arXiv subjects

Dúalta Ó Fionnagáin

Publications and source records attributed to Dúalta Ó Fionnagáin.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2024

Magnetic interaction of stellar coronal mass ejections with close-in exoplanets: implication on planetary mass loss and Ly-$α$ transits

Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs) erupting from the host star are expected to have effects on the atmospheric erosion processes of the orbiting planets. For planets with a magnetosphere, the embedded magnetic field in the CMEs is thought to be the most important parameter to affect planetary mass loss. In this work, we investigate the effect of different magnetic field structures of stellar CMEs on the atmosphere of a hot Jupiter with a dipolar magnetosphere. We use a time-dependent 3D radiative magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) atmospheric escape model that self-consistently models the outflow from hot Jupiters magnetosphere and its interaction with stellar CMEs. For our study, we consider three configurations of magnetic field embedded in stellar CMEs -- (a) northward $B_z$ component, (b) southward $B_z$ component, and (c) radial component. {We find that both the CMEs with northward $B_z$ component and southward $B_z$ component increase the planetary mass-loss rate when the CME arrives from the stellar side, with the mass-loss rate remaining higher for the CME with northward $B_z$ component until it arrives at the opposite side.} The largest magnetopause is found for the CME with a southward $B_z$ component when the dipole and the CME magnetic field have the same direction. We also find that during the passage of a CME, the planetary magnetosphere goes through three distinct changes - (1) compressed magnetosphere, (2) enlarged magnetosphere, and (3) relaxed magnetosphere for all three considered CME configurations. We compute synthetic Ly-$α$ transits at different times during the passage of the CMEs. The synthetic Ly-$α$ transit absorption generally increases when the CME is in interaction with the planet for all three magnetic configurations. The maximum Ly-$α$ absorption is found for the radial CME case when the magnetosphere is the most compressed.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2021

Observing Jupiter's radio emissions using multiple LOFAR stations: a first case study of the Io-decametric emission using the Irish IE613, French FR606 and German DE604 stations

The Low Frequency Array (LOFAR) is an international radio telescope array, consisting of 38 stations in the Netherlands and 14 international stations spread over Europe. Here we present an observation method to study the jovian decametric radio emissions from several LOFAR stations (here DE604, FR606 and IE613), at high temporal and spectral resolution. This method is based on prediction tools, such as radio emission simulations and probability maps, and data processing. We report an observation of Io-induced decametric emission from June 2021, and a first case study of the substructures that compose the macroscopic emissions (called millisecond bursts). The study of these bursts make it possible to determine the electron populations at the origin of these emissions. We then present several possible future avenues for study based on these observations. The methodology and study perspectives described in this paper can be applied to new observations of jovian radio emissions induced by Io, but also by Ganymede or Europa, or jovian auroral radio emissions.

astro-ph.EP↗

arXiv2021

Coronal mass ejections and type II radio emission variability during a magnetic cycle on the solar-type star $ε$ Eridani

We simulate possible stellar coronal mass ejection (CME) scenarios over the magnetic cycle of $ε$ Eridani (18 Eridani; HD 22049). We use three separate epochs from 2008, 2011, and 2013, and estimate the radio emission frequencies associated with these events. These stellar eruptions have proven to be elusive, although a promising approach to detect and characterise these phenomena are low-frequency radio observations of potential type II bursts as CME induced shocks propagate through the stellar corona. Stellar type II radio bursts are expected to emit below 450 MHz, similarly to their solar counterparts. We show that the length of time these events remain above the ionospheric cutoff is not necessarily dependent on the stellar magnetic cycle, but more on the eruption location relative to the stellar magnetic field. We find that these type II bursts would remain within the frequency range of LOFAR for a maximum of 20-30 minutes post-eruption for the polar CMEs, (50 minutes for 2nd harmonics). We find evidence of slower equatorial CMEs, which result in slightly longer observable windows for the 2008 and 2013 simulations. Stellar magnetic geometry and strength has a significant effect on the detectability of these events. We place the CMEs in the context of the stellar mass-loss rate (27-48 $\times$ solar mass-loss rate), showing that they can amount to 3-50% of the stellar wind mass-loss rate for $ε$ Eridani. Continuous monitoring of likely stellar CME candidates with low-frequency radio telescopes will be required to detect these transient events.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2021

Planet-induced radio emission from the coronae of M dwarfs

There have recently been detections of radio emission from low-mass stars, some of which are indicative of star-planet interactions. Motivated by these exciting new results, here we present stellar wind models for the active planet-hosting M dwarf AU Mic. Our models incorporate the large-scale photospheric magnetic field map of the star, reconstructed using the Zeeman-Doppler Imaging method. We use our models to assess if planet-induced radio emission could be generated in the corona of AU Mic, through a mechanism analogous to the sub-Alfvénic Jupiter-Io interaction. In the case that AU Mic has a mass-loss rate of 27 times that of the Sun, we find that both planets b and c in the system can induce radio emission from 10 MHz to 3 GHz in the corona of the host star for the majority of their orbits, with peak flux densities of 10 mJy. Our predicted emission bears a striking similarity to that recently reported from GJ 1151 by Vedantham et al. (2020), which is indicative of being induced by a planet. Detection of such radio emission would allow us to place an upper limit on the mass-loss rate of the star.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2021

Planet-induced radio emission from the coronae of M dwarfs: the case of Prox Cen and AU Mic

There have recently been detections of radio emission from low-mass stars, some of which are indicative of star-planet interactions. Motivated by these exciting new results, in this paper we present Alfvén wave-driven stellar wind models of the two active planet-hosting M dwarfs Prox Cen and AU Mic. Our models incorporate large-scale photospheric magnetic field maps reconstructed using the Zeeman-Doppler Imaging method. We obtain a mass-loss rate of $0.25~\dot{M}_{\odot}$ for the wind of Prox Cen. For the young dwarf AU Mic, we explore two cases: a low and high mass-loss rate. Depending on the properties of the Alfvén waves which heat the corona in our wind models, we obtain mass-loss rates of $27$ and $590~\dot{M}_{\odot}$ for AU Mic. We use our stellar wind models to assess the generation of electron cyclotron maser instability emission in both systems, through a mechanism analogous to the sub-Alfvénic Jupiter-Io interaction. For Prox Cen we do not find any feasible scenario where the planet can induce radio emission in the star's corona, as the planet orbits too far from the star in the super-Alfvénic regime. However, in the case that AU Mic has a stellar wind mass-loss rate of $27~\dot{M}_{\odot}$, we find that both planets b and c in the system can induce radio emission from $\sim10$ MHz to 3 GHz in the corona of the host star for the majority of their orbits, with peak flux densities of $\sim10$ mJy. Detection of such radio emission would allow us to place an upper limit on the mass-loss rate of the star.

astro-ph.SR↗