Stellar wind interaction and pick-up ion escape of the Kepler-11 “super-Earths”

Abstract Planetary habitability is in part determined by the atmospheric evolution of a planet; one key component of such evolution is escape of heavy ions to space. Ion-loss processes are sensitive to the plasma environment of the planet, dictated by the stellar wind and stellar radiation. These conditions are likely to vary from what we observe in our own Solar system when considering a planet in the habitable zone around an M-dwarf. Here, we use a hybrid global plasma model to perform a systematic study of the changing plasma environment and ion escape as a function of stellar input conditions, which are designed to mimic those of potentially habitable planets orbiting M-dwarfs. We begin with a nominal case of a solar wind experienced at Mars today, and incrementally modify the interplanetary magnetic field orientation and strength, dynamic pressure, and Extreme Ultraviolet input. We find that both ion-loss morphology and overall rates vary significantly, and in cases where the stellar wind pressure was increased, the ion loss began to be diffusion or production limited with roughly half of all produced ions being lost. This limit implies that extreme care must be taken when extrapolating loss processes observed in the Solar system to extreme environments.

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Atmospheric escape from the TRAPPIST-1 planets and implications for habitability

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences ◽

10.1073/pnas.1708010115 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 115 (2) ◽

pp. 260-265 ◽

Cited By ~ 71

Author(s):

Chuanfei Dong ◽

Meng Jin ◽

Manasvi Lingam ◽

Vladimir S. Airapetian ◽

Yingjuan Ma ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Numerical Simulations ◽

Stellar Wind ◽

Planetary Surface ◽

Dwarf Star ◽

Atmospheric Escape ◽

Outer Planets ◽

Ion Escape ◽

The Many ◽

Long Timescales ◽

Good Agreement

The presence of an atmosphere over sufficiently long timescales is widely perceived as one of the most prominent criteria associated with planetary surface habitability. We address the crucial question of whether the seven Earth-sized planets transiting the recently discovered ultracool dwarf star TRAPPIST-1 are capable of retaining their atmospheres. To this effect, we carry out numerical simulations to characterize the stellar wind of TRAPPIST-1 and the atmospheric ion escape rates for all of the seven planets. We also estimate the escape rates analytically and demonstrate that they are in good agreement with the numerical results. We conclude that the outer planets of the TRAPPIST-1 system are capable of retaining their atmospheres over billion-year timescales. The consequences arising from our results are also explored in the context of abiogenesis, biodiversity, and searches for future exoplanets. In light of the many unknowns and assumptions involved, we recommend that these conclusions must be interpreted with due caution.

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GJ 436b and the stellar wind interaction: simulations constraints using Lyα and Hα transits

Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society ◽

10.1093/mnras/staa3867 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Carolina Villarreal D’Angelo ◽

Aline A Vidotto ◽

Alejandro Esquivel ◽

Gopal Hazra ◽

Allison Youngblood

Keyword(s):

Mass Loss ◽

Stellar Wind ◽

Planetary System ◽

Neutral Hydrogen ◽

Hydrogen Atmosphere ◽

Planetary Atmosphere ◽

Hydrodynamic Simulations ◽

Stellar Disc ◽

Planetary Mass ◽

Best Fit

Abstract The GJ 436 planetary system is an extraordinary system. The Neptune-size planet that orbits the M3 dwarf revealed in the Lyα line an extended neutral hydrogen atmosphere. This material fills a comet-like tail that obscures the stellar disc for more than 10 hours after the planetary transit. Here, we carry out a series of 3D radiation hydrodynamic simulations to model the interaction of the stellar wind with the escaping planetary atmosphere. With these models, we seek to reproduce the $\sim 56\%$ absorption found in Lyα transits, simultaneously with the lack of absorption in Hα transit. Varying the stellar wind strength and the EUV stellar luminosity, we search for a set of parameters that best fit the observational data. Based on Lyα observations, we found a stellar wind velocity at the position of the planet to be around [250-460] km s−1 with a temperature of [3 − 4] × 105 K. The stellar and planetary mass loss rates are found to be 2 × 10−15 M⊙ yr−1 and ∼[6 − 10] × 109 g s−1, respectively, for a stellar EUV luminosity of [0.8 − 1.6] × 1027 erg s−1. For the parameters explored in our simulations, none of our models present any significant absorption in the Hα line in agreement with the observations.

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Monte Carlo simulations of fast Newtonian and mildly relativistic shock breakout from a stellar wind

Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society ◽

10.1093/mnras/staa3125 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 499 (4) ◽

pp. 4961-4971

Author(s):

Hirotaka Ito ◽

Amir Levinson ◽

Ehud Nakar

Keyword(s):

Monte Carlo ◽

Monte Carlo Simulations ◽

Stellar Wind ◽

Compact Star ◽

Strong Dependence ◽

Shock Velocity ◽

Light Curves ◽

Ultraviolet Emission ◽

Relativistic Shocks ◽

Strong Explosion

ABSTRACT Strong explosion of a compact star surrounded by a thick stellar wind drives a fast (>0.1c) radiation mediated shock (RMS) that propagates in the wind, and ultimately breaks out gradually once photons start escaping from the shock transition layer. In exceptionally strong or aspherical explosions, the shock velocity may even be relativistic. The properties of the breakout signal depend on the dynamics and structure of the shock during the breakout phase. Here we present, for the first time, spectra and light curves of the breakout emission of fast Newtonian and mildly relativistic shocks, that were calculated using self-consistent Monte Carlo simulations of finite RMS with radiative losses. We find a strong dependence of the νFν peak on shock velocity, ranging from ∼1 keV for vs/c = 0.1 to ∼100 keV for vs/c = 0.5, with a shift to lower energies as losses increase. For all cases studied the spectrum below the peak exhibits a nearly flat component (Fν ∼ ν0) that extends down to the break frequency below which absorption becomes important. This implies much bright optical/ultraviolet emission than hitherto expected. The computed light curves show a gradual rise over tens to hundreds of seconds for representative conditions. The application to SN 2008D/XRT 080109 and the detectability limits are also discussed. We predict a detection rate of about one per year with eROSITA.

