On the equilibrium and secular instability of rapidly rotating stars

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Abstract
Clement's (1978) method for solving Poisson's equation in two dimensions is limited to rotating stellar models with radiative envelopes and rotational kinetic energies less than 13.8% of the gravitational potential energy. This paper eliminates the first restriction and examines the second in more detail by performing a stability analysis of equilibrium models of rotating main-sequence stars with masses of 1.5 to 30 solar masses. An improved treatment of the surface layers is presented which includes an atmospheric boundary condition, partial ionization, and convective energy transport. Some effects of rotation on the equilibrium properties of stars in the cited mass range are summarized, and a linear stability analysis is performed. The point of marginal secular instability along various rotational sequences of equilibrium models is determined.

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