Recurrent Strong Outbursts of an EXor-like Young Eruptive Star Gaia20eae

We present follow-up photometric and spectroscopic observations, and subsequent analysis of Gaia20eae. This source triggered photometric alerts during 2020 after showing a similar to 3 mag increase in its brightness. Its Gaia Alert light curve showed the shape of a typical eruptive young star. We carried out observations to confirm Gaia20eae as an eruptive young star and classify it. Its pre-outburst spectral energy distribution shows that Gaia20eae is a moderately embedded Class II object with L-bol = 7.22L(circle dot). The color-color and color-magnitude diagrams indicate that the evolution in the light curve is mostly gray. Multiple epochs of the H alpha line profile suggest an evolution of the accretion rate and winds. The near-infrared spectra display several emission lines, a feature typical of EX Lupi-type (EXor) eruptive young stars. We estimated the mass accretion rate during the dimming phase to be M = 3-8 x 10(-7) M-circle dot yr(-1), higher than typical T Tauri stars of similar mass and comparable to other EXors. We conclude Gaia20eae is a new EXor-type candidate.