Grant: Discovery Grants Program - Individual

Massive stars represent the hottest and most luminous stellar component of the Universe, and are the crucibles in which the lion's share of the chemical elements are forged. Throughout their lives, matter, energy and momentum are injected into the surrounding interstellar medium by their powerful radiation fields and stellar winds, and by the dramatic supernova explosions that mark their deaths. These rapidly-evolving stars drive the chemistry, structure and evolution of galaxies, dominating the ecology of the Universe with far-reaching consequences. The evolution of a massive star is influenced fundamentally by its rapid rotation and mass loss. Both of these properties are subject to considerable modification in the presence of magnetic fields. Although the existence of magnetic fields in massive stars is no longer in question, our knowledge of the basic statistical properties of massive star magnetism is seriously incomplete. There is a troubling deficit in our knowledge of the scope of the influence of fields on massive star evolution, and almost no empirical basis for understanding how fields modify mass loss. Most remarkably, we have no clear idea how these important magnetic fields originate. The aim of this proposal is to fund research and training within the context of the international Magnetism in Massive Stars (MiMeS) project. Leveraging the commitments of international observatories and over 50 worldwide collaborators, we will complete a comprehensive assay of the magnetic properties of hot, massive stars, including a survey of 200 stars and detailed investigations of the magnetic field topologies and related physics of over 2 dozen prototypical objects. This fundamental observational database will be used to confront and guide development of forefront theoretical models of field generation, mass loss and stellar wind confinement, rotational evolution and stellar interior structure and evolution.