Stellar Activity with BRITE: the ``Aurigae'' field
Abstract
Photometric time series of active stars can pin down some of the ingredients that govern the stellar magnetic field, itself being the driver of all non-thermal stellar emissions. Among the most important -- and least understood -- astrophysical ingredients is stellar rotation and its subtle latitudinal dependence called differential rotation. Rotation switches on and maintains the internal dynamo, itself a phenomenon from the interaction of turbulent plasma motions and large-scale shearing forces in the deep stellar interior. I propose to observe the active binary Capella, made up of two giants in exposed locations in the HR-diagram. Along with Capella (α Aur), another eight stars brighter than 4th magnitude would be in the field-of-view of BRITE, among them such benchmark variables as ζ Aur or θ Aur.
- Publication:
-
Communications in Asteroseismology
- Pub Date:
- January 2008
- DOI:
- 10.1553/cia152s124
- Bibcode:
- 2008CoAst.152..124S