arXiv subjects

Masanobu Kunitomo

Publications and source records attributed to Masanobu Kunitomo.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Solar Neutrino Flux Fluctuations Caused by Solar Gravity Modes

We have evaluated fluctuations in neutrino fluxes caused by solar gravity (g) modes based on the analysis of linear adiabatic oscillation of a spherically symmetric star. We find that the first-order fluctuation is zero due to geometrical cancellation. We still find that the second-order fluctuation is non-zero, which consists of time-varying and non-time-varying components. The amplitude of the time-varying component is small (${\sim} 10^{-9}$ in relative difference, in the case of $\mathrm{^{8}B}$ neutrino) and well below the detection limits of the current neutrino detectors, when we assume the g-mode amplitude parameter $A_{n \ell}$ to be $10^{-5}$, which corresponds to the assumed maximum relative temperature perturbation inside the Sun. Thus, it is at the moment fair to say that detecting individual solar g-modes via the solar neutrino flux measurement is almost impossible. However, the net increase in the mean neutrino flux that originates from the non-time-varying component could be non-negligible. In particular, since $A_{n \ell}$ may be related to convection amplitude, which could change in accordance with the solar magnetic activity, the total net increase in the neutrino flux, which is proportional to $A_{n \ell}^2$, should also change with the solar activity cycle. Such a long-period variation~(${\sim} 11$~years) in the neutrino flux could thus be interpreted as evidence for a bunch of solar g-modes. Comparison of the theoretical prediction with the solar neutrino measurements by, e.g., Super-Kamiokande, may have a potential to put constraints on the theory of the excitation mechanism of solar g-modes.

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arXiv2025

Formation and disruption of resonant chains of super-Earths: Secular perturbations from outer eccentric embryos

Recent observations have revealed the distribution of orbital period ratios of adjacent planets in multiple super-Earth systems and how these distributions change with time. The aim of this study is to clarify under what conditions the observed features of orbital period ratios of super-Earths can be explained, and to identify what causes the dynamical instability of super-Earths captured into resonant chains. We perform N-body simulations for 100 Myr that follow the formation and orbital evolution of super-Earths originating from a ring of planetary embryos at 1 au from the star. The simulations show that super-Earths undergo inward migration in the disk and are captured into mean-motion resonances with their neighbors. As a result, several resonant pairs form a resonant chain. After disk dispersal, some of these chains become dynamically unstable. In such cases, the final distribution of orbital period ratios and their time evolution can be consistent with recent observations. The instabilities of resonant chains are likely triggered by secular perturbations from embryos that remain on outer orbits beyond 1 au, indicating that not only giant planets but also small embryos can disrupt the resonances among inner super-Earths. We therefore further investigate the secular perturbations from outer embryos using analytic formulas and additional orbital calculations. We discuss the conditions required to excite the eccentricities of inner super-Earths on a timescale of about 100 Myr. These conditions include the need for large eccentricities of the outer embryos, as well as constraints on their masses and semimajor axes.

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arXiv2025

X-ray emission of F-type stars and its analogy with G-type stars

We conducted a systematic spectral study for single F-type main-sequence (MS) stars without significant X-ray outbursts to investigate X-ray spectral properties such as temperature, emission measure (EM), and luminosity (Lx). To this end, 33 single stars with relatively rich X-ray photon statistics were selected by cross-matching large astronomical catalogs of the XMM-Newton source catalog and the Tycho-2 spectral type catalog. A positive correlation was found in the observed EM--EM-weighted temperature relationship as seen in late-type stars and it is also found in the relationship that our single F-type MS star samples have a plasma with an EM-weighted temperature of $\lesssim$1 keV and an EM of $\lesssim$10$^{53}$ cm$^{-3}$ corresponding to Lx of $\lesssim$10$^{30}$~erg~s$^{-1}$. These observational features for the single F-type MS stars are consistent with those of the single G dwarf stars, suggesting that there are no significant differences in their X-ray coronal properties. Additionally, the obtained relationship between the X-ray activity and the Rossby number reinforces this suggestion in the literature. Moreover, the upper bounds in EM and Lx were found to be unique signatures for single stars and not valid for binary stars. Our results suggest that the planetary evolution in terms of the X-ray properties around F-type MS stars can be understood by extending the frameworks developed for G-type stars.

