Based on an analysis of the catalog of magnetic fields, we have investigated the statistical properties of the mean magnetic fields for OB stars. We show that the mean effective magnetic field B of a star can be used as a statistically significant characteristic of its magnetic field. No correlation has been found between the mean magnetic field strength B and projected rotational velocity of OB stars, which is consistent with the hypothesis about a fossil origin of the magnetic field. We have constructed the magnetic field distribution function for B stars, F(B), that has a power-law dependence on B with an exponent of ≈-1.82. We have found a sharp decrease in the function F(B) for B ≤ 400 G that may be related to rapid dissipation of weak stellar surface magnetic fields.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)370-379
Number of pages10
JournalAstronomy Letters
Volume36
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - 20 May 2010

    Scopus subject areas

  • Astronomy and Astrophysics
  • Space and Planetary Science

    Research areas

  • Evolution, Magnetic fields, OB stars, Statistics

ID: 36160777