The β Pictoris association: Catalog of photometric rotational periods of low-mass members and candidate members^{⋆,⋆⋆,⋆⋆⋆}

¹ INAF-Catania Astrophysical Observatory, via S. Sofia, 78, 95123 Catania, Italy
e-mail: sergio.messina@oact.inaf.it
² York Creek Observatory, Georgetown, 7253 Tasmania, Australia
³ Instituto de Astronomía y Física del Espacio (IAFE-CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
⁴ Departamento de Física, FCEN-Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
⁵ Department of Physics, College of Science, Guizhou University, 550025 Guiyang, PR China
⁶ Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences, Manora Peak, 263129 Nainital, India
⁷ Observatorio Astrónomico de Córdoba, Laprida 854, X5000BGR, Córdoba, Argentina
⁸ Consejo National de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Argentina
⁹ Remote Observatory Atacama Desert (ROAD), Vereniging Voor Sterrenkunde (VVS), Oude Bleken 12, 2400 Mol, Belgium
¹⁰ American Association of Variable Star Observers (AAVSO), Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
¹¹ Harlingten Atacama Observatory, San Pedro de Atacama, Chile
¹² Research Institute Crimean Astrophysical Observatory, 298409 Nauchny, Crimea
¹³ IAU Minor Planet Center code D79, 2 Yandra Street, Vale Park, 5081 South Australia, Australia
¹⁴ Taurus Hill Observatory, 79480 Kangslanpi, Varkaus, Finland
¹⁵ Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope, 65-1238 Mamalahoa Hwy, Kamuela, HI 96743, USA
¹⁶ Klein Karoo Observatory, 6620 Western Cape, South Africa
¹⁷ Zeta UMa Observatory, 28008 Madrid, Spain
¹⁸ Montcabrer Observatory, C/Jaume Balmes, 24, Cabrils, Spain
¹⁹ Southern Stars Observatory, Pamatai, Tahiti, French Polynesia, France
²⁰ Perth Exoplanet Survey Telescope, Western Australia, Australia

Received: 20 June 2016
Accepted: 9 September 2016

Abstract

Aims. We intended to compile the most complete catalog of bona fide members and candidate members of the β Pictoris association, and to measure their rotation periods and basic properties from our own observations, public archives, and exploring the literature.

Methods. We carried out a multi-observatories campaign to get our own photometric time series and collected all archived public photometric data time series for the stars in our catalog. Each time series was analyzed with the Lomb-Scargle and CLEAN periodograms to search for the stellar rotation periods. We complemented the measured rotational properties with detailed information on multiplicity, membership, and projected rotational velocity available in the literature and discussed star by star.

Results. We measured the rotation periods of 112 out of 117 among bona fide members and candidate members of the β Pictoris association and, whenever possible, we also measured the luminosity, radius, and inclination of the stellar rotation axis. This represents to date the largest catalog of rotation periods of any young loose stellar association.

Conclusions. We provided an extensive catalog of rotation periods together with other relevant basic properties useful to explore a number of open issues, such as the causes of spread of rotation periods among coeval stars, evolution of angular momentum, and lithium-rotation connection.