Abstract
The star KIC8462852 (Tabby's star) has shown anomalous drops in light flux. We perform a statistical analysis of the more numerous smaller dimming events by using methods found useful for avalanches in ferromagnetism and plastic flow. Scaling exponents for avalanche statistics and temporal profiles of the flux during the dimming events are close to mean field predictions. Scaling collapses suggest that this star may be near a nonequilibrium critical point. The large events are interpreted as avalanches marked by modified dynamics, limited by the system size, and not within the scaling regime.
Original language | English (US) |
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Article number | 261101 |
Journal | Physical review letters |
Volume | 117 |
Issue number | 26 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Dec 19 2016 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- General Physics and Astronomy