439 research outputs found
Magnetic field, differential rotation and activity of the hot-Jupiter hosting star HD 179949
HD 179949 is an F8V star, orbited by a giant planet at ~8 R* every 3.092514
days. The system was reported to undergo episodes of stellar activity
enhancement modulated by the orbital period, interpreted as caused by
Star-Planet Interactions (SPIs). One possible cause of SPIs is the large-scale
magnetic field of the host star in which the close-in giant planet orbits.
In this paper we present spectropolarimetric observations of HD 179949 during
two observing campaigns (2009 September and 2007 June). We detect a weak
large-scale magnetic field of a few Gauss at the surface of the star. The field
configuration is mainly poloidal at both observing epochs. The star is found to
rotate differentially, with a surface rotation shear of dOmega=0.216\pm0.061
rad/d, corresponding to equatorial and polar rotation periods of 7.62\pm0.07
and 10.3\pm0.8 d respectively. The coronal field estimated by extrapolating the
surface maps resembles a dipole tilted at ~70 degrees. We also find that the
chromospheric activity of HD 179949 is mainly modulated by the rotation of the
star, with two clear maxima per rotation period as expected from a highly
tilted magnetosphere. In September 2009, we find that the activity of HD 179949
shows hints of low amplitude fluctuations with a period close to the beat
period of the system.Comment: Accepted for publication in Monthly Notices of The Royal Astronomical
Societ
Photospheric activity, rotation, and star-planet interaction of the planet-hosting star CoRoT-6
The CoRoT satellite has recently discovered a hot Jupiter that transits
across the disc of a F9V star called CoRoT-6 with a period of 8.886 days. We
model the photospheric activity of the star and use the maps of the active
regions to study stellar differential rotation and the star-planet interaction.
We apply a maximum entropy spot model to fit the optical modulation as observed
by CoRoT during a uninterrupted interval of about 140 days. Photospheric active
regions are assumed to consist of spots and faculae in a fixed proportion with
solar-like contrasts. Individual active regions have lifetimes up to 30-40
days. Most of them form and decay within five active longitudes whose different
migration rates are attributed to the stellar differential rotation for which a
lower limit of \Delta \Omega / \Omega = 0.12 \pm 0.02 is obtained. Several
active regions show a maximum of activity at a longitude lagging the
subplanetary point by about 200 degrees with the probability of a chance
occurrence being smaller than 1 percent. Our spot modelling indicates that the
photospheric activity of CoRoT-6 could be partially modulated by some kind of
star-planet magnetic interaction, while an interaction related to tides is
highly unlikely because of the weakness of the tidal force.Comment: 9 pages, 7 figures, accepted to Astronomy & Astrophysic
NEW DATA ABOUT AGE AND GEODYNAMIC NATURE OF HAMSARA TERRANE
On the basis of isotopic-geochemical studies and analysis of geological evidences heterogeneity of Hamsara terrane has been determined. Formation of stationed metamorphosed layers underlying the Hamsara formation occurred not earlier than 630 Ma, probably in the oceanic island arc system. Acidic effusive rocks of Hamsara formation were formed in intraplate condition in the range of 462–464 Ma. Sediments of Hamsara formation couldn’t be the part of island arc system and belong to completely other period of geological region development. This is the time of completion of accretion-collision events in the northern part of Altai-Sayan fragment of CAFB adjacent to the Siberian platform.On the basis of isotopic-geochemical studies and analysis of geological evidences heterogeneity of Hamsara terrane has been determined. Formation of stationed metamorphosed layers underlying the Hamsara formation occurred not earlier than 630 Ma, probably in the oceanic island arc system. Acidic effusive rocks of Hamsara formation were formed in intraplate condition in the range of 462–464 Ma. Sediments of Hamsara formation couldn’t be the part of island arc system and belong to completely other period of geological region development. This is the time of completion of accretion-collision events in the northern part of Altai-Sayan fragment of CAFB adjacent to the Siberian platform
