ON the DIFFERENTIAL ROTATION of MASSIVE MAIN-SEQUENCE STARS

Abstract

To date, asteroseismology has provided core-to-surface differential rotation measurements in eight main-sequence stars. These stars, ranging in mass from ∼1.5-9 M⊙, show rotation profiles ranging from uniform to counter-rotation. Although they have a variety of masses, these stars all have convective cores and overlying radiative regions, conducive to angular momentum transport by internal gravity waves (IGWs). Using two-dimensional numerical simulations, we show that angular momentum transport by IGWs can explain all of these rotation profiles. We further predict that, should high mass, faster rotating stars be observed, the core-to-envelope differential rotation will be positive, but less than one.