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Stellar surface imaging: mapping brightness and magnetic fields
Author(s) -
Hussain G. A. J.
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
astronomische nachrichten
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.394
H-Index - 63
eISSN - 1521-3994
pISSN - 0004-6337
DOI - 10.1002/asna.200310219
Subject(s) - stars , brightness , zeeman effect , physics , magnetic field , starspot , astrophysics , surface brightness , astronomy , doppler effect , spectral line , quantum mechanics , galaxy
Rapidly rotating late‐type stars typically display signs of magnetic activity that exceed those seen on the Sun by over two orders of magnitude. The techniques of Doppler imaging and Zeeman Doppler imaging have been instrumental in unveiling magnetic activity patterns at the photospheres of these active stars. Essentially, these techniques work by inverting time‐series of high resolution spectra to produce temperature, brightness and/or magnetic field maps at the surfaces of stars. I will describe how these techniques work and review what they have taught us about the nature of magnetic activity in rapid rotators over the last 20 years. Finally, I will conclude by outlining the capabilities of these techniques in light of new instrumentation that is now becoming available. (© 2004 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)