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Chemical Abundances of Early Type Stars

Symposium - International Astronomical Union ◽

10.1017/s007418090011486x ◽

1998 ◽

Vol 188 ◽

pp. 224-225

Author(s):

S. Tanaka ◽

S. Kitamoto ◽

T. Suzuki ◽

K. Torii ◽

M.F. Corcoran ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Surface Layer ◽

Stellar Wind ◽

Nuclear Reactions ◽

X Rays ◽

Early Type ◽

Chemical Abundances ◽

X Ray ◽

Low Metallicity ◽

Early Type Stars

X-rays from early-type stars are emitted by the corona or the stellar wind. The materials in the surface layer of early-type stars are not contaminated by nuclear reactions in the stellar inside. Therefore, abundance study of the early-type stars provides us an information of the abundances of the original gas. However, the X-ray observations indicate low-metallicity, which is about 0.3 times of cosmic abundances. This fact raises the problem on the cosmic abundances.

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Evolution of O stars and the WR connection

Symposium - International Astronomical Union ◽

10.1017/s0074180900013838 ◽

1979 ◽

Vol 83 ◽

pp. 431-445 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Peter S. Conti

Keyword(s):

Mass Loss ◽

Stellar Wind ◽

High Luminosity ◽

Loss Mechanism ◽

Evolutionary Scenario ◽

Processed Material ◽

Dominant Process ◽

Highly Evolved ◽

Loss Rates ◽

Enriched Composition

The stellar wind mass loss rates of at least some single Of type stars appear to be sufficient to remove much if not all of the hydrogen-rich envelope such that nuclear processed material is observed at the surface. This highly evolved state can then be naturally associated with classic Population I WR stars that have properties of high luminosity for their mass, helium enriched composition, and nitrogen or carbon enhanced abundances. If stellar wind mass loss is the dominant process involved in this evolutionary scenario, then stars with properties intermediate between Of and WR types should exist. The stellar parameters of luminosity, temperature, mass and composition are briefly reviewed for both types. All late WN stars so far observed are relatively luminous like Of stars, and also contain hydrogen. All early WN stars, and WC stars, are relatively faint and contain little or no hydrogen. The late WN stars seem to have the intermediate properties required if a stellar wind is the dominant mass loss mechanism that transforms an Of star to a WR type.

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Physical Processes in Nebular Shells and the Interpretation of Nebular Spectra

Symposium - International Astronomical Union ◽

10.1017/s0074180900093694 ◽

1983 ◽

Vol 103 ◽

pp. 219-227

Author(s):

J. Patrick Harrington

Keyword(s):

Charge Transfer ◽

Simple Model ◽

Stellar Wind ◽

High Velocity ◽

Planetary Nebulae ◽

Geometrical Parameters ◽

Stellar Winds ◽

Physical Processes ◽

Rapid Cooling ◽

Particle Distributions

Computed models are now recognized as useful tools for interpretation of the spectra of planetary nebulae. However, even the most detailed models need geometrical parameters such as filling factors which are poorly determined by observations. Some effects may be seen more clearly by modeling the stratification than by just using total fluxes. A simple model for NGC 6720 is presented which reproduces the behavior of (Ne III) λ3869 observed by Hawley and Miller (1977), clearly showing the effects of charge transfer. The behavior of C II λ4267 remains puzzling. Finally, we comment on the interaction of high velocity stellar winds with nebular shells. Non-equilibrium particle distributions at the contact between the shocked stellar wind and the nebula may result in the rapid cooling of the shocked gas.

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Circumstellar environment of 55 Cancri

Astronomy and Astrophysics ◽

10.1051/0004-6361/201937186 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 633 ◽

pp. A48 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

C. P. Folsom ◽

D. Ó Fionnagáin ◽

L. Fossati ◽

A. A. Vidotto ◽

C. Moutou ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Magnetic Field ◽

Stellar Wind ◽

Large Scale ◽

Rotation Axis ◽

Doppler Imaging ◽

Magnetic Pole ◽

Average Strength ◽

Detailed Understanding ◽

The Magnetic Field ◽

Circumstellar Environment

Context. 55 Cancri hosts five known exoplanets, most notably the hot super-Earth 55 Cnc e, which is one of the hottest known transiting super-Earths. Aims. Because of the short orbital separation and host star brightness, 55 Cnc e provides one of the best opportunities for studying star-planet interactions (SPIs). We aim to understand possible SPIs in this system, which requires a detailed understanding of the stellar magnetic field and wind impinging on the planet. Methods. Using spectropolarimetric observations and Zeeman Doppler Imaging, we derived a map of the large-scale stellar magnetic field. We then simulated the stellar wind starting from the magnetic field map, using a 3D magneto-hydrodynamic model. Results. The map of the large-scale stellar magnetic field we derive has an average strength of 3.4 G. The field has a mostly dipolar geometry; the dipole is tilted by 90° with respect to the rotation axis and the dipolar strength is 5.8 G at the magnetic pole. The wind simulations based on this magnetic geometry lead us to conclude that 55 Cnc e orbits inside the Alfvén surface of the stellar wind, implying that effects from the planet on the wind can propagate back to the stellar surface and result in SPI.

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