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Issue A&A
Volume 379, Number 1, November III 2001
Page(s) L30 - L33
Section Letters
DOI http://dx.doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361:20011359



A&A 379, L30-L33 (2001)
DOI: 10.1051/0004-6361:20011359

The first close-up of the "flip-flop" phenomenon in a single star

H. Korhonen1, S. V. Berdyugina1, K. G. Strassmeier2 and I. Tuominen1

1  Astronomy Division, PO Box 3000, 90014 University of Oulu, Finland
2  Astrophysikalisches Institut Potsdam, An der Sternwarte 16, 14482 Potsdam, Germany

(Received 3 September 2001 / Accepted 1 October 2001 )

Abstract
We present temperature maps of the active late-type giant FK Com which exhibit the first imagining record of the "flip-flop" phenomenon in a single star. The phenomenon, in which the main part of the spot activity shifts 180°in longitude, discovered a decade ago in FK Com, was reported later also in a number of RS CVn binaries and a single young dwarf. With the surface images obtained right before and after the "flip-flop" , we clearly show that the "flip-flop" phenomenon in FK Com is caused by changing the relative strengths of the spot groups at the two active longitudes, with no actual spot movements across the stellar surface, i.e. exactly as it happens in other active stars.


Key words: stars: activity -- imaging -- individual: FK Com -- late-type -- starspots

Offprint request: H. Korhonen, heidi.korhonen@oulu.fi

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© ESO 2001


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