MOST detects variability on tau Bootis possibly induced by its planetary companion
(abridged) There is considerable interest in the possible interaction between
parent stars and giant planetary companions in 51 Peg-type systems. We
demonstrate from MOST satellite photometry and Ca II K line emission that there
has been a persistent, variable region on the surface of tau Boo A which
tracked its giant planetary companion for some 440 planetary revolutions and
lies ~68deg (phi=0.8) in advance of the sub-planetary point. The light curves
are folded on a range of periods centered on the planetary orbital period and
phase dependent variability is quantified by Fourier methods and by the mean
absolute deviation (MAD) of the folded data for both the photometry and the Ca
II K line reversals. The region varies in brightness on the time scale of a
rotation by ~1 mmag. In 2004 it resembled a dark spot of variable depth, while
in 2005 it varied between bright and dark. Over the 123 planetary orbits
spanned by the photometry the variable region detected in 2004 and in 2005 are
synchronised to the planetary orbital period within 0.0015 d. The Ca II K line
in 2001, 2002 and 2003 also shows enhanced K-line variability centered on
phi=0.8, extending coverage to some 440 planetary revolutions. The apparently
constant rotation period of the variable region and its rapid variation make an
explanation in terms of conventional star spots unlikely. The lack of
complementary variability at phi=0.3 and the detection of the variable region
so far in advance of the sub-planetary point excludes tidal excitation, but the
combined photometric and Ca II K line reversal results make a good case for an
active region induced magnetically on the surface of tau Boo A by its planetary
companion.Comment: 7 pages, 7 figures; accepted for publication in A&
Magnetic cycles of the planet-hosting star tauBootis
We have obtained new spectropolarimetric observations of the planet-hosting
star tauBootis, using the ESPaDOnS and NARVAL spectropolarimeters at the
Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope and Telescope Bernard-Lyot. With this data set,
we are able to confirm the presence of a magnetic field at the surface of
tauBoo and map its large-scale structure over the whole star. The overall
polarity of the magnetic field has reversed with respect to our previous
observation (obtained a year before), strongly suggesting that tauBoo is
undergoing magnetic cycles similar to those of the Sun. This is the first time
that a global magnetic polarity switch is observed in a star other than the
Sun; we speculate that the magnetic cycle period of tauBoo is much shorter than
that of the Sun.
Our new data also allow us to confirm the presence of differential rotation
from the latitudinal shearing that the magnetic structure is undergoing. The
differential rotation surface shear that tauBoo experiences is found to be 6 to
10 times larger than that of the Sun. We propose that the short magnetic cycle
period is due to the strong level of differential rotation. With a rotation
period of 3.0 and 3.9 d at the equator and pole respectively, tauBoo appears as
the first planet-hosting star whose rotation (at intermediate latitudes) is
synchronised with the orbital motion of its giant planet (period 3.3 d).
