Coronal Variability in the Young Cluster NGC 2516

• Published in: The Astrophysical journal 2004-05, Vol.606 (1), p.466-482
• Main Authors: Wolk, S. J, Harnden, Jr., F. R, Murray, S. S, Adams, N. R, Damiani, F, Flaccomio, E, Micela, G, Sciortino, S, Jeffries, R. D
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 0004-637X; 1538-4357
• DOI: 10.1086/382745

NGC 2516 has been observed by Chandra several times in order to correct the plate scale of the spacecraft's focal plane instruments. Because of this, Chandra has observed NGC 2516 with all four imaging arrangements available. In addition, NGC 2516 has been observed as part of the High Resolution Camera (HRC) guaranteed time program and is scheduled for return plate scale calibration visits. This makes it the best cluster to study for long-term variability. NGC 2516 is about 140 Myr old and less than 400 pc away. In our first paper, we discussed the detection of 150 X-ray sources (42% of which are identified as cluster members) in the calibration data taken during the orbital activation phase of the Chandra mission. In our second paper, we combined all the extant data sets and detected 284 sources, more than half of which are considered likely cluster members. In this our third paper, we further explore techniques of combining Advanced CCD Imaging Spectrometer (ACIS) and HRC Chandra data for timing analysis. We have been able to combine almost 70 ks of observation time, spread over five epochs, to study variability in this cluster on multiple timescales. We find that while stochastic variability rates are about the same for all objects in the sample, the timescale for detecting variability is shorter for late-type stars. Both stochastic and flare variability rates seen in NGC 2516 are similar to those seen in younger clusters IC 348, NGC 1333, and M42.