scholarly journals Magnetic Activity of Pre-main Sequence Stars

2004 ◽  
Vol 219 ◽  
pp. 211-222
Author(s):  
Eric D. Feigelson

I review here recent advances in our understanding of magnetic activity in pre-main sequence (PMS) protostars and T Tauri stars. Results are based on recent imaging, spectroscopic and temporal studies of nearby star forming regions from the Chandra X — ray Observatory and XMM — Newton, including a first look at an ultradeep Chandra exposure of the Orion Nebula Cluster.Pre-main sequence stars exhibit a high level of X-ray emission dominated by a bewildering variety of magnetic reconnection flares. Activity is linked to bulk stellar properties — Lbol, mass, surface area or volume — rather than rotation. This suggests that dynamo processes in deeply convective PMS stars may fundamentally differ from the tachocline dynamo operating in main sequence stars.X-rays and MeV particles from magnetic flares will affect the circumstellar environment in PMS systems, particularly the protoplanetary disk. X-ray emission may influence: disk ionization, turbulence and viscosity; Jovian planet formation and migration; the production of meteoritic isotopes and melting of meteoritic chondrules; the heating and chemistry of the disk. X-ray surveys are also effective in locating post-T Tauri stars for disk evolution studies.

2010 ◽  
Vol 6 (S275) ◽  
pp. 404-405
Author(s):  
María V. del Valle ◽  
Gustavo E. Romero

AbstractT Tauri stars are low mass, pre-main sequence stars. These objects are surrounded by an accretion disk and present strong magnetic activity. T Tauri stars are copious emitters of X-ray emission which belong to powerful magnetic reconnection events. Strong magnetospheric shocks are likely outcome of massive reconnection. Such shocks can accelerate particles up to relativistic energies through Fermi mechanism. We present a model for the high-energy radiation produced in the environment of T Tauri stars. We aim at determining whether this emission is detectable. If so, the T Tauri stars should be very nearby.


1992 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
pp. 653-654
Author(s):  
T. Montmerle

T Tauri stars (TTS) are low-mass (M ≲ 1M⊙) pre-main sequence (PMS) stars (for a general review, see Bertout 1989). They have long been known to be variable from near-TIV to near-IR wavelengths, on timescales ranging from a few minutes to a few decades. They are observed to flare in many wavenlength rages, from X-rays to the radio, and all the existing evidence is consistent with a very strong magnetic activity, in many ways analogous to solar activity (for a review, see, e.g., Montmerle et al. 1991).


1999 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 257-261 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric E. Mamajek ◽  
Warrick A. Lawson ◽  
Eric D. Feigelson

AbstractA radio continuum survey of X-ray-identified weak-lined T Tauri stars (WTTs) in the newly-discovered η Chamaeleontis cluster has been completed using the Australia Telescope Compact Array (ATCA). The 10 known WTTs in the cluster form a unique sample of codistant late-type pre-main-sequence stars with ages of ~8 Myr and masses ranging from 0·1–1·0 M⊙. Our survey detected none of the 10 X-ray-emitting WTTs with 3σ sensitivity limits at 4·8 and 8·6 GHz (6·2 and 3·5 cm) of typically 0·4 mJy, corresponding to a radio luminosity of 4·5 ×1015 erg Hz−1 s−1. Rotation periods for these stars indicate that they are not, as a group, fast-rotating stars. The non-detection in the radio bands supports the findings of other radio surveys of inhomogeneous samples of young stars, where radio emission is fairly common (10–30%) among very young T Tauri stars across all late spectral types, but confined to rapidly-rotating F-G-K stars amongst older zero-age main sequence stars. Rotation, more than youth, appears to be the key to radio emission in young stars.


2003 ◽  
Vol 584 (2) ◽  
pp. 911-930 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric D. Feigelson ◽  
James A. Gaffney III ◽  
Gordon Garmire ◽  
Lynne A. Hillenbrand ◽  
Leisa Townsley

2019 ◽  
Vol 628 ◽  
pp. A74 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. G. Guarcello ◽  
E. Flaccomio ◽  
G. Micela ◽  
C. Argiroffi ◽  
S. Sciortino ◽  
...  

