F. R. Harnden | Searcharxiv

arXiv2004

High Resolution X-ray Spectroscopy of Pre-Main-Sequence Stars: TWA 5 and PZ Tel

We report on the analysis of high resolution X-ray spectra of two pre-main-sequence stars: TWA 5 (observed with XMM-Newton) and PZ Telescopii (observed with Chandra/HETGS). TWA 5 is a classical T Tauri star in the TW Hydrae association while PZ Tel is a rapidly rotating weak-lined T Tauri star in the beta-Pictoris moving group. For both stars we have reconstructed the emission measure distribution and derived the coronal abundances to check for possible patterns of the abundances related to the first ionization potential of the various elements. We have also derived estimates of the plasma density from the analysis of the He-like triplets. We compare the characteristics of our targets with those of other pre-main sequence stars previously analyzed by other authors: TW Hya, HD 98800 and HD 283572. Our findings suggest that X-ray emission from classical T Tauri and weak-lined T Tauri stars is produced in all cases by magnetically-heated coronae, except for TW Hya which has unique plasma temperatures and densities. Moreover we derive that TWA 5 has the same peculiar Ne/Fe abundance ratio as TW Hya.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2004

High Resolution X-ray Spectroscopy of the Post-T Tauri Star PZ Tel

We present an analysis of the Chandra High Energy Transmission Grating Spectrometer observation of the rapidly rotating P_(rot)=0.94 d post T Tauri (~20 Myr old) star PZ Telescopii, in the Tucana association. Using two different methods we have derived the coronal emission measure distribution, em(T), and chemical abundances. The em(T) peaks at log T = 6.9 and exhibits a significant emission measure at temperatures log T > 7. The coronal abundances are generally ~0.5 times the solar photospheric values that are presumed fairly representative of the composition of the underlying star. A minimum in abundance is seen at a first ionization potential (FIP) of 7-8 eV, with evidence for higher abundances at both lower and higher FIP, similar to patterns seen in other active stars. From an analysis of the He-like triplet of Mg XI we have estimated electron densities of ~10^(12)-10^(13) cm^(-3). All the coronal properties found for PZ Tel are much more similar to those of AB Dor, which is slightly older than PZ Tel, than to those of the younger T Tauri star TW Hya. These results support earlier conclusions that the soft X-ray emission of TW Hya is likely dominated by accretion activity rather than by a magnetically-heated corona. Our results also suggest that the coronae of pre-main sequence stars rapidly become similar to those of older active main-sequence stars soon after the accretion stage has ended.

astro-ph↗