MagIcS :
a Magnetic Investigation of various classes of Stars

	© David Aguilar & Lockheed Martin

MagIcS is an international project aimed at studying the magnetic fields of various classes of stars throughout the HR diagram. The main goal is to produce up-to-date models of magnetic stars, by (i) investigating the origin of such fields and identifying the physical processes producing them, and (ii) documenting the impact of magnetic fields on the physical processes at work within and around stars and thereby on the long-term evolution of stars. MagIcS also supports various space projects and includes a general-access LEGACY database of all collected spectropolarimetric data.

MagIcS involves stellar astrophysicists - both observers and theoreticians - from all over the world and in particular from France and Canada, whose long standing partnership in this field of research has led to the construction of new instruments and to a rich harvest of new discoveries. MagIcS was initiated to strengthen and amplify this research effort, to organise it in the most efficient way and to extend it to astrophysicists worldwide interested in joining the team. Meetings and workshops are regularly organised on the various scientific topics alternatively.

Current news: Two MagIcS Large Programs with ESPaDOnS @ CFHT, MAPP and MiMeS, were awared time - 690h and 640h from 2008b to 2012b

MagIcS is structured in several main research topics or threads, each of them supervised and animated by a coordinator. While all threads are research fields of their own, they also share deep relations with the other threads of MagIcS; only a global approach can lead to a global and accurate understanding of the role of magnetic fields in the life of stars. The main threads of MagIcS are:

convective vs interface dynamos in low-mass stars: solar twins, fully-convective dwarfs, F stars, binary systems and giant stars;

magnetism in intermediate-mass and high-mass stars: field structure and implications for stellar evolution;

stellar formation with magnetic fields: magnetised collapse, accretion discs, jets, magnetospheric accretion, angular momentum evolution, stellar structure;

planet-hosting active stars: magnetic interaction between host stars and close-in giant planets;

ground support for MOST, COROT, Chandra, XMM, GAIA, KEPLER and DARWIN space missions: magnetic properties of program stars.

In addition to these main threads, MagIcS also deals with two additional topics:

the LEGACY database of spectropolarimetric data;

existing and future instruments most adapted for the main science goals.

MagIcS gathers more than 100 astronomers from 10+ countries. We plan to have MagIcS supported through EU funding in the near future. See below for more information on:

the project structure & steering committee;

the project regular workshops;

the project publications.