Abstract

3D-MHD simulations of the magnetic star theta^1 Ori C

Asif ud-Doula (Penn State W. Scranton)

Marc Gagne and Veronique Petit(West Chester University),Stan Owocki (Bartol Research Institute, U. Delaware), David Cohen (Swarthmore College)

The oblique magnetic rotator θ^1 Ori C (O5.5 V) is a source of hard X-ray emitting plasma in its circumstellar environment. Here we report preliminary results of the first 3D fully dynamic MHD simulation models of this star. Our numerical models can explain both the hardness and the location of the X-ray emission from this star confirming that magnetically confined wind shock (MCWS) is the dominating mechanism for hard X-rays in some massive stars.