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As the disk formation mechanism(s) in Be stars is(are) as yet unknown, we investigate the role of rapidly rotating radiation-driven winds in this process. We implemented the effects of high stellar rotation on m-CAK models accounting for: the shape of the star, the oblate finite disk correction factor, and gravity darkening. For a fast rotating star, we obtain a two-component wind model, i.e., a fast, thin wind in the polar latitudes and an $\Omega$-slow, dense wind in the equatorial regions. We use the equatorial mass densities to explore H$\alpha$ emission profiles for the following scenarios: 1) a spherically symmetric star, 2) an oblate shaped star with constant temperature, and 3) an oblate star with gravity darkening. One result of this work is that we have developed a novel method for solving the gravity darkened, oblated m-CAK equation of motion. Furthermore, from our modeling we find a) the oblate finite disk correction factor, for the scenario considering the gravity darkening, can vary by at least a factor of two between the equatorial and polar directions, influencing the velocity profile and mass-loss rate accordingly, b) the H$\alpha$ profiles predicted by our model are in agreement with those predicted by a standard power-law model for following values of the line-force parameters: $1.5 \lesssim k \lesssim 3$, $ \, \alpha \sim 0.6$ and $\, \delta \gtrsim 0.1$, and c) the contribution of the fast wind component to the H$\alpha$ emission line profile is negligible; therefore, the line profiles arise mainly from the equatorial disks of Be stars., Comment: 20 pages and 14 figures. Accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journal

A global disk oscillation implemented in the viscous decretion disk (VDD) model has been used to reproduce most of the observed properties of the well known Be star $\zeta$ Tau. 48 Librae shares several similarities with $\zeta$ Tau -- they are both early-type Be stars, they display shell characteristics in their spectra, and they exhibit cyclic $V/R$ variations -- but has some marked differences as well, such as a much denser and more extended disk, a much longer $V/R$ cycle, and the absence of the so-called triple-peak features. We aim to reproduce the photometric, polarimetric, and spectroscopic observables of 48 Librae with a self-consistent model, and to test the global oscillation scenario for this target. Our calculations are carried out with the three-dimensional NLTE radiative transfer code HDUST. We employ a rotationally deformed, gravity-darkened central star, surrounded by a disk whose unperturbed state is given by the VDD model. A two-dimensional global oscillation code is then used to calculate the disk perturbation, and superimpose it on the unperturbed disk. A very good, self-consistent fit to the time-averaged properties of the disk is obtained with the VDD. The calculated perturbation has a period $P = 12$ yr, which agrees with the observed period, and the behaviour of the $V/R$ cycle is well reproduced by the perturbed model. The perturbed model improves the fit to the photometric data and reproduces some features of the observed spectroscopic data. Some suggestions to improve the synthesized spectroscopy in a future work are given.

The standard, or fast, solutions of m-CAK line-driven wind theory cannot account for slowly outflowing disks like the ones that surround Be stars. It has been previously shown that there exists another family of solutions --- the $\Omega$-slow solutions --- that is characterized by much slower terminal velocities and higher mass-loss rates. We have solved the one-dimensional m-CAK hydrodynamical equation of rotating radiation-driven winds for this latter solution, starting from standard values of the line force parameters ($\alpha$, $k$, and $\delta$), and then systematically varying the values of $\alpha$ and $k$. Terminal velocities and mass-loss rates that are in good agreement with those found in Be stars are obtained from the solutions with lower $\alpha$ and higher $k$ values. Furthermore, the equatorial densities of such solutions are comparable to those that are typically assumed in ad hoc models. For very high values of $k$, we find that the wind solutions exhibit a new kind of behavior.

Aims: Our aim is to obtain ages that are as accurate as possible for the seven nearby open clusters alpha Per, Coma Ber, IC 2602, NGC 2232, NGC 2451A, NGC 2516, and NGC 6475, each of which contains at least one magnetic Ap or Bp star. Simultaneously, we test the current calibrations of Te and luminosity for the Ap/Bp star members, and identify clearly blue stragglers in the clusters studied. Methods: We explore the possibility that isochrone fitting in the theoretical Hertzsprung-Russell diagram (i.e. log (L/L&sun;) vs. log Te), rather than in the conventional colour-magnitude diagram, can provide more precise and accurate cluster ages, with well-defined uncertainties. Results: Well-defined ages are found for all the clusters studied. For the nearby clusters studied, the derived ages are not very sensitive to the small uncertainties in distance, reddening, membership, metallicity, or choice of isochrones. Our age determinations are all within the range of previously determined values, but the associated uncertainties are considerably smaller than the spread in recent age determinations from the literature. Furthermore, examination of proper motions and HR diagrams confirms that the Ap stars identified in these clusters are members, and that the presently accepted temperature scale and bolometric corrections for Ap stars are approximately correct. We show that in these theoretical HR diagrams blue stragglers are particularly easy to identify. Conclusions: Constructing the theoretical HR diagram of a nearby open cluster makes possible an accurate age determination, with well defined uncertainty. This diagnostic of a cluster also provides a useful tool for studying unusual stars such as Ap stars and blue stragglers.

