Characterisation of starspot structure and differential rotation of Kepler-411

Fuente: arXiv
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Auteurs principaux: Tuomi, Mikko, Haris, András, Hackman, Thomas
Format: Preprint
Publié: 2026
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author Tuomi, Mikko
Haris, András
Hackman, Thomas
author_facet Tuomi, Mikko
Haris, András
Hackman, Thomas
contents Starspots and their movements on stellar surfaces enable investigating the mechanisms of stellar magnetic activity. Information on the spot distribution and differential rotation provide important constraints for the behaviour of stellar magnetic dynamos. We analyse the Kepler photometry of Kepler-411, a known exoplanet host, to determine the distribution and properties of star spots on the stellar surface with two independent and complementary methods: modelling the photometric effect of rotation of spots on the stellar surface and mapping of spots by transiting planets. By constructing a spot model accounting for geometry, differential rotation and spot evolution, we model the spots of the stellar surface giving rise to the observed brightness variations. We also search for evidence for occultations of starspots in high-cadence photometry. Our spot models reproduce the observed photometric variations well and we are able to obtain information on the distribution and movement of spots on the stellar surface. We do not obtain evidence for differential rotation -- the rotational profile is consistent with rigid-body rotation with a period of 10.52$\pm$0.34 days. We detect three occultations of spots by planet c. The positions of these spots coincide well with the positions of larger spot structures identified by our modelling of the rotational modulation of the light curve.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2602_09224
institution arXiv
publishDate 2026
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Characterisation of starspot structure and differential rotation of Kepler-411
Tuomi, Mikko
Haris, András
Hackman, Thomas
Solar and Stellar Astrophysics
Earth and Planetary Astrophysics
Starspots and their movements on stellar surfaces enable investigating the mechanisms of stellar magnetic activity. Information on the spot distribution and differential rotation provide important constraints for the behaviour of stellar magnetic dynamos. We analyse the Kepler photometry of Kepler-411, a known exoplanet host, to determine the distribution and properties of star spots on the stellar surface with two independent and complementary methods: modelling the photometric effect of rotation of spots on the stellar surface and mapping of spots by transiting planets. By constructing a spot model accounting for geometry, differential rotation and spot evolution, we model the spots of the stellar surface giving rise to the observed brightness variations. We also search for evidence for occultations of starspots in high-cadence photometry. Our spot models reproduce the observed photometric variations well and we are able to obtain information on the distribution and movement of spots on the stellar surface. We do not obtain evidence for differential rotation -- the rotational profile is consistent with rigid-body rotation with a period of 10.52$\pm$0.34 days. We detect three occultations of spots by planet c. The positions of these spots coincide well with the positions of larger spot structures identified by our modelling of the rotational modulation of the light curve.
title Characterisation of starspot structure and differential rotation of Kepler-411
topic Solar and Stellar Astrophysics
Earth and Planetary Astrophysics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2602.09224