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arXiv2025

Solar models with protosolar accretion and turbulent mixing

(abridged) Recent analyses have reported low lithium but high beryllium abundances on the solar surface; however, standard solar models (SSMs) predict Li abundances that are ~30$σ$ away from the observed value. In this study, we aim to develop solar models and compare them with the Li and Be abundance constraints. We examine the effect of protosolar accretion and turbulent mixing below the base of the surface convective zone. We compute ~200 solar evolutionary models for each case to optimize input parameters using target quantities, similar to the SSM framework. We confirm that turbulent mixing helps reproduce the surface Li and Be abundances within ~0.6$σ$ by enhancing burning. It suppresses gravitational settling, leading to a better matching of the He surface abundance ($\lesssim$0.3$σ$) and a smaller compositional gradient. We derive a new protosolar helium abundance $Y_{\rm proto}=0.2651\pm0.0035$. Turbulent mixing decreases the central metallicity ($Z_{\mathrm{center}}$) by $\approx$4.4%, even though accretion increases $Z_{\rm center}$ by $\approx$4.4%, as suggested by our previous study. Unfortunately, the reduction in $Z_{\rm center}$ implies that our models do not reproduce constraints on observed neutrino fluxes by $6.2σ$ for $^8{\rm B}$ and $2.7σ$ for CNO. Including turbulent mixing in solar models appears indispensable to reproduce the observed atmospheric abundances of Li and Be. However, the resulting tensions in terms of neutrino fluxes, even in the models with the protosolar accretion, show that the solar modeling problem remains, at least partly. We suggest that improved electron screening, as well as other microscopic properties, may help alleviate this problem. An independent confirmation of the neutrino fluxes measured by the Borexino experiment would also be extremely valuable.

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arXiv2025

The Future of Solar modelling: requirements for a new generation of solar models

Helioseismology and solar modelling have enjoyed a golden era thanks to decades-long surveys from ground-based networks such as for example GONG, BiSON, IRIS and the SOHO and SDO space missions which have provided high-quality helioseismic observations that supplemented photometric, gravitational, size and shape, limb-darkening and spectroscopic constraints as well as measurements of neutrino fluxes. However, the success of solar models is also deeply rooted in progress in fundamental physics (equation of state of the solar plasma, high-quality atomic physics computations and opacities, description of convection and the role of macroscopic transport processes of angular momentum and chemicals, such as for example meridional circulation, internal gravity waves, shear-induced turbulence or even convection. In this paper, we briefly outline some key areas of research that deserve particular attention in solar modelling. We discuss the current uncertainties that need to be addressed, how these limit our predictions from solar models and their impact on stellar evolution in general. We outline potential strategies to mitigate them and how multidisciplinary approaches will be needed in the future to tackle them.

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arXiv2025

Long-term evolution of the temperature structure in magnetized protoplanetary disks and its implication for the dichotomy of planetary composition

The thermal structure and evolution of protoplanetary disks play a crucial role in planet formation. In addition to stellar irradiation, accretion heating is also thought to significantly affect the disk thermal structure and planet formation processes. We present the long-term evolution (from the beginning of Class II to disk dissipation) of thermal structures in laminar magnetized disks to investigate where and when accretion heating is a dominant heat source. In addition, we demonstrate that the difference in the disk structures affects the water content of forming planets. We considered the mass loss by magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) and photoevaporative disk winds to investigate the influence of wind mass loss on the accretion rate profile. Our model includes the recent understanding of accretion heating, that is, accretion heating in laminar disks is less efficient than that in turbulent disks because the surface is heated at optically thinner altitudes and energy is removed by disk winds. We find that accretion heating is weaker than irradiation heating at about 1--10 au even in the early Class II disk, but it can affect the temperature in the inner 1 au region. We also find that the magnetohydrodynamic wind mass loss in the inner region can significantly reduce the accretion rate compared with the rate in the outer region, which in turn reduces accretion heating. Furthermore, using evolving disk structures, we demonstrate that when accretion heating models are updated, the evolution of protoplanets is affected. In particular, we find that our model produces a dichotomy of the planetary water fraction of 1--10 $M_\oplus$.

