Differential rotation in early type stars

Abstract

Using 2D models of rotating stars, the interferometric measurements of alpha Eri and its fundamental parameters corrected for gravitational darkening effects we infer that the star might have a core rotating 2.7 times faster than the surface. We explore the consequences on spectral lines produced by surface differential rotation combined with the effects due to a kind of internal differential rotation with rotational energies higher than allowed for rigid rotation which induce geometrical deformations that do not distinguish strongly from those carried by the rigid rotation.

3 pages ; to appear in the proceedings of the Sapporo meeting on active OB stars ; ASP Conference Series ; eds: S. Stefl, S. Owocki and A. Okazaki