Title: Were all fast-rotating stars born in a binary?
Speaker: Rajika Kuruwita
Affiliation: Heidelberg Institute for Theoretical Studies
Time: Thursday 16th May 2024, 1400 to 1500
Location: 90103 Å
Abstract: Most stars are born in binary and multiple-star systems that interact and disintegrate. Even many stars that are single now probably had a companion in the past. My work looks at various aspects of the birth of multiple-star systems using 3D magnetohydrodynamical simulations to model how stellar interactions affect star and planet formation. In this talk, I will cover recent work I have submitted looking at the formation of rotators. These are low-mass stars with rotation periods of less than two days. Observations find that many fast rotators probably have a nearby companion and a lack of exoplanets. My work finds that scenarios that lead to strong spin-up events in a star can also lead to formation companions, suggesting that binary star formation pathways can inherently lead to faster-rotating stars.