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arXiv2024

Spin-down of solar-mass protostars in magnetospheric accretion paradigm

Stellar spin is one of the fundamental quantities that characterize a star itself and its planetary system. Nevertheless, stellar spin-down mechanisms in protostellar and pre-main-sequence stellar phases have been a long-standing problem in the star formation theory. To realize the spin-down, previous axisymmetric models based on the conventional magnetospheric paradigm have to assume massive stellar winds or produce highly time-variable magnetospheric ejections. However, this picture has been challenged by both numerical simulations and observations. With a particular focus on the propeller regime for solar-mass stars, we propose a new picture of stellar spin-down based on our recent three-dimensional (3D) magnetohydrodynamic simulation and stellar evolution calculation. We show that failed magnetospheric winds, unique to 3D models, significantly reduce the spin-up accretion torque, which make it easier for the star to spin-down. Additionally, the amplitude of time variability associated with magnetospheric ejections is reduced by 3D effects. Our simulation demonstrates that the star spins down by generating a conical disk wind, driven by a rotating stellar magnetosphere. Our theoretical estimates, inspired by the numerical model, suggest that the conical disk wind is likely to play a crucial role in extracting stellar angular momentum during the protostellar phase. As magnetospheric accretion is expected to occur in other accreting objects such as proto-giant planets, this study will also contribute to the understanding of the angular momentum of such objects.

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arXiv2024

Super-Earth formation with slow migration from a ring in an evolving peaked disk compatible with terrestrial planet formation

For the origin of the radially concentrated solar system's terrestrial planets, planet formation from a ring of solids at about 1 au from the Sun with convergent/suppressed type I migration is preferred. On the other hand, many super-Earths and sub-Neptunes are found in the close-in region with orbital periods of 10-100 days, so that planet formation from rings in the 1-au region would require some degree of inward migration. One way to realize these different formation scenarios is to use different gas disk models. In this study we investigate whether different scenarios can be realized within a single framework. We consider a disk model that evolves via disk winds and develops a density peak, and study planet formation and orbital evolution using N-body simulations. Planets with masses less than an Earth mass formed from a low-mass ring resembling the solar system do not migrate inward even in the evolving disk and remain near 1-au orbits, maintaining a high radial mass concentration. On the other hand, planets with masses greater than an Earth mass formed from a massive ring slowly migrate inward above the outward migration region. As a result, the innermost planet can move to an orbit of about 10 days. The simulation results also reproduce the characteristics (e.g., mass distribution, eccentricity, orbital separation) of the solar system and super-Earth/sub-Neptune systems. Our model predicts that Earths and sub-Earths formed by migration from rings at near the 1-au region are less abundant in the close-in region.

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arXiv2024

Three-dimensional atmospheric dynamics of Jupiter from ground-based Doppler imaging spectroscopy in the visible

We present three-dimensional (3D) maps of Jupiter's atmospheric circulation at cloud-top level from Doppler-imaging data obtained in the visible domain with JIVE, the second node of the JOVIAL network, which is mounted on the Dunn Solar Telescope at Sunspot, New Mexico. We report on 12 nights of observations between May 4 and May 30, 2018, representing a total of about 80 hours. Firstly, the average zonal wind profile derived from our data is compatible with that derived from cloud-tracking measurements performed on Hubble Space Telescope images obtained in April 2018 from the Outer Planet Atmospheres Legacy (OPAL) program. Secondly, we present the first ever two-dimensional maps of Jupiter's atmospheric circulation from Doppler measurements. The zonal velocity map highlights well-known atmospheric features, such as the equatorial hot spots and the Great Red Spot (GRS). In addition to zonal winds, we derive meridional and vertical velocity fields from the Doppler data. The motions attributed to vertical flows are mainly located at the boundary between the equatorial belts and tropical zones, which could indicate active motion in theses regions. Qualitatively, these results compare well to recent Juno data that have unveiled the three-dimensional structure of Jupiter's wind field. To the contrary, the motions attributed to meridional circulation are very different from what is obtained by cloud tracking, except at the GRS. Because of limitations with data resolution and processing techniques, we acknowledge that our measurement of vertical or meridional flows of Jupiter are still to be confirmed.

