Magnetically Active Stars in Taurus-Auriga: Photometric Variability and Basic Physical Parameters

TL;DR

This study analyzes long-term photometric data of WTTS and candidates in Taurus-Auriga, revealing their rotational periods, physical parameters, and age distribution, highlighting differences between known WTTS and candidates.

Contribution

It provides the first homogeneous analysis of photometric variability and physical parameters for a large sample of WTTS and candidates in Taurus-Auriga.

Findings

22 known WTTS show periodic light variations due to spots.

Rotation periods range from 0.5 to 10 days.

About 33% of WTTS candidates are younger than 10 Myr.

Abstract

The paper presents an analysis of homogeneous long-term photometric observations of 28 well-known weak-line T Tauri stars (WTTS) and 60 WTTS candidates detected by the ROSAT observatory in the direction of the Taurus-Auriga star-forming region. 22 known WTTS and 39 WTTS candidates are shown to exhibit periodic light variations that are attributable to the phenomenon of spotted rotational modulation. The rotation periods of these spotted stars lie within the range from 0.5 to 10 days. Significant differences between the long-term photometric behaviors of known WTTS and WTTS candidates have been found. We have calculated accurate luminosities, radii, masses, and ages for 74 stars. About 33 percent of the sample of WTTS candidates have ages younger than 10 Myr. The mean distance to 24 WTTS candidates with reliable estimates of their radii is shown to be 143+/-26 pc.