We present optical, IR and millimeter observations of the solar-type star 13-277, also known as GM Cep, in the 4 Myr-old cluster Tr 37. GM Cep experiences rapid magnitude variations of more than 2 mag at optical wavelengths. We explore the causes of the variability, which seem to be dominated by strong increases in the accretion, being similar to EX-or episodes. The star shows high, variable accretion rates (up to ~10−6 Msun/yr), signs of powerful winds, and it is a very fast rotator (Vsini~43 km/s). Its strong mid-IR excesses reveal a very flared disk and/or a remnant envelope, most likely out of hydrostatic equilibrium. The 1.3 millimeter fluxes suggest a relatively massive disk (Mdisk~0.1 Msun). Nevertheless, the millimeter mass is not enough to sustain increased accretion episodes over large timescales, unless the mass is underestimated due to significant grain growth. We finally explore the possibility of GM Cep having a binary companion, which could trigger disk instabilities producing the enhanced accretion episodes.
@article{arxiv.0710.2491,
title = {The Rapid Outbursting Star GM Cep: An EX-or in Tr 37?},
author = {Aurora Sicilia-Aguilar and Bruno Merin and Felix Hormuth and Peter Abraham and Thomas Henning and Maria Kun and Nimesh Patel and Attila Juhasz and Wolfgang Brandner and Lee Hartmann and Szilard Csizmadia and Attila Moor},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:0710.2491},
year = {2009}
}