CoRoT and stellar activity: preliminary results from the modelling of CoRoT-Exo-2a

TL;DR

This study analyzes the photospheric activity of the young star CoRoT-Exo-2a using spot modelling of CoRoT light curves, revealing active longitudes, differential rotation, and periodic spotted area oscillations.

Contribution

It applies advanced spot modelling techniques to CoRoT data, providing new insights into stellar activity patterns of CoRoT-Exo-2a.

Findings

Active regions form within two active longitudes separated by 180 degrees.

Active longitudes rotate with periods of approximately 4.52 and 4.55 days.

Total spotted area oscillates with a period of about 28.9 days.

Abstract

We present a preliminary analysis of the photospheric activity of CoRoT-Exo-2a, a young G7V star accompanied by a transiting hot Jupiter recently discovered by CoRoT. We apply spot modelling techniques developed for the analysis of the Sun as a star and capable to extract from CoRoT high precision light curves information on the variation of the total spotted area and the longitude of active regions along the 142 days of the observations. This preliminary analysis shows that the active regions form within two active longitudes separated by about 180 degrees and rotating with periods of 4.5221 and 4.5543 days, respectively, and that the total spotted area oscillates with a period of about 28.9 days.