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arXiv2023

Evolution of a Water-rich Atmosphere Formed by a Giant Impact on an Earth-sized Planet

The atmosphere of a terrestrial planet that is replenished with secondary gases should have accumulated hydrogen-rich gas from its protoplanetary disk. Although a giant impact blows off a large fraction of the primordial atmosphere of a terrestrial planet in the late formation stage, the remaining atmosphere can become water-rich via chemical reactions between hydrogen and vaporized core material. We find that a water-rich post-impact atmosphere forms when a basaltic or CI chondrite core is assumed. In contrast, little post-impact water is generated for an enstatite chondrite core. We investigate the X-ray- and UV-driven mass loss from an Earth-mass planet with an impact-induced multi-component H$_2$$-$He$-$H$_2$O atmosphere for Gyrs. We show that water is left in the atmosphere of an Earth-mass planet when the low flux of escaping hydrogen cannot drag water upward via collisions. For a water-dominated atmosphere to form, the atmospheric mass fraction of an Earth-mass planet with an oxidizing core after a giant impact must be less than a few times 0.1%. We also find that Earth-mass planets with water-dominated atmospheres can exist at semimajor axes ranging from a few times 0.1 au to a few au around a Sun-like star depending on the mass loss efficiency. Such planets are important targets for atmospheric characterization in the era of JWST. Our results indicate that efficient mixing between hydrogen and rocky components during giant impacts can play a role in the production of water in an Earth-mass planet.

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arXiv2023

Insights on the Sun birth environment in the context of star-cluster formation in hub-filament systems

Cylindrical molecular filaments are observed to be the main sites of Sun-like star formation, while massive stars form in dense hubs, at the junction of multiple filaments. The role of hub-filament configurations has not been discussed yet in relation to the birth environment of the solar system and to infer the origin of isotopic ratios of Short-Lived Radionuclides (SLR, such as $^{26}$Al) of Calcium-Aluminum-rich Inclusions (CAIs) observed in meteorites. In this work, we present simple analytical estimates of the impact of stellar feedback on the young solar system forming along a filament of a hub-filament system. We find that the host filament can shield the young solar system from the stellar feedback, both during the formation and evolution of stars (stellar outflow, wind, and radiation) and at the end of their life (supernovae). We show that the young solar system formed along a dense filament can be enriched with supernova ejecta (e.g., $^{26}$Al) during the formation timescale of CAIs. We also propose that the streamers recently observed around protostars may be channeling the SLR-rich material onto the young solar system. We conclude that considering hub-filament configurations as the birth environment of the Sun is important when deriving theoretical models explaining the observed properties of the solar system.

