26 research outputs found
X-ray flares on the UV Ceti-type star CC Eridani: a "peculiar" time-evolution of spectral parameters
Context: Weak flares are supposed to be an important heating agent of the
outer layers of stellar atmospheres. However, due to instrumental limitations,
only large X-ray flares have been studied in detail until now.
Aims: We used an XMM-Newton observation of the very active BY-Dra type binary
star CC Eri in order to investigate the properties of two flares that are
weaker than those typically studied in the literature.
Methods: We performed time-resolved spectroscopy of the data taken with the
EPIC-PN CCD camera. A multi-temperature model was used to fit the spectra. We
inferred the size of the flaring loops using the density-temperature diagram.
The loop scaling laws were applied for deriving physical parameters of the
flaring plasma. We also estimated the number of loops involved in the observed
flares.
Results: A large X-ray variability was found. Spectral analysis showed that
all the regions in the light curve, including the flare segments, are
well-described by a 3-T model with variable emission measures but,
surprisingly, with constant temperatures (values of 3, 10 and 22 MK). The
analysed flares lasted ~ 3.4 and 7.1 ks, with flux increases of factors
1.5-1.9. They occurred in arcades made of a few tens of similar coronal loops.
The size of the flaring loops is much smaller than the distance between the
stellar surfaces in the binary system, and even smaller than the radius of each
of the stars. The obtained results are consistent with the following ideas: (i)
the whole X-ray light curve of CC Eri could be the result of a superposition of
multiple low-energy flares, and (ii) stellar flares can be scaled-up versions
of solar flares.Comment: 14 pages, 12 figures. Accepted for publication in Astronomy &
Astrophysic
The effect of magnetic activity saturation in chromospheric flux-flux relationships
We present a homogeneous study of chromospheric and coronal flux-flux
relationships using a sample of 298 late-type dwarf active stars with spectral
types F to M. The chromospheric lines were observed simultaneously in each star
to avoid spread due to long term variability. Unlike other works, we subtract
the basal chromospheric contribution in all the spectral lines studied. For the
first time, we quantify the departure of dMe stars from the general relations.
We show that dK and dKe stars also deviate from the general trend. Studying the
flux-colour diagrams we demonstrate that the stars deviating from the general
relations are those with saturated X-ray emission and that those stars also
present saturation in the H line. Using several age spectral
indicators, we show that they are younger stars than those following the
general relationships. The non-universality of flux-flux relationships found in
this work should be taken into account when converting between fluxes in
different chromospheric activity indicators.Comment: Accepted for publication in the Monthly Notices of the Royal
Astronomical Societ
A detailed study of the rise phase of a long duration X-ray flare in the young star TWA 11B
We analyzed a long duration flare observed in a serendipitous XMM-Newton
detection of the M star CD-39 7717B (TWA 11B), member of the young stellar
association TW Hya (~ 8 Myr). Only the rise phase (with a duration of ~ 35 ks)
and possibly the flare peak were observed. We took advantage of the high
count-rate of the X-ray source to carry out a detailed analysis of its spectrum
during the whole exposure. After a careful analysis, we interpreted the rise
phase as resulting from the ignition of a first group of loops (event A) which
triggered a subsequent two-ribbon flare (event B). Event A was analyzed using a
single-loop model, while a two-ribbon model was applied for event B. Loop
semi-lengths of ~ 4 R* were obtained. Such large structures had been previously
observed in very young stellar objects (~ 1 - 4 Myr). This is the first time
that they have been inferred in a slightly more evolved star. The fluorescent
iron emission line at 6.4 keV was detected during event B. Since TWA 11B seems
to have no disk, the most plausible explanation found for its presence in the
X-ray spectrum of this star is collisional - or photo- ionization. As far as we
are concerned, this is only the third clear detection of Fe photospheric
fluorescence in stars other than the Sun.Comment: Accepted for publication in ApJ. 15 pages, 9 figure
Analysis and modeling of high temporal resolution spectroscopic observations of flares on AD Leo
We report the results of a high temporal resolution spectroscopic monitoring
of the flare star AD Leo. During 4 nights, more than 600 spectra were taken in
the optical range using the Isaac Newton Telescope (INT) and the Intermediate
Dispersion Spectrograph (IDS). We have observed a large number of short and
weak flares occurring very frequently (flare activity > 0.71 hours-1). This is
in favour of the very important role that flares can play in stellar coronal
heating. The detected flares are non white-light flares and, though most of
solar flares belong to this kind, very few such events had been previously
observed on stars. The behaviour of different chromospheric lines (Balmer
series from H_alpha to H_11, Ca II H & K, Na I D_1 & D_2, He I 4026 AA and He I
D_3) has been studied in detail for a total of 14 flares. We have also
estimated the physical parameters of the flaring plasma by using a procedure
which assumes a simplified slab model of flares. All the obtained physical
parameters are consistent with previously derived values for stellar flares,
and the areas - less than 2.3% of the stellar surface - are comparable with the
size inferred for other solar and stellar flares. Finally, we have studied the
relationships between the physical parameters and the area, duration, maximum
flux and energy released during the detected flares.Comment: Latex file with 17 pages, 11 figures. Available at
http://www.ucm.es/info/Astrof/invest/actividad/actividad_pub.html Accepted
for publication in: Astronomy & Astrophysics (A&A
Teaching Astronomy in non-formal education: stars workshop
One of the fields in which teaching Astronomy is more demanded is non-formal education. The Stars Workshop we present in this contribution consisted on an introduction to Astronomy and observation methods. The main objectives were: to know the main components of the Universe, their characteristics and the scales of size and time existing between them; to understand the movement of the different celestial objects; to know the different observational techniques; to value the different historical explanations about the Earth and the position of Humanity in the Universe. This Stars Workshop was a collaboration with the Escuela de Tiempo Libre Jumavi, which is a school dedicated to the training and non-formal education in the leisure field
The nearest young moving groups
The latest results in the research of forming planetary systems have led several authors to compile a sample of candidates for searching for planets in the vicinity of the sun. Young stellar associations are indeed excellent laboratories for this study, but some of them are not close enough to allow the detection of planets through adaptive optics techniques. However, the existence of very close young moving groups can solve this problem. Here we have compiled the members of the nearest young moving groups, as well as a list of new candidates from our catalogue of late-type stars possible members of young stellar kinematic groups, studying their membership through spectroscopic and photometric criteria