Periodic variability has been found by means of spectrophotometric observations in the depth of the nearly central absorption reversal of the P Cygni-type H-alpha profile from the O4ef star, Zeta Puppis. The 5.075-day period derived implies that the H-alpha-forming part of the stellar wind corrotates with the photosphere, with a rotation period of about 4.8 days. The suggestion that the periodic variations are due to a rotating magnetic multipole, as observed in Ap stars, may be tested by further high-resolution measurements of radial velocity or polarization variations of the absorbing matter.
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Moffat et al. (1981) studied this question.