- ID:
- ivo://CDS.VizieR/J/AJ/159/60
- Title:
- 8695 flares from 1228 stars in TESS sectors 1 & 2
- Short Name:
- J/AJ/159/60
- Date:
- 21 Oct 2021
- Publisher:
- CDS
- Description:
- We perform a study of stellar flares for the 24809 stars observed with 2 minute cadence during the first two months of the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) mission. Flares may erode exoplanets' atmospheres and impact their habitability, but might also trigger the genesis of life around small stars. TESS provides a new sample of bright dwarf stars in our galactic neighborhood, collecting data for thousands of M dwarfs that might host habitable exoplanets. Here, we use an automated search for flares accompanied by visual inspection. Then, our public allesfitter code robustly selects the appropriate model for potentially complex flares via Bayesian evidence. We identify 1228 flaring stars, 673 of which are M dwarfs. Among 8695 flares in total, the largest superflare increased the stellar brightness by a factor of 16.1. Bolometric flare energies range from 10^31.0^ to 10^36.9^erg, with a median of 10^33.1^erg. Furthermore, we study the flare rate and energy as a function of stellar type and rotation period. We solidify past findings that fast rotating M dwarfs are the most likely to flare and that their flare amplitude is independent of the rotation period. Finally, we link our results to criteria for prebiotic chemistry, atmospheric loss through coronal mass ejections, and ozone sterilization. Four of our flaring M dwarfs host exoplanet candidates alerted on by TESS, for which we discuss how these effects can impact life. With upcoming TESS data releases, our flare analysis can be expanded to almost all bright small stars, aiding in defining criteria for exoplanet habitability.
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Search Results
- ID:
- ivo://CDS.VizieR/J/ApJ/849/36
- Title:
- Flaring activity of M dwarfs in the Kepler field
- Short Name:
- J/ApJ/849/36
- Date:
- 21 Oct 2021
- Publisher:
- CDS
- Description:
- Flare events are mainly due to magnetic reconnection and thus are indicative of stellar activity. The Kepler Space Observatory records numerous stellar activities with unprecedented high photometric precision in flux measurements. It is perfectly suitable for carrying out a statistical study of flares. Here we present 540 M dwarfs with flare events discovered using Kepler long-cadence data. The normalized flare energy, as defined by the ratio to bolometric stellar luminosity, L_flare_/L_bol_, is used to indicate the flare activity. We find that, similar to the X-ray luminosity relation, the L_flare_/L_bol_ versus P_rot_ relation can also be described with three phases, supersaturation, saturation, and exponential decay, corresponding to an ultra- short period, a short period, and a long period. The flare activity and the number fraction of flaring stars in M dwarfs rise steeply near M4, which is consistent with the prediction of a turbulent dynamo. The size of starspots are positively correlated with flare activity. The L_flare_/L_bol_ ratio has a power-law dependence on L_H{alpha}_/L_bol_, a parameter indicative of stellar chromosphere activity. According to this relation, a small enhancement in chromosphere activity may cause a huge rise in flare energy, which suggests that superflares or hyperflares may not need an extra excitation mechanism. Through a comparison study, we suggest that flare activity is a more suitable indicator for stellar activity, especially in the boundary region. However, contrary to what is expected, some M dwarfs with strong flares do not show any light variation caused by starspots. Follow-up observations are needed to investigate this problem.
- ID:
- ivo://CDS.VizieR/J/AJ/156/140
- Title:
- Four new eclipsing mid M-dwarf systems from MEarth
- Short Name:
- J/AJ/156/140
- Date:
- 21 Oct 2021
- Publisher:
- CDS
- Description:
- Using data from the MEarth-North and MEarth-South transit surveys, we present the detection of eclipses in four mid M-dwarf systems: LP 107-25, LP 261-75, LP 796-24, and LP 991-15. Combining the MEarth photometry with spectroscopic follow-up observations, we show that LP 107-25 and LP 796-24 are short-period (1.388 and 0.523 day, respectively) eclipsing binaries in triple-lined systems with substantial third-light contamination from distant companions. LP 261-75 is a short-period (1.882 day) single-lined system consisting of a mid M-dwarf eclipsed by a probable brown dwarf secondary, with another distant visual brown dwarf companion. LP 991-15 is a long-period (29.3 day) double-lined eclipsing binary on an eccentric orbit with a geometry that produces only primary eclipses. A spectroscopic orbit is given for LP 991-15, and initial orbits for LP 107-25 and LP 261-75.
