Observational Studies of the Angular Momentum Evolution in Solar-Type Stars

Søren Meibom

I will describe an observational program to study the evolution of angular momentum in solar-type single and binary stars. The program's backbone is a combination of precise time-series photometry to measure stellar rotation periods and time-series spectroscopy to determine membership, binarity, and binary orbits for stars in open clusters. I will present results from studies of early rotational evolution of single stars, of tidal evolution in close binary stars, and of the effect on stellar rotation of a companion beyond the reach of effective tidal interactions. I will discuss how observations in open clusters as part of NASA's Kepler mission may open a new window to the angular momentum evolution of stars with ages beyond those of the Hyades and the Sun.

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