An activity catalogue of southern stars

• Published in: Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society 2006-10, Vol.372 (1), p.163-173
• Main Authors: Jenkins, J. S., Jones, H. R. A., Tinney, C. G., Butler, R. P., McCarthy, C., Marcy, G. W., Pinfield, D. J., Carter, B. D., Penny, A. J.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Astronomy; brown dwarfs; Earth, ocean, space; Exact sciences and technology; Extrasolar planets; planetary systems; Spectrum analysis; Stars & galaxies; stars: activity; stars: low-mass; stars: low‐mass, brown dwarfs; Surveying; ultraviolet: stars
• ISSN: 0035-8711; 1365-2966
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2966.2006.10811.x

We have acquired high-resolution echelle spectra of 225 F6-M5 type stars in the Southern hemisphere. The stars are targets or candidates to be targets for the Anglo-Australian Planet Search. Ca ii H& K line cores were used to derive activity indices for all of these objects. The indices were converted to the Mt. Wilson system of measurements and log R′HK values determined. A number of these stars had no previously derived activity indices. In addition, we have also included the stars from Tinney et al. using our Mt. Wilson calibration. The radial-velocity instability (also known as jitter) level was determined for all 21 planet-host stars in our data set. We find the jitter to be at a level considerably below the radial-velocity signatures in all but one of these systems. 19 stars from our sample were found to be active (logR′HK > −4.5) and thus have high levels of jitter. Radial-velocity analysis for planetary companions to these stars should proceed with caution.