J/MNRAS/432/1203 Rotation periods of M-dwarf stars (McQuillan+, 2013)
Measuring the rotation period distribution of field M dwarfs with Kepler.
McQuillan A., Aigrain S., Mazeh T.
<Mon. Not. R. Astron. Soc., 432, 1203-1216 (2013)>
=2013MNRAS.432.1203M 2013MNRAS.432.1203M (SIMBAD/NED BibCode)
ADC_Keywords: Stars, dwarfs ; Stars, M-type
Keywords: methods: data analysis - stars: evolution - stars: low-mass -
stars: magnetic field - stars: rotation
Abstract:
We have analysed 10 months of public data from the Kepler space
mission to measure rotation periods of main-sequence stars with masses
between 0.3 and 0.55M☉. To derive the rotational period, we
introduce the autocorrelation function and show that it is robust
against phase and amplitude modulation and residual instrumental
systematics. Of the 2483 stars examined, we detected rotation periods
in 1570 (63.2%), representing an increase of a factor of ∼30 in the
number of rotation period determination for field M dwarfs. The
periods range from 0.37 to 69.7d, with amplitudes ranging from 1.0 to
140.8mmag. The rotation period distribution is clearly bimodal, with
peaks at ∼19 and ∼33d, hinting at two distinct waves of star
formation, a hypothesis that is supported by the fact that slower
rotators tend to have larger proper motions. The two peaks of the
rotation period distribution form two distinct sequences in
period-temperature space, with the period decreasing with increasing
temperature, reminiscent of the Vaughan-Preston gap. The period-mass
distribution of our sample shows no evidence of a transition at the
fully convective boundary. On the other hand, the slope of the upper
envelope of the period-mass relation changes sign around 0.55M☉,
below which period rises with decreasing mass.
File Summary:
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FileName Lrecl Records Explanations
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ReadMe 80 . This file
table2.dat 50 1570 M-dwarfs with detected rotation periods
table3.dat 33 121 Objects identified as likely giants
table4.dat 33 39 Objects with 2 distinct periods
table5.dat 33 753 Objects with no rotation period detection
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See also:
V/133 : Kepler Input Catalog (Kepler Mission Team, 2009)
Byte-by-byte Description of file: table2.dat
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Bytes Format Units Label Explanations
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1- 8 I8 --- KIC KIC identification number (V/133)
10- 13 I4 K Teff Effective temperature
15- 18 F4.2 [cm/s2] logg ?=- Surface gravity
19 A1 --- f_logg [i] i for -∞
21- 26 F6.4 Msun Mass Star mass
28- 33 F6.3 d Per Rotation period
35- 40 F6.3 d e_Per rms uncertainty on Per
42- 47 F6.2 mmag Amp [0.7/160] Amplitude of variability
49- 50 A2 --- Flag Flag on binarity or periodicity (1)
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Note (1): Flag as follows:
EB = known eclipsing binary (Prsa et al., 2011AJ....141...83P 2011AJ....141...83P,
Cat. J/AJ/141/83)
PL = planet-host candidate (Batalha et al., 2013ApJS..204...24B 2013ApJS..204...24B,
Cat. J/ApJS/204/24)
PB = ultrastable periodic behaviour, indicating possible binary, pulsator
or young object
HM = the reported period may be a harmonic of the true period
NF = no flag
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Byte-by-byte Description of file: table3.dat table4.dat table5.dat
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Bytes Format Units Label Explanations
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1- 8 I8 --- KIC KIC identification number
10- 15 F6.4 Msun Mass Star mass
17- 20 F4.2 [cm/s2] logg ?=- Surface gravity
21 A1 --- f_logg [i] i for -∞
23- 26 I4 K Teff Effective temperature
28- 33 F6.2 mmag Amp [0.7/160] Amplitude of variability
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History:
From electronic version of the journal
(End) Patricia Vannier [CDS] 08-Jul-2014