Synthetic light curves of accretion variability in T Tauri stars
File(s)2101.04778.pdf (2.22 MB)
Accepted version
OA Location
Author(s)
Robinson, Connor E
Espaillat, Catherine C
Owen, James E
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Photometric observations of accreting, low-mass, pre-main-sequence stars (i.e., Classical T Tauri stars; CTTS) have revealed different categories of variability. Several of these classifications have been linked to changes in $\dot{M}$. To test how accretion variability conditions lead to different light-curve morphologies, we used 1D hydrodynamic simulations of accretion along a magnetic field line coupled with radiative transfer models and a simple treatment of rotation to generate synthetic light curves. We adopted previously developed metrics in order to classify observations to facilitate comparisons between observations and our models. We found that stellar mass, magnetic field geometry, corotation radius, inclination, and turbulence all play roles in producing the observed light curves and that no single parameter is entirely dominant in controlling the observed variability. While the periodic behavior of the light curve is most strongly affected by the inclination, it is also a function of the magnetic field geometry and inner disk turbulence. Objects with either pure dipole fields, strong aligned octupole components, or high turbulence in the inner disk all tend to display accretion bursts. Objects with anti-aligned octupole components or aligned, weaker octupole components tend to show light curves with slightly fewer bursts. We did not find clear monotonic trends between the stellar mass and empirical classification. This work establishes the groundwork for more detailed characterization of well-studied targets as more light curves of CTTS become available through missions such as the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS).
Date Issued
2021-02-09
Date Acceptance
2020-12-14
Citation
The Astrophysical Journal: an international review of astronomy and astronomical physics, 2021, 908 (1), pp.1-15
ISSN
0004-637X
Publisher
American Astronomical Society
Start Page
1
End Page
15
Journal / Book Title
The Astrophysical Journal: an international review of astronomy and astronomical physics
Volume
908
Issue
1
Copyright Statement
© 2021. The American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved.
This is an author-created, un-copyedited version of an article accepted for publication in Astrophysical Journal. IOP Publishing Ltd is not responsible for any errors or omissions in this version of the manuscript or any version derived from it. The definitive publisher authenticated version is available online at https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/abd410
This is an author-created, un-copyedited version of an article accepted for publication in Astrophysical Journal. IOP Publishing Ltd is not responsible for any errors or omissions in this version of the manuscript or any version derived from it. The definitive publisher authenticated version is available online at https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/abd410
Sponsor
The Royal Society
Identifier
http://gateway.webofknowledge.com/gateway/Gateway.cgi?GWVersion=2&SrcApp=PARTNER_APP&SrcAuth=LinksAMR&KeyUT=WOS:000616527200001&DestLinkType=FullRecord&DestApp=ALL_WOS&UsrCustomerID=1ba7043ffcc86c417c072aa74d649202
Grant Number
UF150412
Subjects
Science & Technology
Physical Sciences
Astronomy & Astrophysics
Classical T Tauri stars
Stellar accretion
Hydrodynamical simulations
Light curve classification
Publication Status
Published
Article Number
ARTN 16
Date Publish Online
2021-02-09