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arXiv2022

A Close-in Planet Orbiting Giant Star HD 167768

We report the detection of a giant planet orbiting a G-type giant star HD 167768 from radial velocity measurements using HIgh Dispersion Echelle Spectrograph (HIDES) at Okayama Astrophysical Observatory (OAO). HD 167768 has a mass of $1.08_{-0.12}^{+0.14} M_{\odot}$, a radius of $9.70_{-0.25}^{+0.25} R_{\odot}$, a metallicity of $\rm{[Fe/H]}=-0.67_{-0.08}^{+0.09}$, and a surface gravity of $\log g = 2.50_{-0.06}^{+0.06}$. The planet orbiting the star is a warm Jupiter, having a period of $20.6532_{-0.0032}^{+0.0032}\ \rm{d}$, a minimum mass of $0.85_{-0.11}^{+0.12}\ M_{\rm{J}}$, and an orbital semimajor axis of $0.1512_{-0.0063}^{+0.0058}\ \rm{au}$. The planet has one of the shortest orbital periods among those ever found around deeply evolved stars ($\log g < 3.5$) using radial velocity methods. The equilibrium temperature of the planet is $1874\ \rm{K}$, as high as a hot Jupiter. The radial velocities show two additional regular variations at $41\ \rm{d}$ and $95\ \rm{d}$, suggesting the possibility of outer companions in the system. Follow-up monitoring will enable validation of the periodicity. We also calculated the orbital evolution of HD 167768 b and found that the planet will be engulfed within 0.15\,Gyr.

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arXiv2022

Evidence of a signature of planet formation processes from solar neutrino fluxes

Solar evolutionary models are thus far unable to reproduce spectroscopic, helioseismic, and neutrino constraints consistently, resulting in the so-called solar modeling problem. In parallel, planet formation models predict that the evolving composition of the protosolar disk and, thus, of the gas accreted by the proto-Sun must have been variable. We show that solar evolutionary models that include a realistic planet formation scenario lead to an increased core metallicity of up to 5%, implying that accurate neutrino flux measurements are sensitive to the initial stages of the formation of the Solar System. Models with homogeneous accretion match neutrino constraints to no better than 2.7$σ$. In contrast, accretion with a variable composition due to planet formation processes, leading to metal-poor accretion of the last $\sim$4% of the young Sun's total mass, yields solar models within 1.3$σ$ of all neutrino constraints. We thus demonstrate that in addition to increased opacities at the base of the convective envelope, the formation history of the Solar System constitutes a key element in resolving the current crisis of solar models.

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arXiv2022

Diagnosing FUor-like Sources: The Parameter Space of Viscously Heated Disks in the Optical and Near-IR

FU Ori type objects (FUors) are decades-long outbursts of accretion onto young stars that are strong enough to viscously heat disks so that the disk outshines the central star. We construct models for FUor objects by calculating emission components from a steady-state viscous accretion disk, a passively-heated dusty disk, magnetospheric accretion columns, and the stellar photosphere. We explore the parameter space of the accretion rate and stellar mass to investigate implications on the optical and near-infrared spectral energy distribution and spectral lines. The models are validated by fitting to multi-wavelength photometry of three confirmed FUor objects, FU Ori, V883 Ori and HBC 722 and then comparing the predicted spectrum to observed optical and infrared spectra. The brightness ratio between the viscous disk and the stellar photosphere, $η$, provides an important guide for identifying viscous accretion disks, with $η=1$ ("transition line") and $η=5$ ("sufficient dominance line") marking turning points in diagnostics, evaluated here in the near-infrared. These turning points indicate the emergence and complete development of FUor-characteristic strong CO absorption, weak metallic absorption, the triangular spectral continuum shape in the $H$-band, and location in color-magnitude diagrams. Lower stellar mass $M_*$ and higher accretion rate $\dot{M}$ lead to larger $η$; for $M_*=0.3~{\rm M_\odot}$, $η=1$ corresponds to $\dot{M}=2\times10^{-7}~{\rm M_\odot}/$yr and $η=5$ to $\dot{M}=6\times10^{-7}~{\rm M_\odot}/$yr. The sufficient dominance line also coincides with the expected accretion rate where accreting material directly reaches the star. We discuss implications of the models on extinction diagnostics, FUor brightening timescales, viscous disks during initial protostellar growth, and eruptive young stellar objects (YSO) associated with FUors.

