The corona of the young solar analog EK Draconis.
Abstract
First coronal microwave and new soft X-ray observations of the very active, near-Zero-Age Main-Sequence (ZAMS) dG0e star EK Dra = HD 129333 show that this analog of the young Sun is more luminous in both emissions than most single M-dwarf flare stars. Variations in the 8.4GHz flux include modulation with the optically determined rotation period of 2.7 days. This result points to a non-uniform filling of the corona with energetic electrons due to an incomplete coverage of the surface with active regions and a source volume that is not concentric with the star. The radio luminosity varying between logL_R_=13.6 and 14.6 (L_R_ in erg/s/Hz) shows evidence for unpolarized gyrosynchrotron flares, while strongly polarized flares were absent during the observations. This star is the first young, truly solar-like main sequence G star discovered in microwaves. Having just arrived on the main sequence, it conclusively proves that young, solar-like G stars can maintain very high levels of radio emission after their T Tau phase. The X-ray observations were obtained from the ROSAT All-Sky Survey (RASS). The average X-ray luminosity amounts to logL_X_=29.9 (L_X_ in erg/s). A Raymond-Smith type plasma model fit yields two plasma components at temperatures of 1.9 and 10MK, with volume emission measures of 1.2 and 2.5.10^52^cm^-3^, respectively. The X-ray light curve is significantly variable, with the photon count rate from the cooler plasma being strongly modulated by the rotation period; the emission from the hotter plasma is only weakly variable. Modeling of the source distribution in the stellar corona yields electron densities of the order of 4.10^10^cm^-3^ or higher for the cool plasma component. It indicates that a considerable portion of EK Dra's high X-ray luminosity is due to high-density plasma rather than large emission volume. Parameters for an X-ray flare indicate an electron density of 1.75.10^11^cm^-3^ and a source height of (1-2).10^10^cm, compatible with a few times the scale height of the cooler plasma component.
- Publication:
-
Astronomy and Astrophysics
- Pub Date:
- September 1995
- Bibcode:
- 1995A&A...301..201G
- Keywords:
-
- STARS: ACTIVITY;
- STARS: CORONAE;
- RADIO CONTINUUM: STARS;
- X-RAYS: STARS;
- STARS: INDIVIDUAL: HD 129333