Site Map
Contacts
Follow us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter YouTube channel
Centro de Astrofísica da Universidade do Porto

Further images of α Persei G dwarfs

J. R. Barnes, A. Collier Cameron, D. J. James, D. Steeghs

Abstract
We present two images of intermediate and low axial inclination G dwarfs (AP 149 and AP 193) in the young open cluster α Persei, and compare these with previous images of intermediate and high axial inclination objects in this cluster. All stars show starspots at high latitudes, with one star exhibiting a strong polar spot. Although low-latitude features are found on all stars to some degree, the detection of spots on AP 193 is marginal. The apparent difference in starspot morphology from one object to the next is probably the result of a stellar magnetic cycle, although the exact effect on the starspot distribution throughout a cycle is unknown. Polar spots are found in many Doppler images of rapidly rotating cool stars. In the past, their existence has been called into question, and it has been suggested that they could be the manifestations of NLTE (e.g. chromospheric filling in of line profiles) effects rather than real photospheric features. We assume the polar spots to be real photospheric features, and conclude that the flat-bottomed nature of the profile shape can be attributed to photospheric polar spots. The degree of truncation of the profile depends not only on spot size and strength, but also on the effective foreshortening of the polar region, a function of axial inclination. Hα is in emission on AP 149 which shows a double peak at most phases. The time-series of the profile shows an s-wave pattern as the position of these peaks changes throughout the rotation cycle. We attribute this to coronal clouds located above the stellar surface in synchronous orbit. A maximum-entropy tomogram is derived revealing four distinct emission regions located near and above the corotation radius.

Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Volume 326, Page 1057
September 2001

>> ADS>> DOI

Institute of Astrophysics and Space Sciences

Institute of Astrophysics and Space Sciences (IA) is a new but long anticipated research infrastructure with a national dimension. It embodies a bold but feasible vision for the development of Astronomy, Astrophysics and Space Sciences in Portugal, taking full advantage and fully realizing the potential created by the national membership of the European Space Agency (ESA) and the European Southern Observatory (ESO). IA resulted from the merging the two most prominent research units in the field in Portugal: the Centre for Astrophysics of the University of Porto (CAUP) and the Center for Astronomy and Astrophysics of the University of Lisbon (CAAUL). It currently hosts more than two-thirds of all active researchers working in Space Sciences in Portugal, and is responsible for an even greater fraction of the national productivity in international ISI journals in the area of Space Sciences. This is the scientific area with the highest relative impact factor (1.65 times above the international average) and the field with the highest average number of citations per article for Portugal.

Proceed on CAUP's website|Go to IA website