Balmer Line Profiles Variations in FK Comae and SU Aurigae

J.M. Oliveira1,2, B.H. Foing2, Y.C. Unruh3 and the MUSICOS collaboration

1 Centro de Astrofísica da Universidade do Porto, Portugal
2 Solar System Division, ESA Space Science Department, ESTEC/ESA, The Netherlands
3 Institut of Astronomy, University of Vienna, Austria


We present results on the variability of the Balmer line profiles in two very different stars, an ultra-fast rotator, FK Comae, and a classical T Tauri star, SU Aurigae. The data were obtained during the 96 MUSICOS campaign and also with the MUSICOS spectrograph at the INT in May 97.

FK Comae is a G5 II solar-type active giant. It has an extreme rotational velocity near break up. This star presents a very broad and variable Halpha profile. We analyse these profiles as arising from emission from loop-like structures extending to several stellar radii, anchored in active regions on the stellar photosphere.

SU Aur is a classical T Tauri star that shows little veiling and few emission lines. The Balmer line profiles are very variable, even in short time scales. We present results on a preliminary modelling of this line, based on this new data set, attempting to describe the interaction of the stellar magnetosphere and the accretion disc.


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