Be-star rotation: how close to critical?

We argue that, in general, observational studies of Be-star rotation have paid insufficient attention to the effects of equatorial gravity darkening. We present new line-profile calculations that emphasize the insensitivity of line width to rotation for fast rotators. Coupled with a critical review of observational procedures, these calculations suggest that the observational parameter v sin(i) may systematically underestimate the true projected equatorial rotation velocity, ve sin(i), by some tens of per cent for rapid rotators. The crucial implication of this work is that Be stars may be rotating much closer to their critical velocities than is generally supposed, bringing a range of new processes into contention for the elusive physical mechanism responsible for the circumstellar disk thought to be central to the Be phenomenon.

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