Effects of fast rotation on the wind of Luminous Blue Variables

While theoretical studies have long suggested a fast-rotating nature of Luminous Blue Variables (LBVs), observational confirmation of fast rotation was not detected until recently. Here I discuss the diagnostics that have allowed us to constrain the rotational velocity of LBVs: broadening of spectral lines and latitude-dependent variations of the wind density structure. While rotational broadening can be directly detected using high-resolution spectroscopy, longbaseline near-infrared interferometry is needed to directly measure the shape of the latitudedependent photosphere that forms in a fast-rotating star. In addition, complex 2-D radiative transfer models need to be employed if one’s goal is to constrain rotational velocities of LBVs. Here I illustrate how the above methods were able to constrain the rotational velocities of the LBVs AG Carinae, HR Carinae, and Eta Carinae.