Magnetic activity of the star Corot-Exo-2a

Abstract

Continuous photometric observations of the young active solar-type star Corot-Exo-2a using the “Corot” space telescope obtained over 142 days were used to analyze the star’s surface temperature inhomogeneities and to monitor their continuous evolution. This analysis was based on the iPH code, which reconstructs the distribution of temperature inhomogeneities on the surface of a star based on its light curve in a two-temperature approximation. We identified five time intervals in the positions of active areas, with corresponding flip-flop events, interpreted as activity periods. Their durations were between 55 and 15 days. The time scale for the active-longitude flip-flops of Corot-Exo-2a is a few tens of days, rather than years, as for other stars studied earlier. We detected motions of the active longitudes, possibly indicating differential rotation of the star. The phenomenon of flip-flops in the positions of active longitudes has a complex character. This is the first case apart fromthe Sun where we are able to follow the appearance and development of temperature inhomogeneities on a stellar surface in such detail. We determined typical timescales for variations of the activity parameter of the star in the ranges 17–20, 28–32, 33–38, and 51–55 days, which characterize changes of the brightness variation amplitude, the spotted surface area, positions of active areas, and brightness variations.