Stellar magnetic fields in swollen convection zones

Abstract

Solar magnetic activity is generated through dynamo action operating at the base of the solar convection zone. However, for rapidly rotating solar-type stars this might not be the case with magnetic images showing regions of near-surface azimuthal field indicating that the operation of dynamo may in fact be distributed throughout the entire convection zone. Here we present the first magnetic images of a pre-main sequence star with both components having swollen outer convection zones. These results are part of an international study to understand how the generation of magnetic fields is affected by basic stellar parameters such as mass, rotation rate, the depth of the stellar convection zone, and binarity. The magnetic images were obtained by observing the star in circularly polarised light and using the technique of Zeeman Doppler imaging.