Force-Free Stellar Magnetospheres

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Abstract
A series of force-free axially-symmetric magnetospheric models is constructed using a power law to represent the relation between the toroidal magnetic field and the poloidal magnetic ‘ stream function ’. It is found that when the toroidal field exceeds a certain critical intensity (depending on the power index) no continuous, physically plausible models exist. Reasons are given why the existence of a toroidal field in the magnetosphere may help to prevent the accretion of interstellar matter and thus assist the formation of ‘ peculiar ’ spectral lines.