The line profiles of the stars with v sin i below a few km/s can reveal direct signatures of local velocity fields (e.g. convection) in stellar atmospheres. This effect is well established in cool main sequence stars, and has been detected and studied in three A stars. This paper reports observations of main sequence B, A and F stars with two goals: (1) to identify additional stars having sufficiently low values of v sin i to search for spectral line profile signatures of local velocity fields, and (2) to explore how the signatures of the local velocity fields in the atmosphere depend on stellar parameters such as effective temperature T_eff and peculiarity type. For stars having T_eff below about 10000 K, we always detect local atmospheric velocity fields indirectly through a non-zero microturbulence parameter, but not for hotter stars. Among the A and F stars in our sample having the sharpest lines, direct tracers of atmospheric velocity fields are found in six new stars. The velocity field signatures identified include asymmetric excess line wing absorption, deeper in the blue line wing than in the red; line profiles of strong lines that are poorly fit by computed profiles; and strong lines that are broader than they should be for the v sin i values deduced from weak lines. These effects are found in both normal and Am stars, but seem stronger in Am stars. These data still have not been satisfactorily explained by models of atmospheric convection, including numerical simulations., Comment: Acepted for publication by Astronomy and Astrophysics

We are carrying out a survey of magnetic fields in Ap stars in open clusters in order to obtain the first sample of magnetic upper main sequence stars with precisely known ages. These data will constrain theories of field evolution in these stars. Using the new spectropolarimeter ESPaDOnS at CFHT, we have obtained 44 measurements of the mean longitudinal fields of 23 B6 - A2 stars that have been identified as possible Ap stars and that are possible members of open clusters, with a median uncertainty of about 45 G. Of these stars, 10 have definite field detections. Nine stars of our sample are found not to be magnetic Ap stars. The ESPaDOnS data contain a large amount of useful information not readily obtained from lower resolution spectropolarimetry. With the new observations we are able to expand the available data on fields of low-mass, relatively evolved Ap stars, and identify more robustly which observed stars are actually magnetic Ap stars and cluster members. Re-analysis of the enlarged data set of cluster Ap stars indicates that such stars with masses in the range of 2 -- 5 \mo show RMS fields larger than about 1 kG only when they are near the ZAMS. The time scale on which these large fields disappear varies strongly with mass, ranging from about 250 Myr for stars of 2 - 3 solar mass to 15 Myr for stars of 4 - 5 solar mass. Our data are consistent either with emergent flux conservation for most (but not all) Ap stars, or with modest decline in flux with age., Comment: accepted by Astronomy & Astrophysics

The evolution of magnetic fields in Ap stars during the main sequence phase is presently mostly unconstrained by observation because of the difficulty of assigning accurate ages to known field Ap stars. We are carrying out a large survey of magnetic fields in cluster Ap stars with the goal of obtaining a sample of these stars with well-determined ages. In this paper we analyse the information available from the survey as it currently stands. We select from the available observational sample the stars that are probably (1) cluster or association members and (2) magnetic Ap stars. For the stars in this subsample we determine the fundamental parameters T_eff, log(L/L_o), and M/M_o. With these data and the cluster ages we assign both absolute age and fractional age (the fraction of the main sequence lifetime completed). For this purpose we have derived new bolometric corrections for Ap stars. Magnetic fields are present at the surfaces of Ap stars from the ZAMS to the TAMS. Statistically for the stars with M > 3 M_o the fields decline with advancing age approximately as expected from flux conservation together with increased stellar radius, or perhaps even faster than this rate, on a time scale of about 3 10^7 yr. In contrast, lower mass stars show no compelling evidence for field decrease even on a timescale of several times 10^8 yr. Study of magnetic cluster stars is now a powerful tool for obtaining constraints on evolution of Ap stars through the main sequence. Enlarging the sample of known cluster magnetic stars, and obtaining more precise RMS fields, will help to clarify the results obtained so far. Further field observations are in progress., Comment: Accepted by Astronomy & Astrophysics

About 5% of upper main sequence stars are permeated by a strong magnetic field, the origin of which is still matter of debate. With this work we provide observational material to study how magnetic fields change with the evolution of stars on the main sequence, and to constrain theory explaining the presence of magnetic fields in A and B-type stars. Using FORS1 in spectropolarimetric mode at the ESO VLT, we have carried out a survey of magnetic fields in early-type stars belonging to open clusters and associations of various ages. We have measured the magnetic field of 235 early-type stars with a typical uncertainty of about 100 G. In our sample, 97 stars are Ap or Bp stars. For these targets, the median error bar of our field measurements was about 80 G. A field has been detected in about 41 of these stars, 37 of which were not previously known as magnetic stars. For the 138 normal A and B-type stars, the median error bar was 136 G, and no field was detected in any of them., Comment: Accepted by A&A; 15 pages (article)+15 pages (tables), 8 figures