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arXiv 0808.2156astro-ph
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从行星凌日期间的星点探测估算恒星自转

Estimating stellar rotation from starspot detection during planetary transits

Adriana Silva-Valio

摘要:

本文提出了一种新的恒星自转周期的测定方法,即利用太阳系外行星凌日期间的星点观测来测定恒星自转周期。当这颗行星与恒星交食时,它可能会经过一个恒星黑子的前面,然后通过凌日光变曲线中的小通量变化来识别它。如果我们足够幸运,在两次连续的凌日中捕捉到同一个点,就有可能估计出恒星的自转周期。这种方法在太阳上的过境模拟中得到了成功的测试,得到了太阳周期的正确值。通过在哈勃太空望远镜观测到的HD 209458的不止一次凌日上探测到两个星点,可以估计该恒星的周期为9.9或11.4天,这取决于哪个星点在几次凌日后的光变曲线中产生了特征。与文献中报道的HD 209458的周期估计值相比,11.4天是最有可能的恒星自转周期。

英文摘要:

A new method for determining the stellar rotation period is proposed here, based on the detection of starspots during transits of an extra-solar planet orbiting its host star. As the planet eclipses the star, it may pass in front of a starspot which will then make itself known through small flux variations in the transit light curve. If we are lucky enough to catch the same spot on two consecutive transits, it is possible to estimate the stellar rotational period. This method is successfully tested on transit simulations on the Sun yielding the correct value for the solar period. By detecting two starspots on more than one transit of HD 209458 observed by the Hubble Space Telescope, it was possible to estimate a period of either 9.9 or 11.4 days for the star, depending on which spot is responsible for the signature in the light curve a few transits later. Comparison with period estimates of HD209458 reported in the literature indicates that 11.4 days is the most likely stellar rotation period.

机构、总结、中文摘要均由AI分析而来,可能存在错误,请以论文正文为准。

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