GJ1214: Rotation period, starspots, and uncertainty on the optical slope of the transmission spectrum

TL;DR

This study investigates the star spots of GJ 1214 through multicolor photometry over four years, determining its rotation period, star spot characteristics, and their impact on the planetary transmission spectrum, highlighting the dominance of dark spots and cyclic activity.

Contribution

The paper provides the first long-term multicolor photometric monitoring of GJ 1214, accurately determining its rotation period and star spot properties, and assesses their influence on the transmission spectrum of GJ 1214b.

Findings

Rotation period of 125 +- 5 days established

Dark spots likely dominate over bright regions

Evidence of cyclic activity over four years

Abstract

Brightness inhomogeneities in the stellar photosphere (dark spots or bright regions) affect the measurements of the planetary transmission spectrum. To investigate the star spots of the M dwarf GJ 1214, we conducted a multicolor photometric monitoring from 2012 to 2016. The measured variability shows a periodicity of 125 +- 5 days, which we interpret as the signature of the stellar rotation period. This value overrules previous suggestions of a significantly shorter stellar rotation period. A light curve inversion of the monitoring data yields an estimation of the flux dimming of a permanent spot filling factor not contributing to the photometric variability, a temperature contrast of the spots of about 370 K and persistent active longitudes. The derived surface maps over all five seasons were used to estimate the influence of the star spots on the transmission spectrum of the planet from 400 nm to 2000 nm. The monitoring data presented here do not support a recent interpretation of a measured transmission spectrum of GJ 1214b as to be caused by bright regions in the stellar photosphere. Instead, we list arguments as to why the effect of dark spots likely dominated over bright regions in the period of our monitoring. Furthermore, our photometry proves an increase in variability over at least four years, indicative for a cyclic activity behavior. The age of GJ 1214 is likely between 6 and 10 Gyr. The long-term photometry allows for a correction of unocculted spots. For an active star such as GJ 1214, there remains a degeneracy between occulted spots and the transit parameters used to build the transmission spectrum. This degeneracy can only be broken by high-precision transit photometry resolving the spot crossing signature in the transit light curve.