Starspot-induced Optical and Infrared Radial Velocity Variability in T Tauri Star Hubble I 4

Abstract

We report optical (~6150 Å) and K-band (2.3 μm) radial velocities obtained over two years for the pre-main-sequence weak-lined T Tauri star Hubble I 4. We detect periodic and near-sinusoidal radial velocity variations at both wavelengths, with a semi-amplitude of 1395 ± 94 m s^(–1) in the optical and 365 ± 80 m s^(–1) in the infrared. The lower velocity amplitude at the longer wavelength, combined with bisector analysis and spot modeling, indicates that there are large, cool spots on the stellar surface that are causing the radial velocity modulation. The radial velocities maintain phase coherence over hundreds of days suggesting that the starspots are long-lived. This is one of the first active stars where the spot-induced velocity modulation has been resolved in the infrared.

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