The spectrum of this star matches an O-type main-sequence star with a stellar classification of O9.5V.[10] It is unusual for a star of this class to have formed so far away from the galaxy's star forming regions.[9]Absorption lines in its spectrum indicate a metallicity that is inconsistent with being a population II star,[10] which are typically found in the galaxy halo. Likewise, HD 93521 is unlikely to be a runaway star or a hot subdwarf, either of which could explain its remote location. It may instead be a blue straggler that was formed as a result of a merger.[9] The resulting star likely began as a close binary system of lower mass, longer-lived stars that were ejected from the galactic disk. The merger would then have reset the evolutionary clock, producing a hotter, shorter-lived star.[7]
HD 93521 is one of the most rapidly rotating stars known,[11] with estimates of its projected rotational velocity ranging from 390[10] up to 435 km/s.[7] This is at least 90% of the star's breakup velocity, assuming it is being viewed from along the equator.[10] The rapid spin is creating an equatorial bulge with the radius at the equator being an estimated 7.4 times the Sun's radius while the polar radius is 6.1 times that of the Sun. Due to gravity darkening, the surface temperature at the poles is 34,600 K while the temperature at the equator is only 28,700 K.[7]
The star may be undergoing mass loss from its stellar wind[12] and have an equatorial disk of orbiting gas. The star shows evidence of non-radial pulsations, which may be the result of a more rapidly rotating core.[10]
The brightness, position, and rapid rotation of this star makes it particularly suited to examining the interstellar gas in the Milky Way halo.[13]
^Münch, Guido; Zirin, Harold (January 1961), "Interstellar Matter at Large Distances from the Galactic Plane", Astrophysical Journal, 133: 11, Bibcode:1961ApJ...133...11M, doi:10.1086/146999.
^Ramiaramanantsoa, Tahina; et al. (June 2014), "MOST detects corotating bright spots on the mid-O-type giant ξ Persei", Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 441 (1): 910–917, arXiv:1403.7843, Bibcode:2014MNRAS.441..910R, doi:10.1093/mnras/stu619.
^Bjorkman, J. E.; Ignace, R.; Tripp, T. M.; Cassinelli, J. P. (May 1994), "Evidence for a Disk in the Wind of {HD93521}: UV Line Profiles from an Axisymmetric Model", Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, 26, American Astronomical Society, 184th AAS Meeting, id.31.07: 909, Bibcode:1994AAS...184.3107B.
Rzaev, A. Kh. (December 2007), "Some features of the radial-velocity variations of lines of different intensity in the spectrum of HD 93521. Variability of the stellar wind", Astrophysical Bulletin, 62 (4): 331–338, Bibcode:2007AstBu..62..331R, doi:10.1134/S1990341307040049, S2CID119547333.
Kruk, J. W.; Oliveira, C.; Sembach, K. R.; Savage, B. D. (June 2006), Sonneborn, G.; Moos, H.; Andersson, B-G (eds.), "Abundances of D, O, and other species towards the Halo Star HD 93521", Astrophysics in the Far Ultraviolet: Five Years of Discovery with FUSE. Proceedings of the Conference held 2–6 August 2004 in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, ASP Conference Series, vol. 348, p. 85, Bibcode:2006ASPC..348...85K.
Kruk, J. W.; Oliveira, C.; Sembach, K. R.; Savage, B. D. (December 2003), "FUSE Observations of the Halo Star HD 93521", Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, 35: 1379, Bibcode:2003AAS...20311008K.
Gringel, W.; Barnstedt, J.; de Boer, K. S.; Grewing, M.; Kappelmann, N.; Richter, P. (June 2000), "ORFEUS II Echelle spectra: molecular hydrogen at high velocities toward HD 93521", Astronomy and Astrophysics, 358: L37 –L40, arXiv:astro-ph/0006189, Bibcode:2000A&A...358L..37G.
