Characterization of stellar activity through spot mapping

• Grant number: 25/12393-4
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: July 01, 2025
• End date: June 30, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Astronomy - Stellar Astrophysics
• Principal Investigator: Adriana Benetti Marques Valio
• Grantee: Artur Arenque da Silva Junior
• Host Institution: Escola de Engenharia (EE). Universidade Presbiteriana Mackenzie (UPM). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 21/02120-0 - Investigation of high energy and plasma astrophysics phenomena, installation of the ASTRI-Mini Array & construction of the Cherenkov Telescope Array Small Size Telescopes (CTA-SSTs), AP.ESP

Abstract

This project aims to understand stellar activity through the characterization of surface features such as spots and faculae, based on the modeling of signatures in the star's light curve. From this modeling, properties such as size, intensity, and position on the stellar surface can be estimated, as well as the star's rotation and differential rotation. This will make it possible to identify potentially active stars with one or more transiting planets in Kepler or TESS data. Subsequently, the codes for data extraction and spot identification will be applied to the star's light curve.