Previous studies of stellar rotation have been largely confined to the effects on individual stars in rigid rotation. We have extended these studies in two ways; (1) we have used detailed stellar atmosphere models to compute for the first time the photometric effects of differential as well as rigid rotation; results are given for both the Johnson and the Strömgren systems for late B, A and early F stars; (2) we have obtained statistical results for an ensemble of stars in that spectral range, for comparison with the observed properties of galactic clusters. We confirm the well-known qualitative result that differential rotation produces a larger scatter in photometric diagrams than does rigid rotation, but we find a number of quantitative subtleties that significantly complicate any comparison with observations. Photometry alone can only put rather weak constraints on the degree of differential rotation within stars.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Collins et al. (1985) studied this question.