Spot modelling of periodic weak-line T Tauri stars observed by CoRoT in NGC 2264

TL;DR

This study models starspots on weak-line T Tauri stars in NGC 2264 using CoRoT light curves, revealing differential rotation and starspot evolution timescales through Bayesian analysis.

Contribution

It introduces a Bayesian Monte Carlo Markov Chain approach for starspot modelling on T Tauri stars, accounting for starspot evolution and differential rotation.

Findings

Differential rotation periods differ by 2-5% among stars.

Starspot evolution timescales are 20-50 rotation periods.

Spot modelling results are consistent with slow starspot evolution.

Abstract

The space telescope CoRoT has provided light curves of T Tauri stars belonging to the star-forming region of NGC 2264 with unprecedented continuity and precision in the framework of a coordinated multi-wavelength observational project. We perform spot modelling of the optical light curves of five weak-line T Tauri stars whose variability is dominated by starspots. We apply two-spot and evolving single spot models in the framework of a Bayesian Monte Carlo Markov Chain approach to derive the a posteriori distribution of the starspot parameters and the inclination of the star rotation axis. We focus on the rotation periods of the spots that can provide evidence for differential rotation in those stars. We find meaningful results in the case of three stars with an inclination higher than 50 deg and a slow variation of the light curve amplitude. The relative difference of the spot rotation periods ranges from 0.02 to 0.05 that is 3-10 times larger than the amplitude of the differential rotation found in similar stars with Doppler imaging techniques. We conclude that the intrinsic starspot evolution, although very slow, has a significant impact on the determination of the differential rotation by means of our spot modelling approach. We estimate typical timescales for the evolution of the starspot pattern between about 20 and 50 rotation periods in our stars.