Bibcode
DOI
Devor, Jonathan; Charbonneau, David; Torres, Guillermo; Blake, Cullen H.; White, Russel J.; Rabus, Markus; O'Donovan, Francis T.; Mandushev, Georgi; Bakos, Gaspar Á.; Fűrész, Gábor; Szentgyorgyi, Andrew
Referencia bibliográfica
The Astrophysical Journal, Volume 687, Issue 2, pp. 1253-1263.
Fecha de publicación:
11
2008
Revista
Número de citas
30
Número de citas referidas
25
Descripción
We describe the discovery of a 0.68+0.52 Msolar eclipsing
binary (EB) with an 8.4 day orbital period, found through a systematic
search of 10 fields of the Trans-atlantic Exoplanet Survey (TrES). Such
long-period low-mass EBs constitute critical test cases for resolving
the long-standing discrepancy between the theoretical and observational
mass-radius relations at the bottom of the main sequence. It has been
suggested that this discrepancy may be related to strong stellar
magnetic fields, which are not properly accounted for in current
theoretical models. All previously well-characterized low-mass
main-sequence EBs have periods of a few days or less, and their
components are therefore expected to be rotating rapidly as a result of
tidal synchronization, thus generating strong magnetic fields. In
contrast, the binary system described here has a period that is more
than 3 times longer than previously characterized low-mass main-sequence
EBs, and its components rotate relatively slowly. It is therefore
expected to have a weaker magnetic field and to better match the
assumptions of theoretical stellar models. Our follow-up observations of
this EB yield preliminary stellar properties that suggest it is indeed
consistent with current models. If further observations confirm a low
level of activity in this system, these determinations would provide
support for the hypothesis that the mass-radius discrepancy is at least
partly due to magnetic activity.
Proyectos relacionados
Sismología Solar y Estelar y Búsqueda de Exoplanetas
Los objetivos genéricos de este Proyecto son: 1) el estudio de la estructura y dinámica del interior solar, 2) la extensión de dicho estudio al caso de otras estrellas, 3) la búsqueda y caracterización de planetas extrasolares por métodos fotométricos (principalmente mediante el método de tránsitos) y espectroscópico (variaciones en la velocidad
Savita
Mathur