Conference proceeding
New Frontiers in the Study of Magnetic Massive Stars with the Habitable Worlds Observatory
ASP Conf Series, vol 542, p.123-134 (2026-02-01); Towards the Habitable Worlds Observatory: Visionary Science and Transformational Technology, 28-31 July 2025
02/01/2026
DOI: 10.26624/TYDG7023
Abstract
High-mass stars (i.e., stars with masses 8 times greater than that of our Sun and above) are notable for several reasons: they are characterized by strong winds, which inject energy and chemically enriched material into their surroundings, and die spectacularly as supernovae, leaving behind exotic compact remnants (neutron stars and black holes) and heavy elements (such as those that make life on Earth possible). Despite their relative rarity, they play a disproportionate role in the evolution of the galaxies that host them, and likely also played a significant role in the early days of the Universe. A subset (∼10%) of these stars was also found to host magnetic fields on their surface. These fields impact their evolution, and may lead to exotic physics (e.g., heavy stellar-mass black holes, pair-instability supernovae, magnetars, etc.). However, the detection and measurement of magnetic fields is limited, due to current instrumentation, to nearby massive stars in the Milky Way. To truly understand how magnetism arises in massive stars, and what role it might have played in earlier stages of our Universe, we require next-generation hardware, such as the proposed near-infrared-to-ultraviolet spectropolarimeter Pollux, on the Habitable Worlds Observatory (HWO). In this contribution, we detail how Pollux HWO will enable new frontiers in the study of magnetic massive stars, delivering results that will profoundly impact the fields of stellar formation, stellar evolution, compact objects, and stellar feedback.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- New Frontiers in the Study of Magnetic Massive Stars with the Habitable Worlds Observatory
- Creators
- Alexandre David-UrazVéronique PetitCoralie NeinerJean-Claude BouretYaël Nazé - Centre de Recherche en Astronomie Astrophysique et GéophysiqueChristiana ErbaMiriam GarciaKenneth GayleyRichard IgnaceJiři KrtičkaHugues Sana - Centre de Recherche en Astronomie Astrophysique et GéophysiqueNicole St-LouisAsif ud-Doula
- Resource Type
- Conference proceeding
- Conference
- ASP Conf Series, vol 542, p.123-134 (2026-02-01); Towards the Habitable Worlds Observatory: Visionary Science and Transformational Technology, 28-31 July 2025
- DOI
- 10.26624/TYDG7023
- Publisher
- ASP
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 02/01/2026
- Academic Unit
- Physics and Astronomy
- Record Identifier
- 9985180966502771
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