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Stellar activity and the long‐term use of robotic telescopes
Author(s) -
Rodonò M.,
Messina S.,
Lanza A. F.,
Cutispoto G.
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
astronomische nachrichten
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.394
H-Index - 63
eISSN - 1521-3994
pISSN - 0004-6337
DOI - 10.1002/asna.200410266
Subject(s) - starspot , physics , stellar rotation , astronomy , stars , differential rotation , astrophysics , term (time)
A number of automated and robotic telescopes are nowadays devoted to the systematic monitoring of magnetically active stars and binary systems at several astronomical institutions, all over the world, and their number is steadily increasing. Standard equipments include wide– and narrow–band photometers and, more recently, spectroscopic capabilities. The long‐term time series that those telescopes are providing turn out to be of paramount importance in order to significantly progress in our understanding of solar‐like stellar activity of magnetic origin, that seemingly affect most of late‐type dwarfs and subgiants. Our principal aim is to illustrate which key parameters, that can be derived from such long‐term time series, determine the appearance and evolution of stellar activity phenomena in different astrophysical environments other than solar, and their role in determining the physical characteristics of starspots, their surface distribution, filling factor, migration in latitude and longitude, and evolution in time. By using spots as tracers of stellar rotation, reliable data on stellar differential rotation, the prime motor of magnetic activity, can be derived. Moreover, the activity cycle is the additional fundamental parameter that can be provided by long‐term time series. In order to properly address the study of stellar activity, an internationally coordinated network of 1‐2 m class robotic telescopes dedicated to multi‐wavelength systematic observations should be established. (© 2004 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)