The High Rate of the Boyajian's Star Anomaly as a Phenomenon

TL;DR

This paper suggests that the mysterious dimming of Boyajian's Star is likely caused by interstellar medium obscuration, which occurs at a very high rate and explains the irregular eclipses without affecting the star itself.

Contribution

It proposes a high occurrence rate of the phenomenon and supports interstellar medium obscuration as a plausible explanation for Boyajian's Star's dimming.

Findings

The phenomenon occurs at a rate >~ 30 Gyr^(-1) per star.

Interstellar medium obscuration is a consistent explanation.

The phenomenon likely occurs hundreds of times over stellar lifespans.

Abstract

Boyajian's Star (KIC 8462852) undergoes mysterious, irregular eclipses that aren't yet explained. It also appears to have dimmed over a time of several years, possibly decades. I show that Kepler's detection of a phenomenon with a duration of t_anom is only expected if it occurs at a mean rate of >~ 30 Gyr^(-1) (t_anom / 100 yr)^(-1) for each Kepler target and K2 star. If true, the phenomenon occurs hundreds of times during the lifespan of its host stars. Obscuration by the interstellar medium remains a plausible explanation, since it doesn't actually affect the host star. An intervening cloud is consistent with the lack of an observed submillimeter excess but would be abnormally dilute.