Chromospheric activity of southern stars from the magellan planet search program

Abstract

I present chromospheric-activity measurements of ∼ 670 F, G, K, and M main-sequence stars in the Southern Hemisphere, from 8000 archival high-resolution echelle spectra taken at Las Campanas Observatory since 2004. These stars were targets from the Old Magellan Planet Search, and are now potential targets for the New Magellan Planet Search that will look for rocky and habitable planets. Activity indices (S values) are derived from Ca II HandK line cores and then converted to the Mount Wilson system. From these measurements, chromospheric (log R′HK) indices are derived, which are then used as indicators of the level of radial-velocity jitter, age, and rotation periods these stars present. © 2011. The American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved.