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Peer-reviewedCC BY 4.0The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series

The Connection between Flares and Starspots on M Dwarfs Based on TESS Photometry

  • Chunxiang Wang1
  • Jiaxin Wang1
  • Yanjun He2
  • Heyu Sun1
  • Yu Pan1
  • Xianju Zhou1
  • Shichang Li1
  • Yirong Ma1
  1. 1Chongqing University of Posts and Telecommunications
  2. 2Southwest Jiaotong University
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Abstract

This study uses Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite photometry to investigate the relationship between flare characteristics and starspot features on M dwarfs. From the light curves, we identified 12,661 flare events on 2699 M dwarfs. For these flares, we extracted parameters such as flare energy, rise time, and decay time. Additionally, we applied a spot model to light curves exhibiting spot modulation to derive the photometric amplitude and spot distribution complexity. Our analysis revealed four correlations: (1) flare energy is positively correlated with spot size; (2) the flare rate initially increases steeply, then declines gradually as spot size increases, a trend whose robustness is confirmed through Monte Carlo uncertainty analysis and independent flare frequency distribution power-law fits; (3) there is no significant correlation between flare energy and spot complexity distribution; and (4) most importantly, the flare rate increases with spot distribution complexity before reaching a peak and subsequently showing a slow decline. These results suggest that spot size is associated with flare energetics, while the spatial distribution of spots, which may reflect the large-scale magnetic field configuration, could play a role in determining the flare rate. These correlations provide an observational clue to the influence of large-scale magnetic field structure on flare triggering.

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Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@article{wang2026connection,
  title = {{The Connection between Flares and Starspots on M Dwarfs Based on TESS Photometry}},
  author = {Chunxiang Wang and Jiaxin Wang and Yanjun He and Heyu Sun and Yu Pan and Xianju Zhou and Shichang Li and Yirong Ma},
  journal = {The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series},
  year = {2026},
  month = oct,
  doi = {10.3847/1538-4365/aeaa56},
  url = {https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/1538-4365/aeaa56},
  note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY  - JOUR
TI  - The Connection between Flares and Starspots on M Dwarfs Based on TESS Photometry
AU  - Chunxiang Wang
AU  - Jiaxin Wang
AU  - Yanjun He
AU  - Heyu Sun
AU  - Yu Pan
AU  - Xianju Zhou
AU  - Shichang Li
AU  - Yirong Ma
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/10/16
JO  - The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series
DO  - 10.3847/1538-4365/aeaa56
UR  - https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/1538-4365/aeaa56
AB  - This study uses Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite photometry to investigate the relationship between flare characteristics and starspot features on M dwarfs. From the light curves, we identified 12,661 flare events on 2699 M dwarfs. For these flares, we extracted parameters such as flare energy, rise time, and decay time. Additionally, we applied a spot model to light curves exhibiting spot modulation to derive the photometric amplitude and spot distribution complexity. Our analysis revealed four correlations: (1) flare energy is positively correlated with spot size; (2) the flare rate initially increases steeply, then declines gradually as spot size increases, a trend whose robustness is confirmed through Monte Carlo uncertainty analysis and independent flare frequency distribution power-law fits; (3) there is no significant correlation between flare energy and spot complexity distribution; and (4) most importantly, the flare rate increases with spot distribution complexity before reaching a peak and subsequently showing a slow decline. These results suggest that spot size is associated with flare energetics, while the spatial distribution of spots, which may reflect the large-scale magnetic field configuration, could play a role in determining the flare rate. These correlations provide an observational clue to the influence of large-scale magnetic field structure on flare triggering.
SN  - 0067-0049
SN  - 1538-4365
ER  -