Observing and modelling the young solar analogue EK Draconis: starspot distribution, elemental abundances, and evolutionary status

Observations and modelling of stars with near-solar masses in their early phases of evolution are critical for a better understanding of how dynamos of solar-type stars evolve. We examine the chemical composition and the spot distribution of the pre-mainsequence solar analogue EK Dra. Using spectra from the HERMES Spectrograph (La Palma), we obtain the abundances of 23 elements with respect to the solar ones, which lead to a [Fe/H] = 0.03, with significant overabundance of Li and Ba. The s-process elements Sr, Y, and Ce are marginally overabundant, while Co, Ni, Cu, Zn are marginally deficient compared to solar abundances. The overabundance of Ba is most likely due to the assumption of depth-independent microturbulent velocity. Li abundance is consistent with the age and the other abundances may indicate distinct initial conditions of the pre-stellar nebula. We estimate a mass of 1.04 M-circle dot and an age of 27(-8)(+11) Myr using various spectroscopic and photometric indicators. We study the surface distribution of dark spots, using 17 spectra collected during 15 nights using the CAFE Spectrograph (Calar Alto). We also conduct flux emergence and transport (FEAT) simulations for EK Dra's parameters and produce 15-d-averaged synoptic maps of the likely starspot distributions. Using Doppler imaging, we reconstruct the surface brightness distributions for the observed spectra and FEAT simulations, which show overall agreement for polar and mid-latitude spots, while in the simulations there is a lack of low-latitude spots compared to the observed image. We find indications that cross-equatorial extensions of mid-latitude spots can be artefacts of the less visible southern-hemisphere activity.

Automated summary

Observations and modeling of stars with near-solar masses in their early evolution phases are crucial for understanding how solar-type stars evolve. By examining the chemical composition and spot distribution of the pre-mainsequence solar analogue EK Dra, we have obtained insights into the age, mass, and abundance patterns of this star. Additionally, studying the surface brightness distributions and spot simulations have provided further understanding of the evolution and activity of this star.