Flare activity on low-mass eclipsing binary GJ 3236

Abstract

We report the discovery of optical flares on the very low-mass red-dwarf eclipsing binary GJ 3236 and the results of our 2014–2016 photometric campaign. In total, this binary was monitored photometrically in all filters for about 900 h, which has revealed a flare rate of about 0.06 flares per hour. The amplitude of its flares is the largest among those detected in the V band (∼1.3 mag), R band (∼0.8 mag), I band (∼0.2 mag) and clear band (∼0.5 mag). The light curves of GJ 3236 were analysed and the statistics of detected flare events are presented. The energy released during individual flares was calculated as up to 2.4 × 1027 J and compared with other known active stars. The cumulative distribution of flare energies appears to follow a broken power law. The flare activity of this binary also plays an important role in the precise determination of its physical parameters and evolutionary status.