VARIABILITY-INDUCED MOTION IN KEPLER DATA

Abstract

Variability-induced motion (VIM) is an observable effect in simultaneous astrometric and photometric measurements caused by brightness variation in one of the components of a double source or blended image, which manifests itself as a strongly correlated shift of the optical photocenter. We have processed the entire collection of Kepler long-cadence light curve data, looking for correlated signals in astrometry and photometry on the time basis of a quarter-year. Limiting the VIM correlation coefficient to 0.3, VIM events are detected for 129,525 Kepler stars in at least one quarter. Of 7305 Kepler objects of interest , 4440 are detected as VIM at least once. Known variable stars and resolved double stars have elevated rates of VIM detection. Confident VIM occurrences are found for stars with suggested superflare events, indicating possible signal contamination. We present a complete catalog of all quarterly VIM detections. This catalog should be checked for such astrophysically significant events as transits of exoplanets, new eclipsing stars, and superflares of solar-type stars.