Evolved, single, slowly rotating ... but magnetically active - The G8-giant HR 1362 = EK Eridani revisited

We rediscuss the unusual case of the slowly rotating late-type giant HR 136 2, which exhibits a very unusual high level of magnetic activity. New BVRI photometry from two robotic telescopes from 1991 through 1998 together with previously published photometric data gives a very precise photometric per iod of 306.9+/-0.4 days. With the aid of high-resolution (R=120,000) optica l spectra and the Hipparcos parallax we redetermine the absolute parameters of HR 1362 and find it to be a single G8IV-III star of 14 L. and a mass of 1.85 M. with T-eff=5125 K, log g=3.25, and solar abundances. Lithium is no t significantly different from solar and we obtain log n(Li)=1.14 from a de tailed spectrum synthesis including both isotopes at 6708 Angstrom. V sin i and macroturbulence are determined from fits of disk-integrated models to the observed line profiles as well as their Fourier transforms and are 1.5/-0.5 kms(-1) and approximate to 5 km s(-1), respectively. The minimum radi us from v sin i and P-rot is only then in agreement with the spectral class ification and the bolometric luminosity from the Hipparcos parallax if the inclination of the stellar rotation axis is nearly 90 degrees. We concur wi th the arguments of Stepien (1993) that HR 1362 is an evolved Ap star, and therefore the magnetic field is possibly of galactic origin rather than dyn amo generated.