Linking Thin Flux Tube MHD Models to Apparent Stellar Surface Activity

Abstract

We model thin magnetic flux tubes as they rise from the bottom of a stellar convection zone to the photosphere. On emergence they form active regions, i.e. star spots. This model was very successfully applied to the solar case, where the simulations where in agreement with the butterfly diagram, Joy's law, and Hale's law. We propose the use of a similar model to describe stellar activity in the more extreme form found on active stars. A comparison between Doppler-images of well-observed pre-MS stars and a theoretically derived probability of star-spot formation as a function of latitude is presented.