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C. M. Johns-Krull (Rice University), A. D. Gafford (San Francisco State University)
We examine 3 analytic theories of magnetospheric accretion onto classical T Tauri stars under the assumption that the magnetic field strength does not vary from star to star. From these investigations we predict specific relationships between stellar (mass, radius, rotation period) and accretion properties. Data from 5 observational studies of the accretion parameters of CTTSs are used to test the predicted correlations. We find that the data do not generally display the predicted correlations except for the predictions based on the detailed study of Ostriker and Shu (1995), which is modified here in a simple way to take into account non-dipole field topologies. Their identification of the trapped flux as an important quantity in the model appears to be critical for reconciling the observed data to the theory. While the data do generally support the extended Ostriker and Shu predictions, only one of the two studies for which the requisite data exist shows the highest correlation when considering all the relevant parameters. This suggests great care must be taken when trying to use existing observations to test the theory.
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Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, 34
© 2002. The American Astronomical Soceity.