Structure of uniformly rotating stars

Abstract

Zero-age main-sequence models of uniformly rotating stars have been computed for 10 masses between 1.625 and 8 M_☉ and for 21 rotation rates from zero to nearly critical rotation. The surface shape is used to distinguish rotation rather than the surface equatorial velocity or the rotation rate. Using the surface shape is close, but not quite equivalent, to using the ratio of the rotation rate to the critical rotation rate. Using constant shape as the rotation variable means that it and the mass are separable, something that is not true for either the rotation rate or surface equatorial velocity. Thus, a number of properties, including the ratio of the effective temperature anywhere on the surface to the equatorial temperature, are nearly independent of the mass of the model, as long as the rotation rate changes in such a way as to keep the surface shape constant.