Spots structure and stratification of helium and silicon in the atmosphere of He-weak star HD 21699

The magnetic star HD 21699 possesses a unique magnetic field structure where the magnetic dipole is displaced from the centre by 0.4 ± 0.1 of the stellar radius (perpendicularly to the magnetic axis), as a result the magnetic poles are situated close to one another on the stellar surface with an angular separation of 55° and not 180° as seen in the case of a centred dipole. Respectively, the two magnetic poles form a large ‘magnetic spot’. High-resolution spectra were obtained allowing He i and Si ii abundance variations to be studied as a function of rotational phase. The results show that the helium abundance is concentrated in one hemisphere of the star, near the magnetic poles, and it is comparatively weaker in another hemisphere, where magnetic field lines are horizontal with respect to the stellar surface. At the same time, the silicon abundance is greatest between longitudes of 180°–320°, the same place where the helium abundance is the weakest. These abundance variations (with rotational phase) support predictions made by the theory of atomic diffusion in the presence of a magnetic field. Simultaneously, these results support the possibility of the formation of unusual structures in stellar magnetic fields. The analysis of vertical stratification of the silicon and helium abundances shows that the boundaries of an abundance jump (in the two-step model) are similar for each element; τ5000= 0.8–1.2 for helium and 0.5–1.3 for silicon. The elemental abundances in the layers of effective formation of selected absorption lines for various phases are also correlated with the excitation energies of low transition levels: abundances are enhanced for higher excitation energy and higher optical depth within the applied model atmosphere.