Context. Pre-main sequence stars are variable sources. In diskless stars this variability is mainly due to the rotational modulation of dark photospheric spots and active regions, as in main sequence stars even if associated with a stronger magnetic activity. Aims. We aim at analyzing the simultaneous optical and X-ray variability in these stars to unveil how the activity in the photosphere is connected with that in the corona, to identify the dominant surface magnetic activity, and to correlate our results with stellar properties, such as rotation and mass. Methods. We analyzed the simultaneous optical and X-ray variability in stars without inner disks (e.g., class III objects and stars with transition disks) in NGC 2264 from observations obtained with Chandra/ACIS-I and CoRoT as part of the Coordinated Synoptic Investigation of NGC 2264. We searched for those stars whose optical and X-ray variability is correlated, anti-correlated, or not correlated by sampling their optical and X-ray light curves in suitable time intervals and studying the correlation between the flux observed in optical and in X-rays. We then studied how this classification is related with stellar properties. Results. Starting from a sample of 74 class III/transition disk (TD) stars observed with CoRoT and detected with Chandra with more than 60 counts, we selected 16 stars whose optical and X-ray variability is anti-correlated, 11 correlated, and 17 where there is no correlation. The remaining stars did not fall in any of these groups. We interpreted the anti-correlated optical and X-ray variability as typical of spot-dominated sources, due to the rotational modulation of photospheric spots spatially coincident to coronal active regions, and correlated variability typical of faculae-dominated sources, where the brightening due to faculae is dominant over the darkening due to spots. Conclusions. Stars with “anti-correlated” variability rotate slower and are less massive than those with “correlated” variability. Furthermore, cool stars in our sample have larger u − r variability than hot stars. This suggests that there is a connection between stellar rotation, mass, and the dominant surface magnetic activity, which may be related with the topology of the large-scale magnetic field. We thus discuss this scenario in the framework of the complex magnetic properties of weak-line T Tauri stars observed as part of recent projects.


2013 ◽  
Vol 9 (S302) ◽  
pp. 25-37 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gaitee A. J. Hussain ◽  
Evelyne Alecian

AbstractStrong, kilo-Gauss, magnetic fields are required to explain a range of observational properties in young, accreting pre-main sequence (PMS) systems. We review the techniques used to detect magnetic fields in PMS stars. Key results from a long running campaign aimed at characterising the large scale magnetic fields in accreting T Tauri stars are presented. Maps of surface magnetic flux in these systems can be used to build 3-D models exploring the role of magnetic fields and the efficiency with which magnetic fields can channel accretion from circumstellar disks on to young stars. Long-term variability in T Tauri star magnetic fields strongly point to a dynamo origin of the magnetic fields. Studies are underway to quantify how changes in magnetic fields affect their accretion properties. We also present the first results from a new programme that investigates the evolution of magnetic fields in intermediate mass (1.5–3M⊙) pre-main sequence stars as they evolve from being convective T Tauri stars to fully radiative Herbig AeBe stars.


2019 ◽  
Vol 627 ◽  
pp. A135 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Bhardwaj ◽  
N. Panwar ◽  
G. J. Herczeg ◽  
W. P. Chen ◽  
H. P. Singh

Context. Pre-main-sequence variability characteristics can be used to probe the physical processes leading to the formation and initial evolution of both stars and planets. Aims. The photometric variability of pre-main-sequence stars is studied at optical wavelengths to explore star–disk interactions, accretion, spots, and other physical mechanisms associated with young stellar objects. Methods. We observed a field of 16′ × 16′ in the star-forming region Pelican Nebula (IC 5070) at BVRI wavelengths for 90 nights spread over one year in 2012−2013. More than 250 epochs in the VRI bands are used to identify and classify variables up to V ∼ 21 mag. Their physical association with the cluster IC 5070 is established based on the parallaxes and proper motions from the Gaia second data release (DR2). Multiwavelength photometric data are used to estimate physical parameters based on the isochrone fitting and spectral energy distributions. Results. We present a catalog of optical time-series photometry with periods, mean magnitudes, and classifications for 95 variable stars including 67 pre-main-sequence variables towards star-forming region IC 5070. The pre-main-sequence variables are further classified as candidate classical T Tauri and weak-line T Tauri stars based on their light curve variations and the locations on the color-color and color-magnitude diagrams using optical and infrared data together with Gaia DR2 astrometry. Classical T Tauri stars display variability amplitudes up to three times the maximum fluctuation in disk-free weak-line T Tauri stars, which show strong periodic variations. Short-term variability is missed in our photometry within single nights. Several classical T Tauri stars display long-lasting (≥10 days) single or multiple fading and brightening events of up to two magnitudes at optical wavelengths. The typical mass and age of the pre-main-sequence variables from the isochrone fitting and spectral energy distributions are estimated to be ≤1 M⊙ and ∼2 Myr, respectively. We do not find any correlation between the optical amplitudes or periods with the physical parameters (mass and age) of pre-main-sequence stars. Conclusions. The low-mass pre-main-sequence stars in the Pelican Nebula region display distinct variability and color trends and nearly 30% of the variables exhibit strong periodic signatures attributed to cold spot modulations. In the case of accretion bursts and extinction events, the average amplitudes are larger than one magnitude at optical wavelengths. These optical magnitude fluctuations are stable on a timescale of one year.


