Analysis of MOST light curves of five young stars in Taurus–Auriga and Lupus 3 star-forming regions

Abstract

Continuous photometric observations of five young stars obtained by the MOST satellite in 2009 and 2010 in the Taurus and Lupus star formation regions are presented. Using light-curve modelling under the assumption of internal invariability of spots, we obtained small values of the solar-type differential-rotation parameter (k = 0.0005–0.009) for three spotted weak-line T Tauri stars, V410 Tau, V987 Tau and Lupus 3-14; for another spotted weak-line T Tauri star (WTTS), Lupus 3-48, the data are consistent with a rigidly rotating surface (k = 0). Three flares of similar rise (4 min and 30 s) and decay (1 h and 45 min) times were detected in the light curve of Lupus 3-14. The brightness of the classical T Tauri star RY Tau continuously decreased over 3 weeks of its observations with a variable modulation not showing any obvious periodic signal.