Does Metal Abundance Matter in Angular Momentum Evolution?
We have been engaged in new observational and theoretical studies of the angular momentum evolution in young and intermediate-age open clusters. Stars in these clusters frequently arrive on the main sequence with rapid rotation rates, but then lose angular momentum through a magnetized wind. The theory yields expectations about how the loss rate depends on metallicity, which in turn affects the depth of the convection zone and the stellar moment of inertia. We use the “Southern Pleiades” cluster NGC 2516 to test these expectations. If time permits, I will give an update on open cluster distances from main-sequence fitting compared to those from Hipparcos parallaxes.
