Flickering in FU Orionis
Abstract
We analyze new and published optical photometric data of FU Orionis, an eruptive pre-main-sequence star. The outburst consists of a 5.5 mag rise at B with an e-folding timescale of ~50 days. The rates of decline at B and V are identical, 0.015+/-0.001 mag yr-1. Random fluctuations superimposed on this decline have an amplitude of 0.035+/-0.005 mag at V and occur on timescales of 1 day or less. Correlations between V and the color indices U-B, B-V, and V-R indicate that the variable source has the optical colors of a G0 supergiant. We associate this behavior with small-amplitude flickering of the inner accretion disk.
- Publication:
-
The Astrophysical Journal
- Pub Date:
- March 2000
- DOI:
- 10.1086/308515
- arXiv:
- arXiv:astro-ph/9910431
- Bibcode:
- 2000ApJ...531.1028K
- Keywords:
-
- ACCRETION;
- ACCRETION DISKS;
- STARS: FORMATION;
- STARS: INDIVIDUAL: CONSTELLATION NAME: FU ORIONIS;
- STARS: PRE-MAIN-SEQUENCE;
- Astrophysics
- E-Print:
- 19 pages of text, 3 tables, and 6 figures to be published in the Astrophysical Journal, 10 March 2000