2019 ◽  
Vol 622 ◽  
pp. A72 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. Villebrun ◽  
E. Alecian ◽  
G. Hussain ◽  
J. Bouvier ◽  
C. P. Folsom ◽  
...  

Context. The origin of the fossil magnetic fields detected in 5 to 10% of intermediate-mass main sequence stars is still highly debated.Aims. We want to bring observational constraints to a large population of intermediate-mass pre-main sequence (PMS) stars in order to test the theory that convective-dynamo fields generated during the PMS phases of stellar evolution can occasionally relax into fossil fields on the main sequence.Methods. Using distance estimations, photometric measurements, and spectropolarimetric data from HARPSpol and ESPaDOnS of 38 intermediate-mass PMS stars, we determined fundamental stellar parameters (Teff,Landvsini) and measured surface magnetic field characteristics (including detection limits for non-detections, and longitudinal fields and basic topologies for positive detections). Using PMS evolutionary models, we determined the mass, radius, and internal structure of these stars. We compared different PMS models to check that our determinations were not model-dependant. We then compared the magnetic characteristics of our sample accounting for their stellar parameters and internal structures.Results. We detect magnetic fields in about half of our sample. About 90% of the magnetic stars have outer convective envelopes larger than ∼25% of the stellar radii, and heavier than ∼2% of the stellar mass. Going to higher mass, we find that the magnetic incidence in intermediate-mass stars drops very quickly, within a timescale on the order of few times 0.1 Myr. Finally, we propose that intermediate-mass T Tauri stars with large convective envelopes, close to the fully convective limit, have complex fields and that their dipole component strengths may decrease as the sizes of their convective envelopes decrease, similar to lower-mass T Tauri stars.


2019 ◽  
Vol 628 ◽  
pp. A41 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Pizzocaro ◽  
B. Stelzer ◽  
E. Poretti ◽  
S. Raetz ◽  
G. Micela ◽  
...  

The relation between magnetic activity and rotation in late-type stars provides fundamental information on stellar dynamos and angular momentum evolution. Rotation-activity studies found in the literature suffer from inhomogeneity in the measurement of activity indexes and rotation periods. We overcome this limitation with a study of the X-ray emitting, late-type main-sequence stars observed by XMM-Newton and Kepler. We measured rotation periods from photometric variability in Kepler light curves. As activity indicators, we adopted the X-ray luminosity, the number frequency of white-light flares, the amplitude of the rotational photometric modulation, and the standard deviation in the Kepler light curves. The search for X-ray flares in the light curves provided by the EXTraS (Exploring the X-ray Transient and variable Sky) FP-7 project allows us to identify simultaneous X-ray and white-light flares. A careful selection of the X-ray sources in the Kepler field yields 102 main-sequence stars with spectral types from A to M. We find rotation periods for 74 X-ray emitting main-sequence stars, 20 of which do not have period reported in the previous literature. In the X-ray activity-rotation relation, we see evidence for the traditional distinction of a saturated and a correlated part, the latter presenting a continuous decrease in activity towards slower rotators. For the optical activity indicators the transition is abrupt and located at a period of ~10 d but it can be probed only marginally with this sample, which is biased towards fast rotators due to the X-ray selection. We observe seven bona-fide X-ray flares with evidence for a white-light counterpart in simultaneous Kepler data. We derive an X-ray flare frequency of ~0.15 d−1, consistent with the optical flare frequency obtained from the much longer Kepler time-series.


1981 ◽  
Vol 251 ◽  
pp. 113 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. S. Giampapa ◽  
N. Calvet ◽  
C. L. Imhoff ◽  
L. V. Kuhi

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