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arXiv2021

Dispersal of protoplanetary disks by the combination of magnetically driven and photoevaporative winds

We investigate the roles of magnetically driven disk wind (MDW) and thermally driven photoevaporative wind (PEW) in the long-time evolution of protoplanetary disks. We start simulations from the early phase in which the disk mass is $0.118\,{\mathrm{M}_{\odot}}$ around a $1\,{\mathrm{M}_{\odot}}$ star and track the evolution until the disk is completely dispersed. We incorporate the mass loss by PEW and the mass loss and magnetic braking (wind torque) by MDW, in addition to the viscous accretion, viscous heating, and stellar irradiation. We find that MDW and PEW respectively have different roles: magnetically driven wind ejects materials from an inner disk in the early phase, whereas photoevaporation has a dominant role in the late phase in the outer ($\gtrsim1\,$au) disk. The disk lifetime, which depends on the combination of MDW, PEW, and viscous accretion, shows a large variation of $\sim1$-$20\,$Myr; the gas is dispersed mainly by the MDW and the PEW in the cases with a low viscosity and the lifetime is sensitive to the mass-loss rate and torque of the MDW, whereas the lifetime is insensitive to these parameters when the viscosity is high. Even in disks with very weak turbulence, the cooperation of MDW and PEW enables the disk dispersal within a few Myr.

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arXiv2021

A compositional link between rocky exoplanets and their host stars

Stars and planets both form by accreting material from a surrounding disk. Because they grow from the same material, theory predicts that there should be a relationship between their compositions. In this study, we search for a compositional link between rocky exoplanets and their host stars. We estimate the iron-mass fraction of rocky exoplanets from their masses and radii and compare it with the compositions of their host stars, which we assume reflect the compositions of the protoplanetary disks. We find a correlation (but not a 1:1 relationship) between these two quantities, with a slope of >4, which we interpret as being attributable to planet formation processes. Super-Earths and super-Mercuries appear to be distinct populations with differing compositions, implying differences in their formation processes.

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arXiv2021

Imprint of planet formation in the deep interior of the Sun

Stars grow by accreting gas that has an evolving composition owing to the growth and inward drift of dust (pebble wave), the formation of planetesimals and planets, and the selective removal of hydrogen and helium by disk winds. We investigated how the formation of the Solar System may have affected the composition and structure of the Sun, and whether it plays any role in solving the solar abundance problem. We simulated the evolution of the Sun from the protostellar phase to the present age and attempted to reproduce spectroscopic and helioseismic constraints. We performed chi-squared tests to optimize our input parameters. We confirmed that, for realistic models, planet formation occurs when the solar convective zone is still massive; thus, the overall changes due to planet formation are too small to significantly improve the chi-square fits. We found that solar models with up-to-date abundances require an opacity increase of 12% to 18% centered at $T=10^{6.4}$ K to reproduce the available observational constraints. This is slightly higher than, but is qualitatively in good agreement with, recent measurements of higher iron opacities. These models result in better fits to the observations than those using old abundances; therefore, they are a promising solution to the solar abundance problem. Using these improved models, we found that planet formation processes leave a small imprint in the solar core, whose metallicity is enhanced by up to 5%. This result can be tested by accurately measuring the solar neutrino flux. In the improved models, the protosolar molecular cloud core is characterized by a primordial metallicity in the range 0.0127-0.0157 and a helium mass fraction in the range 0.268-0.274. (abridged)

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arXiv2021

Evolution of the Water Snow Line in Magnetically Accreting Protoplanetary Disks

The low water content of the terrestrial planets in the solar system suggests that the protoplanets formed within the water snow line. Accurate prediction of the snow line location moving with time provides a clue to constrain the formation process of the planets. In this paper, we investigate the migration of the snow line in protoplanetary disks whose accretion is controlled by laminar magnetic fields, which have been proposed by various nonideal magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulations. We propose an empirical model of the disk temperature based on our nonideal MHD simulations, which show that the accretion heating is significantly less efficient than in turbulent disks, and calculate the snow line location over time. We find that the snow line in the magnetically accreting laminar disks moves inside the current Earth's orbit within 1 Myr after star formation, whereas the time for the conventional turbulent disk is much longer than 1 Myr. This result suggests that either the rocky protoplanets formed in such an early phase of the disk evolution, or the protoplanets moved outward to the current orbits after they formed close to the protosun.

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