Spectral Line Variability in the Circumstellar Environment of the Classic al T Tauri Star SU Aurigae

Abstract

SU Aurigae is a classical T Tauri star of spectral type G2. This star was one of the scientific targets of the MUSICOS 96 multi-site campaign that provided a wealth of high resolution cross-dispersed spectral data with a good continuous time coverage. We present the results of the analysis of the complex circumstellar environment of this star, with particular regard to magnetospheric models, in which the accretion from the disk is channelled onto the star along magnetic field lines. The signatures of modulated outflows and mass accretion events are present in the spectra, as well as transient spectral features. We computed auto-correlation and cross-correlation functions to better investigate the source of the profiles' variability. The comparison of the profiles of different spectral lines allows us to study the footprints of events effectively observed at different distances from the stellar surface.