Possible chromospheric activity cycles in AD Leo

BUCCINO, A. P.; PETRUCCI, R.; JOFRE, E.; MAUAS, P. J. D.

The Astrophysical Journal Letters

IOP Publishing

Año: 2014 vol. 781 p. 9 - 15

2041-8205

AD Leo (GJ 388) is an active dM3 flare star extensively observed both in the quiescent and flaring states.Since this active star is near the fully-convective boundary, to study in detail its long-term chromospheric activity could be an appreciable contribution for the dynamo theory. Here, we analyze with the Lomb-Scargle periodogram the Ca II K line-core fluxes derived from CASLEO spectra obtained between 2001 and 2013 and the V magnitude from the ASAS database between 2004 and 2010.From both totally independent time-series, we obtain a possible activity cycle of period ~7 years and a less-significant shorter one of ~2 years. A tentative interpretation is that a dynamo operating near the surface could be generating thelonger cycle, while a a second dynamo operating in the deep convection zone could be responsible for the shorter one.Based on the long duration of our observing program at CASLEO and the fact that we observe simultaneously different spectral features, we also analyze the relation between simultaneous measurements of the Na I index , Halpha andCa II K fluxes at different activity levels of AD Leo, including flares.