Abstract. We present the results of an extensive search for periodic and irregular variable pre-main sequence (PMS) stars in the young (2-4 Myr) open cluster NGC 2264, based on photometric monitoring using the Wide Field Imager (WFI) on the 2.2 m telescope on La Silla (Chile). In total, about 10 600 stars with I C magnitudes between 9.8 mag and 21 mag have been monitored in our 34 × 33 field. Time series data were obtained in the I C band in 44 nights between Dec. 2000 and March 2001; altogether we obtained 88 data points per star. Using two different time series analysis techniques (Scargle periodogram and CLEAN) we found 543 periodic variable stars with periods between 0.2 days and 15 days. Also, 484 irregular variable stars were identified using a χ 2 -test. In addition we have carried out nearly simultaneous observations in V, R C and a narrow-band Hα filter. The photometric data enable us to reject background and foreground stars from our sample of variable stars according to their location in the I C vs. (R C − I C ) colour-magnitude and (R C − Hα) vs. (R C − I C ) colour-colour diagrams. We identified 405 periodic variable and 184 irregular variable PMS stars as cluster members using these two different tests. In addition 35 PMS stars for which no significant variability were detected could be identified as members using an Hα emission index criterion. This yields a total of 624 PMS stars in NGC 2264, of which only 182 were previously known. Most of the newly found PMS stars are fainter than I C 15 mag and of late spectral type ( > ∼ M 2). We find that the periodic variables, as a group, have a smaller degree of variability and smaller Hα index than the irregular variables. This suggests that the sample of periodic variables is biased towards weak-line T Tauri stars (WTTSs) while most of the irregular variables are probably classical T Tauri stars (CTTSs). We have quantified this bias and estimated that the expected fraction of WTTSs among PMS stars in the cluster is 77%. This is relatively close to the fraction of WTTSs among the periodic variables which is 85%. We also estimated the total fraction of variables in the cluster using only two well selected concentrations of PMS stars called NGC 2264 N & S in which we can easily estimate the total number of PMS stars. We find that at least 74% of the PMS stars in the cluster with I C ≤ 18.0 mag were found to be variable (either periodic or irregular) by our study. This number shows that our search for PMS stars in NGC 2264 through extensive and accurate photometric monitoring is very efficient in detecting most PMS stars down to at least I C = 18.0 mag.

Abstract. Our study is based on an extensive photometric monitoring program in the young (2-4 Myr) open cluster NGC 2264 by Lamm et al. (2004a). This program resulted in a sample of 405 periodic variables which are most likely pre-main sequence (PMS) members of the cluster. The periodic variability of these stars results from the rotational modulation of the light by stellar spots. In this paper we investigate the rotation period evolution of young stars. This is done by comparing the period distribution of the older NGC 2264 with that of the younger Orion Nebular Cluster (ONC, age: ∼1 Myr) which is known from the literature. The age ratio between the two clusters was estimated on the basis of PMS models to be about 2 +0.75 −0.5 . We find that the period distribution of NGC 2264 is similar in form to the ONC but shifted to shorter periods. In both clusters the period distribution depends strongly on the mass and it is bimodal for higher mass stars with M > ∼ 0.25 M while it is unimodal for lower mass stars with M < ∼ 0.25 M . In addition the lower mass stars rotate much faster on average than the higher mass stars. Quantitative comparison between the period distributions of both clusters suggests that a large fraction (about 80%) of stars have spun up from the age of the ONC to the age of NGC 2264. Based on this estimate and the estimated age ratio between the two clusters we find that the average spin up by a factor of 1.5−1.8 from the age of the ONC to the age of NGC 2264 is consistent with a decreasing stellar radius and conservation of angular momentum, for most stars. However, within NGC 2264 we did not find any significant spin up from the younger to older stars in the cluster. We also found indications for some ongoing disk-locking in NGC 2264, in particular for the higher mass stars. Our analysis of the period distribution suggests that about 30% of the higher mass stars in NGC 2264 could be magnetically locked into co-rotation with their inner disk. In the case of the lower mass stars, disk-locking seems to be less important for the rotational evolution of the stars. This interpretation is supported by the analysis of the stars' Hα emission. This analysis indicates that the locking period of the higher mass stars is about P = 8 days. For the lower mass stars this analysis indicates a locking period of about 2-3 days. We argue that the latter stars are probably not "completely" locked to their disk and propose an evolution scenario for these stars which we call "moderate angular momentum loss". In this scenario angular momentum is continuously removed from the stars but at a rate too low to lock the stars with a constant rotation period. We have done a detailed comparison with the recently published rotational period study of NGC 2264 of Makidon et al. (2004). Even though their obtained period distribution of their quality 1 data on NGC 2264 is indistinguishable within the statistical errors from ours, we come to quite different conclusions about the interpretation. One major reason for these discrepanci...

Results of an international campaign to photometrically monitor the unique pre-main sequence eclipsing object KH 15D are reported. An updated ephemeris for the eclipse is derived that incorporates a slightly revised period of 48.36 d. There is some evidence that the orbital period is actually twice that value, with two eclipses occurring per cycle. The extraordinary depth (∼3.5 mag) and duration (∼18 days) of the eclipse indicate that it is caused by circumstellar matter, presumably the inner portion of a disk. The eclipse has continued to lengthen with time and the central brightness reversals are not as extreme as they once were. V-R and V-I colors indicate that the system is slightly bluer near minimum light. Ingress and egress are remarkably well modeled by the passage of a knife-edge across a limb-darkened star. Possible models for the system are briefly discussed.Subject headings: stars: pre-main sequence -stars: circumstellar matterstars: individual (KH 15D)

firstpage abstract Recent monitoring programs of ultra cool field M and L dwarfs (low mass stars or brown dwarfs) have uncovered low amplitude photometric I-band variations which may be associated with an inhomogeneous distribution of photospheric condensates. Further evidence hints that this distribution may evolve on very short timescales, specifically of order a rotation period or less. In an attempt to study this behaviour in more detail, we have carried out a pilot program to monitor three L dwarfs in the near infrared where these objects are significantly brighter than at shorter wavelengths. We present a robust data analysis method for improving the precision and reliability of infrared photometry. No significant variability was detected in either the J or K bands in 2M1439 and SDSS1203 above a peak-to-peak amplitude of 0.04 mag (0.08 mag for 2M1112). The main limiting factor in achieving lower detection limits is suspected to be second order extinction effects in the Earth's atmosphere, on account of the very different colours of the target and reference stars. Suggestions are given for overcoming such effects which should improve the sensitivity and reliability of infrared variability searches.

We present the results of a photometric monitoring program of pre-main sequence (PMS) stars in the young (2-4 Myr) open cluster NGC 2264 (d=700 pc). We find that the rotation periods are mass dependent and show a bimodal distribution for higher mass stars with M ≳ 0.3 M⊙ and a unimodal distribution for lower mass stars with M ≲ 0.3 M⊙.