X-Ray Variability in the Pleiades Cluster

G. Micela1, S. Sciortino1 and F.R Harnden Jr.2

1Osservatorio Astronomico di Palermo
2Smithsonian Observatory - Center for Astrophysics


The issue of the variability of the coronal emission is a current problem of stellar physics. Indeed while the Sun exhibits large variability in the X-ray energy band, with amplitude variations of about one order of magnitude during its rotational modulation an its 11-years cycle, stars observed more than once with ROSAT and EINSTEIN vary (excluding flares) at most by a factor two.

Here, we present a preliminary report of a comprehensive variability analysis of X-ray observations of Pleiades clusters. Taking advantage of IPC obervations (obtained in 1981), of pointed PSPC observations (obtained in 1991) and the more recent HRI/ROSAT observations (1994/1996) we have explored a range of time scales up to typical time scale comparable with that of the solar cycle.


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