Stellar Magnetic Activity and "Butterfly Diagram" of Kepler-63

TL;DR

This study analyzes the magnetic activity of the young star Kepler-63 using transit mapping of starspots over four years, revealing a butterfly diagram, differential rotation, and high-latitude magnetic features.

Contribution

It introduces a novel starspot mapping method using transit data to construct a butterfly diagram and measure differential rotation in Kepler-63.

Findings

Bimodal latitudinal distribution of starspots with high-latitude dominance.

Star rotates almost rigidly with a period of 5.400 days.

Detected differential rotation with a shear of about 0.01%.

Abstract

Context. The study of young solar type stars is fundamental for a better understanding of the magnetic activity of the Sun. As a planet in transit crosses in front of its host star, a darkspot on the stellar surface may be occulted, causing a detectable variation in the light curve. Kepler-63 is a young solar-like star withan age of only 210 Myr that exhibit photometric variations compatible with spot signatures. Since its orbiting planet is in an almostpolar orbit, different latitudes of the star can be probed by the method of spot transit mapping. Methods. A total of 150 transits of Kepler-63b were observed in the short cadence light curve, corresponding to a total duration of about 4 years. Each transit light curve was fit by a model that simulates planetary transits and allows the inclusion of starspots on the surface of the host star. This enables the physical characterisation of the spots size, intensity, and location. We determine the spot position in a reference frame that rotates with the star, and thus obtain the latitudinal distribution of the spots. Results. A total of 297 spots were fit and their sizes, intensities, and positions determined. The latitude distribution of spots exhibits a bimodality with a lack of spots around 34{\deg}. The high latitude spots dominate the magnetic cycle of Kepler-63. For a mean stellar rotation period of 5.400d, 59 spots were found at approximately the same longitude and latitude on a later transit. Conclusions. Due to the geometry of the Kepler-63 system, we were able to build a starspot "butterfly diagram". It was also possible to infer Kepler-63 differential rotation from the presence of spots at different latitudes. This star was found to rotate almost rigidly with a period of 5.400d and relative shear close to 0.01% for latitudes less than 34{\deg}, whereas the high latitudes do not follow a well behaved pattern.