- ID:
- ivo://CDS.VizieR/J/MNRAS/389/585
- Title:
- Fundamental parameters of M dwarfs
- Short Name:
- J/MNRAS/389/585
- Date:
- 21 Oct 2021
- Publisher:
- CDS
- Description:
- We empirically determine effective temperatures and bolometric luminosities for a large sample of nearby M dwarfs, for which high accuracy optical and infrared photometry is available. We introduce a new technique which exploits the flux ratio in different bands as a proxy of both effective temperature and metallicity. Our temperature scale for late-type dwarfs extends well below 3000K (almost to the brown dwarf limit) and is supported by interferometric angular diameter measurements above 3000K. Our metallicities are in excellent agreement (usually within 0.2dex) with recent determinations via independent techniques. A subsample of cool M dwarfs with metallicity estimates based on hotter Hipparcos common proper motion companions indicates our metallicities are also reliable below 3000K, a temperature range unexplored until now. The high quality of our data allows us to identify a striking feature in the bolometric luminosity versus temperature plane, around the transition from K to M dwarfs. We have compared our sample of stars with theoretical models and conclude that this transition is due to an increase in the radii of the M dwarfs, a feature which is not reproduced by theoretical models.
- ID:
- ivo://CDS.VizieR/J/ApJ/874/138
- Title:
- Gaia and LAMOST DR4 M giant members of Sgr stream
- Short Name:
- J/ApJ/874/138
- Date:
- 21 Oct 2021
- Publisher:
- CDS
- Description:
- We use LAMOST DR4 M giants combined with Gaia DR2 proper motions and ALLWISE photometry to obtain an extremely pure sample of Sagittarius (Sgr) stream stars. Using TiO5 and CaH spectral indices as indicators, we selected a large sample of M-giant stars from M-dwarf stars in LAMOST DR4 spectra. Considering the position, distance, proper motion, and angular momentum distribution, we obtained 164 pure Sgr stream stars. We find that the trailing arm has higher energy than the leading arm in the same angular momentum. The trailing arm we detected extends to a heliocentric distance of ~130kpc at {Lambda}_{sun}_~170{deg}, which is consistent with the feature found in RR Lyrae in Sesar+ (2017, J/ApJ/844/L4). Both of these detections of Sgr, in M-giants and in RR Lyrae, imply that the Sgr stream may contain multiple stellar populations with a broad metallicity range.
- ID:
- ivo://CDS.VizieR/J/ApJ/798/41
- Title:
- GALEX NUV observations of bright M-type stars
- Short Name:
- J/ApJ/798/41
- Date:
- 21 Oct 2021
- Publisher:
- CDS
- Description:
- Planets orbiting within the close-in habitable zones of M dwarf stars will be exposed to elevated high-energy radiation driven by strong magnetohydrodynamic dynamos during stellar youth. Near-ultraviolet (NUV) irradiation can erode and alter the chemistry of planetary atmospheres, and a quantitative description of the evolution of NUV emission from M dwarfs is needed when modeling these effects. We investigated the NUV luminosity evolution of early M-type dwarfs by cross-correlating the Lepine & Gaidos catalog (2011, J/AJ/142/138) of bright M dwarfs with the Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX) catalog of NUV (1771-2831{AA}) sources. Of the 4805 sources with GALEX counterparts, 797 have NUV emission significantly (>2.5{sigma}) in excess of an empirical basal level. We inspected these candidate active stars using visible-wavelength spectra, high-resolution adaptive optics imaging, time-series photometry, and literature searches to identify cases where the elevated NUV emission is due to unresolved background sources or stellar companions; we estimated the overall occurrence of these "false positives" (FPs) as ~16%. We constructed an NUV luminosity function that accounted for FPs, detection biases of the source catalogs, and GALEX upper limits. We found the NUV luminosity function to be inconsistent with predictions from a constant star-formation rate and simplified age-activity relation defined by a two-parameter power law.
- ID:
- ivo://CDS.VizieR/J/A+A/650/A188
- Title:
- G 264-012 and Gl 393 radial velocity curves
- Short Name:
- J/A+A/650/A188
- Date:
- 22 Feb 2022
- Publisher:
- CDS
- Description:
- We report the discovery of two planetary systems, namely G 264-012, an M4.0 dwarf with two terrestrial planets (M_b_sini=2.50^+0.29^_-0.30_M_{sun}_ and M_c_sini=3.75^+0.48^_-0.47_M_{sun}_), and Gl 393, a bright M2.0 dwarf with one terrestrial planet (M_b_sini=1.71+/-0.24M_{sun}_). Although both stars were proposed to belong to young stellar kinematic groups, we estimate their ages to be older than about 700Ma. The two planets around G 264-012 were discovered using only radial-velocity (RV) data from the CARMENES exoplanet survey, with estimated orbital periods of 2.30d and 8.05d, respectively. Photometric monitoring and analysis of activity indicators reveal a third signal present in the RV measurements, at about 100d, caused by stellar rotation. The planet Gl 393b was discovered in the RV data from the HARPS, CARMENES, and HIRES instruments. Its identification was only possible after modelling, with a Gaussian process (GP), the variability produced by the magnetic activity of the star. For the earliest observations, this variability produced a forest of peaks in the periodogram of the RVs at around the 34d rotation period determined from Kepler data, which disappeared in the latest epochs. After correcting for them with this GP model, a significant signal showed at a period of 7.03d. No significant signals in any of our spectral activity indicators or contemporaneous photometry were found at any of the planetary periods. Given the orbital and stellar properties, the equilibrium temperatures of the three planets are all higher than that for Earth. Current planet formation theories suggest that these two systems represent a common type of architecture. This is consistent with formation following the core accretion paradigm.
