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Recent spectropolarimetric observations of otherwise ordinary G, K, and M giants revealed localized magnetic strips in the HRD coincident with the regions where the first dredge-up and core He-burning occur. We seek to understand the origin of magnetic fields in such late-type giant stars. In analogy with late-type dwarf stars, we focus primarily on parameters known to influence the generation of magnetic fields in the outer convective envelope. We compute the classical dynamo parameters along the evolutionary tracks of low- and intermediate-mass stars at various metallicities using stellar models that have been extensively tested by spectroscopic and asteroseismic observations. These include convective turnover timescales and convective Rossby numbers, computed from the PMS to the tip of the RGB or the early AGB. To investigate the effects of the very extended outer convective envelope, we compute these parameters both for the entire convective envelope and locally, that is, at different depths within the envelope. We also compute the turnover timescales and corresponding Rossby numbers for the convective cores of intermediate-mass stars on the main sequence. Our models show that the Rossby number of the convective envelope becomes lower than unity in the well-delimited locations of the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram where magnetic fields have indeed been detected. We show that α-Ω dynamo processes might not be continuously operating, but that they are favored in the stellar convective envelope at two specific moments along the evolution tracks, that is, during the first dredge-up at the base of the RGB and during central helium burning in the helium-burning phase and early-AGB. This general behavior can explain the so-called magnetic strips recently discovered by dedicated spectropolarimetric surveys of evolved stars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims. We investigate the magnetic field at the surface of 48 red giants selected as promising for detection of Stokes V Zeeman signatures in their spectral lines. In our sample, 24 stars are identified from the literature as presenting moderate to strong signs of magnetic activity. An additional 7 stars are identified as those in which thermohaline mixing appears not to have occured, which could be due to hosting a strong magnetic field. Finally, we observed 17 additional very bright stars which enable a sensitive search to be performed with the spectropolarimetric technique. Methods. We use the spectropolarimeters Narval and ESPaDOnS to detect circular polarization within the photospheric absorption lines of our targets. We treat the spectropolarimetric data using the least-squares deconvolution method to create high signal-to-noise ratio mean Stokes V profiles. We also measure the classical S-index activity indicator for the Ca Π H&K lines, and the stellar radial velocity. To infer the evolutionary status of our giants and to interpret our results, we use state-of-the-art stellar evolutionary models with predictions of convective turnover times. Results. We unambiguously detect magnetic fields via Zeeman signatures in 29 of the 48 red giants in our sample. Zeeman signatures are found in all but one of the 24 red giants exhibiting signs of activity, as well as 6 out of 17 bright giant stars. However no detections were obtained in the 7 thermohaline deviant giants. The majority of the magnetically detected giants are either in the first dredge up phase or at the beginning of core He burning, i.e. phases when the convective turnover time is at a maximum: this corresponds to a "magnetic strip" for red giants in the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram. A close study of the 16 giants with known rotational periods shows that the measured magnetic field strength is tightly correlated with the rotational properties, namely to the rotational period and to the Rossby number Ro. Our results show that the magnetic fields of these giants are produced by a dynamo, possibly of α-ω origin since Ro is in general smaller than unity. Four stars for which the magnetic field is measured to be outstandingly strong with respect to that expected from the rotational period/magnetic field relation or their evolutionary status are interpreted as being probable descendants of magnetic Ap stars. In addition to the weak-field giant Pollux, 4 bright giants (Aldebaran, Alphard, Arcturus, η Psc) are detected with magnetic field strength at the sub-Gauss level. Besides Arcturus, these stars were not considered to be active giants before this study and are very similar in other respects to ordinary giants, with S-index indicating consistency with basal chromospheric flux. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have measured the projected rotational velocities in a number of symbiotic stars and M giants using high-resolution spectroscopic observations. On the basis of our measurements and data from the literature, we compare the rotation of mass donors in symbiotics with of field giants and find that: (i) the K giants in S-type symbiotics rotate at km s−1, which is 2–4 times faster than the field K giants; (ii) the M giants in S-type symbiotics rotate on average 1.5 times faster than the field M giants. Statistical tests show that these differences are highly significant – p-value in the spectral-type bins K2III-K5III, M0III-M6III and M2III-M5III and (iii) our new observations of D'-type symbiotics also confirm that they are fast rotators. As a result of the rapid rotation, the cool giants in symbiotics should have 3–30 times larger mass-loss rates. Our results suggest also that bipolar ejections in symbiotics seem to happen in objects where the mass donors rotate faster than the orbital period. All spectra used in our series of papers can be obtained upon request from the authors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have measured the rotational velocities of the mass donors in a number of D′-type symbiotic stars (SSs), using the cross-correlation function method. Four out of five D′ SSs with known appeared to be very fast rotators compared with the catalogues of for the corresponding spectral types. At least three of these stars rotate at a substantial fraction (≳0.5) of the critical velocity. This means that at least in D′-type SSs the cool components rotate faster than isolated giants. If these binary stars are synchronized, their orbital periods should be relatively short (4–60 d). We also briefly discuss the possible origin of the rapid rotation and its connection with mass loss and dust formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]