The evolution of stellar X-ray activity and angular momentum as seen by eROSITA, TESS, and Gaia

TL;DR

This study analyzes how stellar X-ray activity and angular momentum evolve with age in stars of spectral types F5V-M5V, using data from eROSITA, TESS, and Gaia, revealing simpler relationships when expressed in terms of angular momentum.

Contribution

It provides the largest empirical sample to constrain stellar rotation and activity evolution, offering simple predictive models based on observable parameters, especially highlighting the role of angular momentum.

Findings

Stars spin down and become less X-ray active with age.

Rotation-activity relationship is simpler when expressed via angular momentum.

Empirical relations predict X-ray luminosity and angular momentum from basic observables.

Abstract

We have assembled a sample of $\sim$8200 stars with spectral types F5V-M5V, all having directly measured X-ray luminosities from eROSITA and rotation periods from TESS, and having empirically estimated ages via their membership in stellar clusters and groups identified in Gaia astrometry (ages 3-500 Myr). This is the largest such study sample yet assembled for the purpose of empirically constraining the evolution of rotationally driven stellar X-ray activity. We observe rotation-age-activity correlations that are qualitatively as expected: stars of a given spectral type spin down with age and they become less X-ray active as they do so. We provide simple functional representations of these empirical relationships that predict X-ray luminosity from basic observables to within 0.3 dex. Interestingly, we find that the rotation-activity relationship is far simpler and more monotonic in form when expressed in terms of stellar angular momentum instead of rotation period. We discuss how this finding may relate to the long-established idea that rotation-activity relationships are mediated by stellar structure (e.g., convective turnover time, surface area). Finally, we provide an empirical relation that predicts stellar angular momentum from basic observables, and without requiring a direct measurement of stellar rotation, to within 0.5 dex.