Magnetic cycles of the planet-hosting star tau Bootis - II. A second magnetic polarity reversal

In this paper, we present new spectropolarimetric observations of the planet-hosting star tau Bootis, using ESPaDOnS and Narval spectropolarimeters at Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope and Telescope Bernard Lyot, respectively.

We detected the magnetic field of the star at three epochs in 2008. It has a weak magnetic field of only a few gauss, oscillating between a predominant toroidal component in January and a dominant poloidal component in June and July. A magnetic polarity reversal was observed relative to the magnetic topology in 2007 June. This is the second such reversal observed in 2 years on this star, suggesting that tau Boo has a magnetic cycle of about 2 years. This is the first detection of a magnetic cycle for a star other than the Sun. The role of the close-in massive planet in the short activity cycle of the star is questioned.

tau Boo has a strong differential rotation, a common trend for stars with shallow convective envelope. At latitude 40 degrees, the surface layer of the star rotates in 3.31 d, equal to the orbital period. Synchronization suggests that the tidal effects induced by the planet may be strong enough to force at least the thin convective envelope into corotation.

tau Boo shows variability in the Ca II H & K and H alpha throughout the night and on a night-to-night time-scale. We do not detect enhancement in the activity of the star that may be related to the conjunction of the planet. Further data are needed to conclude about the activity enhancement due to the planet.