对牛郎星表面进行成像。

Imaging the surface of Altair.

作者信息

Monnier John D, Zhao M, Pedretti E, Thureau N, Ireland M, Muirhead P, Berger J-P, Millan-Gabet R, Van Belle G, Ten Brummelaar T, McAlister H, Ridgway S, Turner N, Sturmann L, Sturmann J, Berger D

机构信息

Department of Astronomy, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.

出版信息

Science. 2007 Jul 20;317(5836):342-5. doi: 10.1126/science.1143205. Epub 2007 May 31.

DOI:10.1126/science.1143205

PMID:17540860

Abstract

Spatially resolving the surfaces of nearby stars promises to advance our knowledge of stellar physics. Using optical long-baseline interferometry, we constructed a near-infrared image of the rapidly rotating hot star Altair with a resolution of <1 milliarcsecond. The image clearly reveals the strong effect of gravity darkening on the highly distorted stellar photosphere. Standard models for a uniformly rotating star cannot explain our findings, which appear to result from differential rotation, alternative gravity-darkening laws, or both.

摘要

对附近恒星表面进行空间分辨有望推动我们对恒星物理学的认识。利用光学长基线干涉测量法，我们构建了快速旋转的热星牛郎星的近红外图像，分辨率小于1毫角秒。该图像清晰地揭示了重力暗化对高度扭曲的恒星光球的强烈影响。均匀旋转恒星的标准模型无法解释我们的发现，这些发现似乎是由较差自转、另类重力暗化定律或两者共同作用导致的。