Search results for "Stellar atmosphere"
showing 10 items of 18 documents
Star-disk interaction in classical T Tauri stars revealed using wavelet analysis
2016
The extension of the corona of classical T Tauri stars (CTTS) is under discussion. The standard model of magnetic configuration of CTTS predicts that coronal magnetic flux tubes connect the stellar atmosphere to the inner region of the disk. However, differential rotation may disrupt these long loops. The results from Hydrodynamic modeling of X-ray flares observed in CTTS confirming the star-disk connection hypothesis are still controversial. Some authors suggest the presence of the accretion disk prevent the stellar corona to extent beyond the co-rotation radius, while others simply are not confident with the methods used to derive loop lengths. We use independent procedures to determine t…
Modeling X-ray emission from stellar coronae
2008
By extrapolating from observationally derived surface magnetograms of low-mass stars we construct models of their coronal magnetic fields and compare the 3D field geometry with axial multipoles. AB Dor, which has a radiative core, has a very complex field, whereas V374 Peg, which is completely convective, has a simple dipolar field. We calculate global X-ray emission measures assuming that the plasma trapped along the coronal loops is in hydrostatic equilibrium and compare the differences between assuming isothermal coronae, or by considering a loop temperature profiles. Our preliminary results suggest that the non-isothermal model works well for the complex field of AB Dor, but not for the…
Temperature dependence of sodium and ionized calcium resonance lines perturbed by helium
2014
International audience; Traces of heavy metals in cool DZ white dwarf stars may be attributed to the accretion of circumstellar dust thought to originate from tidal disruption of rocky parent bodies. Spectra of such stars therefore provide a unique opportunity to study the composition of extrasolar planetary systems. The determination of metal abundances from stellar spectra depends on stellar atmospheric parameters and an accurate prior knowledge of the collision broadening of the line profiles by the most common constituents of the stellar atmosphere. For this purpose, we present theoretical absorption spectra of Na and Ca+ broadened by He for the conditions prevailing in cool white dwarf…
Theoretical profiles of the Mg + resonance lines perturbed by collisions with He
2016
International audience; The effects of collision broadening by He are central to understanding the opacity of cool stellar atmospheres. Aims. DZ white dwarfs show metal lines which are, in many cases, believed to come from some rocky material, a remnant of a former exoplanetary system. The analysis of the Mg + resonance lines is a valuable method to determine the chemical abundances in these systems. Methods. Unified profiles of the strongest of the UV lines of Mg + have been calculated in the semi-classical approach using very recent ab initio potential energies. Results. We present the first theoretical line profile calculations of the resonance lines of Mg + that have been perturbed by h…
Validating post-AGB candidates in the LMC and SMC using SALT spectra
2020
We selected a sample of post-AGB candidates in the Magellanic Clouds on the basis of their near- and mid-infrared colour characteristics. Fifteen of the most optically bright post-AGB candidates were observed with the South African Large Telescope in order to determine their stellar parameters and thus to validate or discriminate their nature as post-AGB objects in the Magellanic Clouds. The spectral types of absorption-line objects were estimated according to the MK classification, and effective temperatures were obtained by means of stellar atmosphere modelling. Emission-line objects were classified on the basis of the fluxes of the emission lines and the presence of the continuum. Out of…
X-ray emission from dense plasma in classical T Tauri stars: hydrodynamic modeling of the accretion shock
2008
Context: High spectral resolution X-ray observations of classical T Tauri stars (CTTSs) demonstrate the presence of plasma at temperature T~2-3×10^6 K and density n_e~10^11-10^13 cm^-3, which are unobserved in non-accreting stars. Stationary models suggest that this emission is due to shock-heated accreting material, but do not allow us to analyze the stability of the material and its position in the stellar atmosphere. Aims: We investigate the dynamics and stability of shock-heated accreting material in classical T Tauri stars and the role of the stellar chromosphere in determining the position and thickness of the shocked region. Methods: We perform one-dimensional hydrodynamic simulation…
Multi-wavelength diagnostics of accretion in an X-ray selected sample of CTTSs
2010
High resolution X-ray spectroscopy has revealed soft X-rays from high density plasma in Classical T-Tauri stars (CTTSs), probably arising from the accretion shock region. However, the mass accretion rates derived from the X-ray observations are consistently lower than those derived from UV/optical/NIR studies. We aim to test the hypothesis that the high density soft X-ray emission is from accretion by analysing optical accretion tracers from an X-ray selected sample of CTTSs in a homogeneous manner. We analyse optical spectra of a sample of CTTSs and calculate the accretion rates based on measuring optical emission lines. These are then compared to the accretion rates derived from the X-ray…
The Corona of the Sun as a Star
2006
We study the physics of the solar corona as a whole, i.e. of the Sun as a Star, in order to understand its global features and to provide a template for stellar coronae. In this process we strive to understand the features of various structures which compose the solar corona. This process in not straightforward given the problems of observing the Sun as a whole: e.g., no recent X‐ray wide‐band, medium‐resolution, spectrum of the Sun is avaible, unlike stars and no X‐ray spectral monitoring of the Sun at various activity phases is available. The presentation will discuss our work in this field; we present the method we have devised, based on Yohkoh/SXT data, to derive the Differential Emissi…
X-ray Flares of EV Lac: Statistics, Spectra, Diagnostics
2010
We study the spectral and temporal behavior of X-ray flares from the active M-dwarf EV Lac in 200 ks of exposure with the Chandra/HETGS. We derive flare parameters by fitting an empirical function which characterizes the amplitude, shape, and scale. The flares range from very short (<1 ks) to long (10 ks) duration events with a range of shapes and amplitudes for all durations. We extract spectra for composite flares to study their mean evolution and to compare flares of different lengths. Evolution of spectral features in the density-temperature plane shows probable sustained heating. The short flares are significantly hotter than the longer flares. We determined an upper limit to the Fe…
Supersonic Magnetic Upflows in Granular Cells Observed with Sunrise/IMaX
2010
Using the IMaX instrument on-board the Sunrise stratospheric balloon-telescope we have detected extremely shifted polarization signals around the Fe I 5250.217 {\AA} spectral line within granules in the solar photosphere. We interpret the velocities associated with these events as corresponding to supersonic and magnetic upflows. In addition, they are also related to the appearance of opposite polarities and highly inclined magnetic fields. This suggests that they are produced by the reconnection of emerging magnetic loops through granular upflows. The events occupy an average area of 0.046 arcsec$^2$ and last for about 80 seconds, with larger events having longer lifetimes. These supersoni…