ABSTRACT F stars lie in the transition region between cool stars with dynamo generated fields and hot star fossil fields and offer an interesting window into the generation of magnetic fields in shallow convection zones. In this paper, we investigate the magnetic field of the mature F7V primary of the bright χ Draconis system. χ Dra was observed in circularly polarized light at four epochs from 2014 through to 2019 using the NARVAL spectropolarimeter at the Téléscope Bernard Lyot. Using the technique of least-squares deconvolution, we created high signal-to-noise line profiles from which we were able to measure the radial velocity of both the primary and secondary and use these to improve the orbital parameters of the system. Additionally, we used the technique of Zeeman Doppler imaging to reconstruct the large-scale magnetic field geometry of the primary at the four epochs. The magnetic maps show that χ Dra A has a predominately dipolar poloidal magnetic field at all epochs with the magnetic axis well aligned with the stellar rotation axis. The large-scale features of the magnetic field appear to be relatively stable over the ∼5 yr time base of our observations, with no evidence of any polarity reversals. We used the magnetic field maps to model the wind from χ Dra A at all epochs, showing that the mass-loss from the stellar wind of χ Dra A is 3–6 times the current solar value, while the angular momentum loss from the wind is around 3–4 times the solar value.

ABSTRACT Mapping the large-scale magnetic field in late F-type stars is important for understanding the nature of the stellar dynamo and the dynamics of thin outer convection zones. We use Zeeman Doppler Imaging to produce multi-epoch maps of the surface magnetic field for two mature late F-type stars: β Virginis (F9V) and θ Draconis (F8IV). We also provide a magnetohydrodynamic model for the stellar winds from the corona to the inner astrosphere, which exists in an environment at the hot end of habitability for exoplanets. Our results show that either simple or complex dynamo magnetic fields are present in mature late F-type stars, with shallow outer convection zones. The results of stellar wind modelling show the average space weather for β Vir at a distance of 1 au falls within the range of space weather conditions observed at Earth, while θ Dra produces a wind pressure an order of magnitude stronger than the Sun’s wind pressure.

ABSTRACT The study of magnetism in stars close to the transition from fossil to dynamo magnetic fields is important for understanding the nature of the stellar dynamo and dynamics of the outer atmosphere. We present surface magnetic maps for two stars that are located on opposite sides of the suspected transition zone: the chemically peculiar late A-star β Coronae Borealis (A9SrEuCr) and the early F-star σ Bootis (F3V). The large-scale magnetic field reconstructed at six epochs for β Coronae Borealis shows a complex fossil magnetic field, which is highly poloidal, and contains almost half the magnetic energy in higher multipoles (ℓ > 1). In contrast, the single epoch magnetic map for σ Bootis contains a simple surface magnetic topology that is mostly poloidal, and predominantly dipolar, and is consistent with observations of other mature late F-stars.

We present a spectropolarimetric magnetic snapshot survey of 55 stars which includes 53 F-type stars ranging from spectral types F0 to F9 plus 2 chemically peculiar stars β CrB, and δ Cap. We look for magnetic fields in stars spanning a range of effective temperatures where the transition from fossil to dynamo magnetic fields is believed to occur. High-resolution spectropolarimetry using circularly polarized spectra is used to look for a magnetic detection in the Stokes V profile, determine the mean longitudinal magnetic field (Bl), and to look for correlations with stellar parameters. Surface magnetic fields are detected on 14 F-stars, and present in every spectral class from F3V-F9V ranging in strength from 0.3 ± 0.1 G (36 UMa, F8V) to 8.3 ± 0.9 G (h Dra, F8V). Thus we find photospheric magnetic fields are present in stars as early as spectral type F3V with an outer convection zone thickness less than a few per cent of the stellar radius.