GJ 436b and the stellar wind interaction: simulations constraints using Ly α and H α transits

Author:

Villarreal D’Angelo Carolina12ORCID,Vidotto Aline A1ORCID,Esquivel Alejandro3ORCID,Hazra Gopal1ORCID,Youngblood Allison4

Affiliation:

1. School of Physics, Trinity College Dublin, College Green, Dublin-2, Ireland

2. Observatorio Astronómico de Córdoba - Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Laprida 854, X5000BGR Córdoba, Argentina

3. Instituto de Ciencias Nucleares, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Apartado Postal 70-543, 04510 Ciudad de México, Mexico

4. Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80303, USA

Abstract

ABSTRACT The GJ 436 planetary system is an extraordinary system. The Neptune-sized planet that orbits the M3 dwarf revealed in the Ly α line an extended neutral hydrogen atmosphere. This material fills a comet-like tail that obscures the stellar disc for more than 10 h 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 ${\sim}56{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$ absorption found in Ly α transits, simultaneously with the lack of absorption in H α 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 Ly α 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 H α line in agreement with the observations.

Funder

Irish Research Council

H2020 European Research Council

Publisher

Oxford University Press (OUP)

Subject

Space and Planetary Science,Astronomy and Astrophysics

Cited by 18 articles. 订阅此论文施引文献 订阅此论文施引文献,注册后可以免费订阅5篇论文的施引文献,订阅后可以查看论文全部施引文献

同舟云学术

1.学者识别学者识别

2.学术分析学术分析

3.人才评估人才评估

"同舟云学术"是以全球学者为主线,采集、加工和组织学术论文而形成的新型学术文献查询和分析系统,可以对全球学者进行文献检索和人才价值评估。用户可以通过关注某些学科领域的顶尖人物而持续追踪该领域的学科进展和研究前沿。经过近期的数据扩容,当前同舟云学术共收录了国内外主流学术期刊6万余种,收集的期刊论文及会议论文总量共计约1.5亿篇,并以每天添加12000余篇中外论文的速度递增。我们也可以为用户提供个性化、定制化的学者数据。欢迎来电咨询!咨询电话:010-8811{复制后删除}0370

www.globalauthorid.com

TOP

Copyright © 2019-2024 北京同舟云网络信息技术有限公司
京公网安备11010802033243号  京ICP备18003416号-3