Photometric activity cycles in fast-rotating stars: revisiting the reality of stellar activity cycle branches

ABSTRACT We aim to detect activity cycles in young main-sequence stars, analogous to the 11-yr solar cycle, using combined photometric survey data. This research will enhance our understanding of how cycle periods relate to rotation rates in fast-rotating stars. We measured activity cycles for 138 G–K-type main-sequence stars using combined time-series photometry spanning $\sim$14 yr. The first set of 70 stars used data from Kepler Full Frame Images (FFIs)–ASAS-SN–ZTF, and the second set of 68 stars used data from Kepler-FFIs–ZTF. Additionally, we measured the activity cycles for 25 RS CVn candidates. For our sample, we analysed the correlation or anticorrelation between flux variations and photospheric activity, which arises due to presence of faculae or starspots. We identified fast-rotating K-type stars that are faculae-dominated by tracking spot/faculae evolution in Kepler RMS data. Our findings reveal that fast-rotating G–K-type stars show no strong correlation between cycle length and rotation period. Previous studies have identified active and inactive branches in the cycle–rotation diagram. However, we find that G–K-type stars do not show a clear trend aligning with the active branch, with 34 per cent stars falling within the intermediate region between the two branches, where our Sun resides. Our results highlight that the proposed distinction between the two branches may not be as definitive as previously thought, particularly regarding the active branch. Furthermore, we also detected 23 per cent of young Sun-like stars in the intermediate region, where our Sun is located, implying that our Sun may not be unique in this regard.