Kyoto University researchers confirm magnetic fields drive rotation reversals in massive stars
Updated
Updated · Space War · Apr 24
Kyoto University researchers confirm magnetic fields drive rotation reversals in massive stars
8 articles · Updated · Space War · Apr 24
Using 3D simulations, the team found that magnetic fields and convection can both spin up or slow down a star's core during late burning phases.
Their model predicts that the geometry of magnetic fields determines whether a massive star's core accelerates or decelerates before collapse, challenging previous theories and suggesting unique final spin rates for different stars.
The findings imply that magnetic angular momentum transport operates universally across stellar masses, and the team plans to extend simulations to predict rotation rates throughout all evolutionary stages of stars.
Will advanced simulations solve the mystery of why some aging stars spin too fast?
If our best models conflict, how can we be sure how fast a star's core truly spins?
How does a star's internal magnetic weather determine the spin of a future black hole?
Why might it be impossible for some giant stars to ever slow down before they die?
Is the Sun's magnetic engine a universal blueprint for all stars, from dwarfs to giants?