- ID:
- ivo://CDS.VizieR/J/AJ/89/636
- Title:
- Giant M stars in Baade's Window
- Short Name:
- J/AJ/89/636
- Date:
- 21 Oct 2021
- Publisher:
- CDS
- Description:
- Near-infrared small-dispersion spectra obtained with a grism at the prime focus of CTIO's 4-m telescope have been used to survey and classify late-type red giants found in a circular area with a diameter of 24.4 arcmin which is contained within Baade's Window. The survey is complete to a distance that extends past the galactic nuclear bulge. The presented stars therefore constitute a unique complete sample of the red giant population of the nuclear bulge. A total of 306 red giants, including all giants of type M6 or later, are presented with a list of their coordinates, spectral classes, and apparent I magnitudes. A finding chart is also given. No C or S stars were found even though they should have been detected if they exist. Evidence is presented of uneven foreground interstellar obscuration in Baade's Window.
- ID:
- ivo://CDS.VizieR/J/other/Sci/365.1441
- Title:
- GJ 3512 radial velocity and light curves
- Short Name:
- J/other/Sci/365.
- Date:
- 21 Oct 2021
- Publisher:
- CDS
- Description:
- Surveys have shown that super-Earth and Neptune-mass exoplanets are more frequent than gas giants around low-mass stars, as predicted by the core accretion theory of planet formation. We report the discovery of a giant planet around the very-low-mass star GJ 3512, as determined by optical and near-infrared radial-velocity observations. The planet has a minimum mass of 0.46 Jupiter masses, very high for such a small host star, and an eccentric 204-day orbit. Dynamical models show that the high eccentricity is most likely due to planet-planet interactions. We use simulations to demonstrate that the GJ 3512 planetary system challenges generally accepted formation theories, and that it puts constraints on the planet accretion and migration rates. Disk instabilities may be more efficient in forming planets than previously thought.
- ID:
- ivo://CDS.VizieR/J/A+A/593/A117
- Title:
- GJ 3998 RVs, S and Halpha indexes
- Short Name:
- J/A+A/593/A117
- Date:
- 21 Oct 2021
- Publisher:
- CDS
- Description:
- M dwarfs are considered ideal targets for Doppler radial velocity searches. Nonetheless, the statistics of frequency of low-mass planets hosted by low mass stars remains poorly constrained. Our M-dwarf radial velocity monitoring with HARPS-N can provide a major contribution to the widening of the current statistics through the in-depth analysis of accurate radial velocity observations in a narrow range of spectral sub-types (79 stars, between dM0 to dM3). Spectral accuracy will enable us to reach the precision needed to detect small planets with a few earth masses. Our survey will bring a contribute to the surveys devoted to the search for planets around M-dwarfs, mainly focused on the M-dwarf population of the northern hemisphere, for which we will provide an estimate of the planet occurence. We present here a long duration radial velocity monitoring of the M1 dwarf star GJ 3998 with HARPS-N to identify periodic signals in the data. Almost simultaneous photometric observations were carried out within the APACHE and EXORAP programs to characterize the stellar activity and to distinguish from the periodic signals those due to activity and to the presence of planetary companions. The radial velocities have a dispersion in excess of their internal errors due to at least four superimposed signals, with periods of 30.7, 13.7, 42.5 and 2.65-days. The analysis of spectral indices based on Ca II H & K and H{alpha} lines demonstrates that the periods of 30.7 and 42.5-days are due to chromospheric inhomogeneities modulated by stellar rotation and differential rotation. The shorter periods of 13.74+/-0.02d and 2.6498+/-0.0008d are well explained with the presence of two planets, with minimum masses of 6.26+/-0.79M_Earth_ and 2.47+/-0.27M_Earth_ and distances of 0.089AU and 0.029AU from the host, respectively.
