The Cause of Differential Rotation
Because of the pre-stellar accretion phase, and the conservation of angular momentum, rotation is induced. Differential rotation is caused by convection in stars. This is movement of mass, due to steep temperature gradients from the core outwards. This mass carries a portion of the star’s angular momentum, thus redistributing the angular velocity, possibly even far enough out for the star to lose angular velocity in stellar winds. Differential rotation thus depends on temperature differences in adjacent regions.
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