The Sun Through Time

Space Sci Rev. 2020;216(8):143. doi: 10.1007/s11214-020-00773-9. Epub 2020 Dec 8.

Abstract

Magnetic activity of stars like the Sun evolves in time because of spin-down owing to angular momentum removal by a magnetized stellar wind. These magnetic fields are generated by an internal dynamo driven by convection and differential rotation. Spin-down therefore converges at an age of about 700 Myr for solar-mass stars to values uniquely determined by the stellar mass and age. Before that time, however, rotation periods and their evolution depend on the initial rotation period of a star after it has lost its protostellar/protoplanetary disk. This non-unique rotational evolution implies similar non-unique evolutions for stellar winds and for the stellar high-energy output. I present a summary of evolutionary trends for stellar rotation, stellar wind mass loss and stellar high-energy output based on observations and models.

Keywords: Stellar activity evolution; Stellar mass-loss evolution; Stellar rotation; Stellar spin-down; Stellar wind evolution.

Publication types

  • Review