Looking for activity cycles in late-type Kepler stars using time-frequency analysis

We analyse light curves covering four years of 39 fast-rotating ($P_\mathrm{rot}< 1d$) late-type active stars from the Kepler database. Using time-frequency analysis (Short-Term Fourier-Transform), we find hints for activity cycles of 300-900 days at 9 targets from the changing typical latitude of the starspots, which, with the differential rotation of the stellar surface change the observed rotation period over the activity cycle. We also give a lowest estimation for the shear parameter of the differential rotation, which is ~0.001 for the cycling targets. These results populate the less studied, short period end of the rotation-cycle length relation.Comment: 12 pages, 7 figures, accepted for publication in MNRA

RECIPROCITY RELATIONS. MAXWELL, ONSAGER A THERMOKINETIC APPROACH

Thermokinetics is the general kinetic theory of physico-chemical phenomena. Though its basic conception is very old, the thermodynamic theory has been developed only in the last two decades. The scope of Thermokinetics extends to equilibria (dynamics of equilibria), to near-equilibrium (Onsagerian Irreversible Thermodynamics) and far from equilibrium processes (chemical reactions). The kinetic treatment results in new interpretations for old concepts, such as rate coefficients, symmetry relations, cross effects, etc. The proper selection of variables leads to a symmetric and unified system of static and dynamic properties and relationships. As Maxwell's experimentally confirmed reciprocities (MRR) confirmed the existence of the entropy, in a similar way, the empirical dynamic reciprocities (DRR) lead to the 'Entropy dissipation Function (Ds)' and vice versa, DRR can be proved, similarly to MRR, as the reciprocity of the second derivative matrix of Ds. Onsager's ORR is regarded as a special case of DRR. Problems about other proofs are listed in brief

Lithium enrichment on the single active K1-giant DI Piscium -- Possible joint origin of differential rotation and Li enrichment

We investigate the surface spot activity of the rapidly rotating, lithium-rich active single K-giant DI Psc to measure the surface differential rotation and understand the mechanisms behind the Li-enrichment. Doppler imaging was applied to recover the surface temperature distribution of DI Psc in two subsequent rotational cycles using the individual mapping lines Ca I 6439, Fe I 6430, Fe I 6421 and Li I 6708. Surface differential rotation was derived by cross-correlation of the subsequent maps. Difference maps are produced to study the uniformity of Li-enrichment on the surface. These maps are compared with the rotational modulation of the Li I 6708 line equivalent width. Doppler images obtained for the Ca and Fe mapping lines agree well and reveal strong polar spottedness, as well as cool features at lower latitudes. Cross-correlating the consecutive maps yields antisolar differential rotation with shear coefficient -0.083 +- 0.021. The difference of the average and the Li maps indicates that the lithium abundance is non-activity related. There is also a significant rotational modulation of the Li equivalent width.Comment: 8 pages, 7 figures, accepted in A&

Long-term photometry of three active red giants in close binary systems: V2253 Oph, IT Com and IS Vir

We present and analyze long-term optical photometric measurements of the three active stars V2253 Oph, IT Com and IS Vir. All three systems are single-lined spectroscopic binaries with an early K giant as primary component but in different stages of orbital-rotational synchronization. Our photometry is supplemented by 2MASS and WISE near-IR and mid-IR magnitudes and then used to obtain more accurate effective temperatures and extinctions. For V2253 Oph and IT Com, we found their spectral energy distributions consistent with pure photospheric emission. For IS Vir, we detect a marginal mid-IR excess which hints towards a dust disk. The orbital and rotational planes of IT Com appear to be coplanar, contrary to previous findings in the literature. We apply a multiple frequency analysis technique to determine photometric periods, and possibly changes of periods, ranging from days to decades. New rotational periods of 21.55+-0.03d, 65.1+-0.3d, and 23.50+-0.04d were determined for V2253 Oph, IT Com, and IS Vir, respectively. Splitting of these periods led to tentative detections of differential surface rotations of delta P/P ~0.02 for V2253 Oph and 0.07 for IT Com. Using a time-frequency technique based on short-term Fourier transforms we present evidence of cyclic light variations of length ~10yrs for V2253 Oph and 5-6yrs for IS Vir. A single flip-flop event has been observed for IT Com of duration 2-3yrs. Its exchange of the dominant active longitude had happened close to a time of periastron passage, suggesting some response of the magnetic activity from the orbital dynamics. The 21.55-d rotational modulation of V2253 Oph showed phase coherence also with the orbital period, which is 15 times longer than the rotational period, thus also indicating a tidal feedback with the stellar magnetic activity.Comment: 13 pages, 14 figures, accepted to A

Surface evolution in stable magnetic fields: the case of the fully convective dwarf V374 Peg

We present BV(RI)_C photometric measurements of the dM4-type V374 Peg covering ~430 days. The star has a mass of ~0.28M_Sun, so it is supposed to be fully convective. Previous observations detected almost-rigid-body rotation and stable, axisymmetric poloidal magnetic field. Our photometric data agree well with this picture, one persistent active nest is found on the stellar surface. Nevertheless, the surface is not static: night-to-night variations and frequent flaring are observed. The flares seem to be concentrated on the brighter part of the surface. The short-time changes of the light curve could indicate emerging flux ropes in the same region, resembling to the active nests on the Sun. We have observed flaring and quiet states of V374 Peg changing on monthly timescale.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures; Proceedings of IAU symposium 273, Physics of Sun and star spots, Ventura, California 22-26 August 201