnetic field precedes the formation of the chemical peculiarities typical of Ap and Bp stars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent spectropolarimetric studies of seven slowly pulsating B (SPB) and ß Cep stars have suggested that photospheric magnetic fields are more common in B-type pulsators than in the general population of B stars, suggesting a significant connection between magnetic and pulsational phenomena. We present an analysis of new and previously published spectropolarimetric observations of these stars. New Stokes V observations obtained with the high-resolution ESPaDOnS and Narval instruments confirm the presence of a magnetic field in one of the stars (∈ Lup), but find no evidence of magnetism in five others. A re-analysis of the published longitudinal field measurements obtained with the low-resolution FORS1/2 spectropolarimeters finds that the measurements of all stars show more scatter from zero than can be attributed to Gaussian noise, suggesting the presence of a signal and/or systematic underestimation of error bars. Re-reduction and re-measurement of the FORS1/2 spectra from the ESO archive demonstrates that small changes in reduction procedure lead to substantial changes in the inferred longitudinal field, and substantially reduces the number of field detections at the 3σ level. Furthermore, we find that the published periods are not unique solutions to the time series of either the original or the revised FORS1/2 data. We conclude that the reported field detections, proposed periods, and field geometry models for α Pyx, 15 CMa, 33 Eri, and V1449 Aql are artifacts of the data analysis and reduction procedures, and that magnetic fields at the reported strength are no more common in SPB/ß Cep stars than in the general population of B stars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT We report magnetic and spectroscopic observations and modelling of the Of?p star HD 148937 within the context of the Magnetism in Massive Stars (MiMeS) Large Program at the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope. 32 high signal-to-noise ratio circularly polarized (Stokes V) spectra and 13 unpolarized (Stokes I) spectra of HD 148937 were acquired in 2009 and 2010. A definite detection of a Stokes V Zeeman signature is obtained in the grand mean of all observations [in both least-squares deconvolved (LSD) mean profiles and individual spectral lines]. The longitudinal magnetic field inferred from the Stokes V LSD profiles is consistently negative, in contrast to the essentially zero field strength measured from the diagnostic null profiles. A period search of new and archival equivalent width measurements confirms the previously reported 7.03 d variability period. The variation of equivalent widths is not strictly periodic: we present evidence for evolution of the amount or distribution of circumstellar plasma. Interpreting the 7.03 d period as the stellar rotational period within the context of the oblique rotator paradigm, we have phased the equivalent widths and longitudinal field measurements. The longitudinal field measurements show a weak sinusoidal variation of constant sign, with extrema out of phase with the Hα variation by about 0.25 cycles. From our constraint on v sin i≤ 45 km s−1, we infer that the rotational axis inclination i≤ 30°. Modelling the longitudinal field phase variation directly, we obtain the magnetic obliquity β= 38+17−28° and dipole polar intensity Bd= 1020−380+310 G. Simple modelling of the Hα equivalent width variation supports the derived geometry. The inferred magnetic configuration confirms the suggestion of Nazé et al., who proposed that the weaker variability of HD 148937 as compared to other members of this class is a consequence of the stellar geometry. Based on the derived magnetic properties and published wind characteristics, we find a wind magnetic confinement parameter η*≃ 20 and rotation parameter W= 0.12, supporting a picture in which the Hα emission and other line variability have their origin in an oblique, rigidly rotating magnetospheric structure resulting from a magnetically channelled wind. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AR Aur is the only eclipsing binary known to contain a HgMn star, making it an ideal case for a detailed study of the HgMn phenomenon. HgMn stars are a poorly understood class of chemically peculiar stars, which have traditionally been thought not to possess significant magnetic fields. However, the recent discovery of line profile variability in some HgMn stars, apparently attributable to surface abundance patches, has brought this belief into question. In this paper we investigate the chemical abundances, line profile variability, and magnetic field of the primary and secondary of the AR Aur system, using a series of high-resolution spectropolarimetric observations. We find the primary is indeed a HgMn star, and present the most precise abundances yet determined for this star. We find the secondary is a weak Am star, and is possibly still on the pre-main sequence. Line profile variability was observed in a range of lines in the primary, and is attributed to inhomogeneous surface distributions of some elements. No magnetic field was detected in any observation of either stars, with an upper limit on the longitudinal magnetic field in both stars of 100 G. Modelling of the phase-resolve longitudinal field measurements leads to a 3σ upper limit on any dipole surface magnetic field of about 400 G. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Among the A/B stars, about 5% host large-scale organised magnetic fields. These magnetic stars show also abundance anomalies in their spectra, and are therefore called the magnetic Ap/Bp stars. Most of these stars are also slow rotators compared to the normal A and B stars. Today, one of the greatest challenges concerning the Ap/Bp stars is to understand the origin of their slow rotation and their magnetic fields. The favoured hypothesis for the latter is that the fields are fosils, which implies that the magnetic fields subsist throughout the different evolutionary phases, and in particular during the premain sequence phase. The existence of magnetic fields at the pre-main sequence phase is also required to explain the slow rotation of Ap/Bp stars. During the last 3 years we performed a spectropolarimetric survey of the Herbig Ae/Be stars in the field and in young clusters, in order to investigate their magnetism and rotation. These investigations have resulted in the detection and/or confirmation of magnetic fields in 8 Herbig Ae/Be stars, ranging in mass from 2 to nearly 15 solar masses. In this paper I will present the results of our survey, as well as their implications for the origin and evolution of the magnetic fields and rotation of the A and B stars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present spectropolarimetric observations of the FK Com star HD 199178 obtained between 1998 December and 2003 August at the Télescope Bernard Lyot (Observatoire du Pic du Midi, France). We report the detection of a photospheric magnetic field and reconstruct its distribution by means of Zeeman–Doppler imaging. We observe large regions where the magnetic field is mainly azimuthal, suggesting that the dynamo processes generating the magnetic activity of HD 199178 may be active very close to the stellar surface. We investigate the rapid evolution of surface brightness and magnetic structures from a continuous monitoring of the star over several weeks in 2002 and 2003. We report that significant changes occur in the distribution of cool-spots and magnetic regions on typical time-scales of the order of two weeks. Our spectropolarimetric observations also suggest that the surface of HD 199178 is sheared by differential rotation, with a difference in rotation rate between equatorial and polar regions of the order of 1.5 times that of the Sun. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]