Ap stars as a possible result of tight binary components merging

A. I. Bogomazov^a, A. V. Tutukov<sup>b

a</sup> P. K. Sternberg Astronomical Institute, M. V. Lomonosov Moscow State University
^b Institute of Astronomy, Russian Academy of Sciences

Abstract: The “Scenario Machine” (a computer code designed for studying the evolution of close binaries) was used to study the merging of the main sequence stars under the influence of magnetic stellar wind. We calculated the rates of such events and plotted mass distributions for merging stars. It is shown that at least some of the magnetic Ap and Bp stars may be formed by merging of the low-mass main sequence stars ($M\lesssim1.5~\mathrm M_\odot$) with convective envelopes.

Keywords: Ap stars, merging of close binaries.

UDC: 524.387

Received: 07.02.2011