Howarth, Ian D.; Townsend, R. H. D.; Clayton, M. J.; Fullerton, A. W.; Gies, D. R.; Massa, D.; Prinja, R. K.; Reid, A. H. N. (June 1998), "Time-dependent structure in ultraviolet absorption lines of the rapid rotators HD 64760 (B0Ib) and HD 93521 (O9.5V)", Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 296 (4): 949–960, Bibcode:1998MNRAS.296..949H, doi:10.1046/j.1365-8711.1998.01437.x.
Massa, Derck (January 1995), "HD 93521, zeta Ophiuchi, and the Effects of Rapid Rotation on the Atmospheres and Winds of O9.5 V Stars", Astrophysical Journal, 438: 376, Bibcode:1995ApJ...438..376M, doi:10.1086/175081.
Reid, A. H. N.; Bohlender, D.; Bolton, C. T.; Fullerton, A. W.; Howarth, I. D.; Manz, C.; Smith, K. C.; Townsend, R. H. D. (1995), Stobie, R. S.; Whitelock, P. A. (eds.), "Two Modes of Pulsation in the Rapidly Rotating O9.5 Dwarf, HD 93521", Astrophysical applications of stellar pulsation. Astronomical Society of the Pacific Conference Series; Proceedings of IAU Colloquium 155 held in Cape Town; South Africa; 6–10 February 1995, vol. 83, San Francisco: Astronomical Society of the Pacific (ASP), p. 309, Bibcode:1995ASPC...83..309R.
Fullerton, A. W.; Gies, D. R.; Bolton, C. T. (1994), Balona, Luis A.; Henrichs, Huib F.; Le Contel, Jean Michel (eds.), "Photospheric and circumsteliar variability of the rapidly rotating O star HD 93521", Pulsation; rotation; and mass loss in early-type stars: proceedings of the 162nd symposium of the International Astronomical Union held in Antibes; Juan-les-Pins; France; October 5–8; 1993, vol. 162, Dordrecht: Kluwer Academic Publishers, p. 114, Bibcode:1994IAUS..162..114F.
Howarth, Ian D.; Reid, Andy H. N. (November 1993), "UES and IUE observations of the O9.5V star HD 93521 : non-radial pulsatutions, wind and distance", Astronomy and Astrophysics, 279: 148–162, Bibcode:1993A&A...279..148H.
Spitzer, Lyman Jr.; Fitzpatrick, Edward L. (May 1993), "Composition of Interstellar Clouds in the Disk and Halo. I. HD 93521", Astrophysical Journal, 409: 299, Bibcode:1993ApJ...409..299S, doi:10.1086/172664.
Spitzer, Lyman Jr.; Fitzpatrick, Edward L. (May 1992), "Highly Ionized Atoms toward HD 93521", Astrophysical Journal Letters, 391: L41, Bibcode:1992ApJ...391L..41S, doi:10.1086/186394.
Massa, D. (1992), "The Cylindrically Symmetric Wind of HD 93521 (Contributed Poster)", in Drissen, Laurent; Leitherer, Claus; Nota, Antonella (eds.), Nonisotropic and Variable Outflows from Stars, ASP Conference Series, vol. 22, p. 84, Bibcode:1992ASPC...22...84M.
Lennon, D. J.; Dufton, P. L.; Keenan, F. P.; Holmgren, D. E. (June 1991), "On the nature of HD 93521, a high galactic latitude O-star", Astronomy and Astrophysics, 246: 175, Bibcode:1991A&A...246..175L.
Ramella, M.; Morossi, C.; Santin, P. (October 1980), "Ultraviolet observations of the blue halo star : HD 93521.", Astronomy and Astrophysics, 90: 146–150, Bibcode:1980A&A....90..146R.
Bisiacchi, G. F.; Carrasco, L.; Costero, R.; Firmani, C. (April 1978), "Spectroscopic observations of HD 93521: an O-type star of population II.", Revista Mexicana de Astronomía y Astrofísica, 2: 309–317, Bibcode:1978RMxAA...2..309B.
Munch, Guido (December 1952), "Interstellar Lines in the spectrum of the high-galactic-latitude star HD 93521", Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, 64 (381): 312–315, Bibcode:1952PASP...64..312M, doi:10.1086/126507, JSTOR40675776.