The Mysterious Dimmings of the T Tauri Star V1334 Tau
- Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States)
- Department of Astronomy, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210 (United States)
- Department of Physics, University of Warwick, Gibbet Hill Road, Coventry, CV4 7AL (United Kingdom)
- Carnegie Observatories, 813 Santa Barbara Street, Pasadena, CA 91101 (United States)
- Department of Physical Sciences, Kutztown University, Kutztown, PA 19530 (United States)
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Vanderbilt University, 6301 Stevenson Center, Nashville, TN 37235 (United States)
- Department of Geology and Geophysics, University of Hawai‘i at Mnoa, Honolulu, HI 96822 (United States)
- Institute for Astronomy, University of Hawai‘i at Manoa, Honolulu, HI 96822 (United States)
- Las Cumbres Observatory Global Telescope Network, 6740 Cortona Drive, Suite 102, Santa Barbara, CA 93117 (United States)
We present the discovery of two extended ∼0.12 mag dimming events of the weak-lined T Tauri star V1334. The start of the first event was missed but came to an end in late 2003, and the second began in 2009 February, and continues as of 2016 November. Since the egress of the current event has not yet been observed, it suggests a period of >13 years if this event is periodic. Spectroscopic observations suggest the presence of a small inner disk, although the spectral energy distribution shows no infrared excess. We explore the possibility that the dimming events are caused by an orbiting body (e.g., a disk warp or dust trap), enhanced disk winds, hydrodynamical fluctuations of the inner disk, or a significant increase in the magnetic field flux at the surface of the star. We also find a ∼0.32 day periodic photometric signal that persists throughout the 2009 dimming which appears to not be due to ellipsoidal variations from a close stellar companion. High-precision photometric observations of V1334 Tau during K2 campaign 13, combined with simultaneous photometric and spectroscopic observations from the ground, will provide crucial information about the photometric variability and its origin.
- OSTI ID:
- 22663760
- Journal Information:
- Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 836, Issue 2; Other Information: Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0004-637X
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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