Cool Stars

Andrew Cameron, Moira Jardine

The cool stars group uses indirect imaging methods, such as Doppler tomography, to make maps of cool starspots and other magnetic structures on and above the surfaces of rapidly rotating stars. We are using this information in two ways. First of all, we want to extend what we know about the physics of similar structures on the Sun (spots, prominences, etc) to the much larger structures we see on other, more active stars. Second, we want to find out how magnetic activity controls the spin evolution of young solar-type stars. It now looks as though magnetic fields can export much of the spin of a newly-formed star out into the accretion disc that may one day form a planetary system. We are currently trying to obtain images of the inner parts of these systems to see whether infalling material from the disc is being channelled along magnetic field lines on to the stellar surface. We are also investigating the behaviour of large samples of sun-like stars in clusters of various ages, as a way of tracing the early rotational history of our own Sun.

AGN

For more info on our starspot mapping work, have a look at the AB Dor Picture Gallery .