Long-term starspot activity of short-period RS Canum Venaticorum stars. IV: WY Cancri

The photometric distortion waves in the short-period RS CVn system WY CnC are parametrized by a dark, circular spot model for the active regions on the primary star. From recent observations and archival sources, the changes in positions and areas of the active regions are inferred. For light curves with simultaneous visual and red or infrared data, the average temperatures of the spotted regions relative to the photosphere are evaluated. In 1989, it is found that T(spot) = 3970 + or - 300 K for a primary star temperature of 5520 K. Some indication is found of a nonuniform temperature distribution in longitude across the spotted area at this time. The active regions tend to occur at low latitudes, in contrast to the high latitudes previously found for SV Cam, RT And, and BH Vir. It is found again that the active regions fall into preferred longitudes near 90 and 270 deg. 27 refs.