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arXiv 1202.3785astro-ph.EPastro-ph.SR
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用开普勒transit观测测量恒星黑子带迁移率

Using Kepler transit observations to measure stellar spot belt migration rates

J. Llama, M. Jardine, D. H. Mackay, R. Fares

摘要:

行星凌日提供了一个独特的机会来研究表面的星点分布。我们的目标是确定,通过连续观测(例如开普勒任务将提供的数据),我们是否可以额外测量斑点带的漂移率。我们首先模拟适合太阳和更活跃的恒星的磁周期,将通量出现和表面运输。这提供了作为时间函数的恒星表面上的径向磁场分布。然后,我们建立了一个行星的轨道轴与恒星旋转轴不一致的过境模型。这样一颗行星可能会在一系列纬度上隐藏一些地点。这使我们能够完成过境光变曲线形状的正演建模。然后,我们尝试从单独的过境点位置恢复逆问题。由此,我们确定过境光变曲线是否可以用来测量点带位置作为时间的函数。我们发现,对于像太阳这样的低活动恒星,3.5年的开普勒窗口不足以确定这种漂移率。对于更活跃的恒星,可能很难区分通量出现性质的细微差异,例如“蝴蝶翅膀”的重叠程度。然而,可以确定这些恒星的斑点带漂移的速率和方向。这将为发电机理论提供一个关键的检验。

英文摘要:

Planetary transits provide a unique opportunity to investigate the surface distributions of star spots. Our aim is to determine if, with continuous observation (such as the data that will be provided by the Kepler mission), we can in addition measure the rate of drift of the spot belts. We begin by simulating magnetic cycles suitable for the Sun and more active stars, incorporating both flux emergence and surface transport. This provides the radial magnetic field distribution on the stellar surface as a function of time. We then model the transit of a planet whose orbital axis is misaligned with the stellar rotation axis. Such a planet could occult spots at a range of latitudes. This allows us to complete the forward modelling of the shape of the transit lightcurve. We then attempt the inverse problem of recovering spot locations from the transit alone. From this we determine if transit lightcurves can be used to measure spot belt locations as a function of time. We find that for low-activity stars such as the Sun, the 3.5 year Kepler window is insufficient to determine this drift rate. For more active stars, it may be difficult to distinguish subtle differences in the nature of flux emergence, such as the degree of overlap of the "butterfly wings". The rate and direction of drift of the spot belts can however be determined for these stars. This would provide a critical test of dynamo theory.

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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