Assuming that this synchronisation is not coincidental, it suggests that the
tidal effects induced by the giant planet can be strong enough to force the
thin convective enveloppe (though not the whole star) into corotation and thus
to play a role in the activity cycle of tauBoo.Comment: MNRAS, in pres
The On/Off Nature of Star-Planet Interactions
Evidence suggesting an observable magnetic interaction between a star and its
hot Jupiter appears as a cyclic variation of stellar activity synchronized to
the planet's orbit. In this study, we monitored the chromospheric activity of 7
stars with hot Jupiters using new high-resolution echelle spectra collected
with ESPaDOnS over a few nights in 2005 and 2006 from the CFHT. We searched for
variability in several stellar activity indicators (Ca II H, K, the Ca II
infrared triplet, Halpha, and He I). HD 179949 has been observed almost every
year since 2001. Synchronicity of the Ca II H & K emission with the orbit is
clearly seen in four out of six epochs, while rotational modulation with
P_rot=7 days is apparent in the other two seasons. We observe a similar
phenomenon on upsilon And, which displays rotational modulation (P_rot=12 days)
in September 2005, in 2002 and 2003 variations appear to correlate with the
planet's orbital period. This on/off nature of star-planet interaction (SPI) in
the two systems is likely a function of the changing stellar magnetic field
structure throughout its activity cycle. Variability in the transiting system
HD 189733 is likely associated with an active region rotating with the star,
however, the flaring in excess of the rotational modulation may be associated
with its hot Jupiter. As for HD 179949, the peak variability as measured by the
mean absolute deviation for both HD 189733 and tau Boo leads the sub-planetary
longitude by 70 degrees. The tentative correlation between this activity and
the ratio of Mpsini to the planet's rotation period, a quantity proportional to
the hot Jupiter's magnetic moment, first presented in Shkolnik et al. 2005
remains viable. This work furthers the characterization of SPI, improving its
potential as a probe of extrasolar planetary magnetic fields.Comment: Accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journa
A detailed spectropolarimetric analysis of the planet hosting star WASP-12
The knowledge of accurate stellar parameters is paramount in several fields
of stellar astrophysics, particularly in the study of extrasolar planets, where
often the star is the only visible component and therefore used to infer the
planet's fundamental parameters. Another important aspect of the analysis of
planetary systems is the stellar activity and the possible star-planet
interaction. Here we present a self-consistent abundance analysis of the planet
hosting star WASP-12 and a high-precision search for a structured stellar
magnetic field on the basis of spectropolarimetric observations obtained with
the ESPaDOnS spectropolarimeter. Our results show that the star does not have a
structured magnetic field, and that the obtained fundamental parameters are in
good agreement with what was previously published. In addition we derive
improved constraints on the stellar age (1.0-2.65 Gyr), mass (1.23-1.49 M/M0),
and distance (295-465 pc). WASP-12 is an ideal object to look for pollution
signatures in the stellar atmosphere. We analyse the WASP-12 abundances as a
function of the condensation temperature and compare them with those published
by several other authors on planet hosting and non-planet hosting stars. We
find hints of atmospheric pollution in WASP-12's photosphere, but are unable to
reach firm conclusions with our present data. We conclude that a differential
analysis based on WASP-12 twins will probably clarify if an atmospheric
pollution is present, the nature of this pollution and its implications in the
planet formation and evolution. We attempt also the direct detection of the
circumstellar disk through infrared excess, but without success.Comment: 49 pages, 11 figures, Accepted for publication on Ap
A coordinated optical and X-ray spectroscopic campaign on HD179949: searching for planet-induced chromospheric and coronal activity
HD179949 is an F8V star, orbited by a close-in giant planet with a period of
~3 days. Previous studies suggested that the planet enhances the magnetic
activity of the parent star, producing a chromospheric hot spot which rotates
in phase with the planet orbit. However, this phenomenon is intermittent since
it was observed in several but not all seasons. A long-term monitoring of the
magnetic activity of HD179949 is required to study the amplitude and time
scales of star-planet interactions. In 2009 we performed a simultaneous optical
and X-ray spectroscopic campaign to monitor the magnetic activity of HD179949
during ~5 orbital periods and ~2 stellar rotations. We analyzed the CaII H&K
lines as a proxy for chromospheric activity, and we studied the X-ray emission
in search of flux modulations and to determine basic properties of the coronal
plasma. A detailed analysis of the flux in the cores of the CaII H&K lines and
a similar study of the X-ray photometry shows evidence of source variability,
including one flare. The analysis of the the time series of chromospheric data
indicates a modulation with a ~11 days period, compatible with the stellar
rotation period at high latitudes. Instead, the X-ray light curve suggests a
signal with a period of ~4 days, consistent with the presence of two active
regions on opposite hemispheres. The observed variability can be explained,
most likely, as due to rotational modulation and to intrinsic evolution of
chromospheric and coronal activity. There is no clear signature related to the
orbital motion of the planet, but the possibility that just a fraction of the
chromospheric and coronal variability is modulated with the orbital period of
the planet, or the stellar-planet beat period, cannot be excluded. We conclude
that any effect due to the presence of the planet is difficult to disentangle
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