863 research outputs found
XUV-driven mass loss from extrasolar giant planets orbiting active stars
Upper atmospheres of Hot Jupiters are subject to extreme radiation conditions that can result in rapid atmospheric escape. The composition and structure of the upper atmospheres of these planets are affected by the high-energy spectrum of the host star. This emission depends on stellar type and age, which are thus important factors in understanding the behaviour of exoplanetary atmospheres. In this study, we focus on Extrasolar Giant Planets (EPGs) orbiting K and M dwarf stars. XUV spectra for three different stars â â Eridani, AD Leonis and AU Microscopii â are constructed using a coronal model. Neutral density and temperature profiles in the upper atmosphere of hypothetical EGPs orbiting these stars are then obtained from a fluid model, incorporating atmospheric chemistry and taking atmospheric escape into account. We find that a simple scaling based solely on the host starâs X-ray emission gives large errors in mass loss rates from planetary atmospheres and so we have derived a new method to scale the EUV regions of the solar spectrum based upon stellar X-ray emission. This new method produces an outcome in terms of the planetâs neutral upper atmosphere very similar to that obtained using a detailed coronal model of the host star. Our results indicate that in planets subjected to radiation from active stars, the transition from Jeans escape to a regime of hydrodynamic escape at the top of the atmosphere occurs at larger orbital distances than for planets around low activity stars (such as the Sun)
Effect of stellar flares on the upper atmospheres of HD 189733b and HD 209458b
Stellar flares are a frequent occurrence on young low-mass stars around which
many detected exoplanets orbit. Flares are energetic, impulsive events, and
their impact on exoplanetary atmospheres needs to be taken into account when
interpreting transit observations. We have developed a model to describe the
upper atmosphere of Extrasolar Giant Planets (EGPs) orbiting flaring stars. The
model simulates thermal escape from the upper atmospheres of close-in EGPs.
Ionisation by solar radiation and electron impact is included and photochemical
and diffusive transport processes are simulated. This model is used to study
the effect of stellar flares from the solar-like G star HD209458 and the young
K star HD189733 on their respective planets. A hypothetical HD209458b-like
planet orbiting the active M star AU Mic is also simulated. We find that the
neutral upper atmosphere of EGPs is not significantly affected by typical
flares. Therefore, stellar flares alone would not cause large enough changes in
planetary mass loss to explain the variations in HD189733b transit depth seen
in previous studies, although we show that it may be possible that an extreme
stellar proton event could result in the required mass loss. Our simulations do
however reveal an enhancement in electron number density in the ionosphere of
these planets, the peak of which is located in the layer where stellar X-rays
are absorbed. Electron densities are found to reach 2.2 to 3.5 times pre-flare
levels and enhanced electron densities last from about 3 to 10 hours after the
onset of the flare. The strength of the flare and the width of its spectral
energy distribution affect the range of altitudes that see enhancements in
ionisation. A large broadband continuum component in the XUV portion of the
flaring spectrum in very young flare stars, such as AU Mic, results in a broad
range of altitudes affected in planets orbiting this star.Comment: accepted for publication in A&
Estimation of the XUV radiation onto close planets and their evaporation
Context: The current distribution of planet mass vs. incident stellar X-ray
flux supports the idea that photoevaporation of the atmosphere may take place
in close-in planets. Integrated effects have to be accounted for. A proper
calculation of the mass loss rate due to photoevaporation requires to estimate
the total irradiation from the whole XUV range. Aims: The purpose of this paper
is to extend the analysis of the photoevaporation in planetary atmospheres from
the accessible X-rays to the mostly unobserved EUV range by using the coronal
models of stars to calculate the EUV contribution to the stellar spectra. The
mass evolution of planets can be traced assuming that thermal losses dominate
the mass loss of their atmospheres. Methods: We determine coronal models for 82
stars with exoplanets that have X-ray observations available. Then a synthetic
spectrum is produced for the whole XUV range (~1-912 {\AA}). The determination
of the EUV stellar flux, calibrated with real EUV data, allows us to calculate
the accumulated effects of the XUV irradiation on the planet atmosphere with
time, as well as the mass evolution for planets with known density. Results: We
calibrate for the first time a relation of the EUV luminosity with stellar age
valid for late-type stars. In a sample of 109 exoplanets, few planets with
masses larger than ~1.5 Mj receive high XUV flux, suggesting that intense
photoevaporation takes place in a short period of time, as previously found in
X-rays. The scenario is also consistent with the observed distribution of
planet masses with density. The accumulated effects of photoevaporation over
time indicate that HD 209458b may have lost 0.2 Mj since an age of 20 Myr.
Conclusions: Coronal radiation produces rapid photoevaporation of the
atmospheres of planets close to young late-type stars. More complex models are
needed to explain fully the observations.Comment: Accepted by A&A. 10 pages, 8 figures, 7 Tables (2 online). Additional
online material includes 7 pages, 6 figures and 6 tables, all include
Prospective evaluation of a protocol for transitioning porcine lente insulintreated diabetic cats to human recombinant protamine zinc insulin
Objectives The objective was to evaluate a nadir-led protocol for transitioning porcine lente insulin suspension (PLIS)-treated diabetic cats onto human recombinant protamine zinc insulin (PZIR).
Methods Recently diagnosed (<5 months) diabetic cats, treated with PLIS q12h for 6 weeks, were recruited. Fructosamine, 24 h blood glucose curve (BGC), quality of life assessment (DIAQoL-pet score) and Diabetic Clinical Score (DCS) were assessed at enrolment (PLIS-treated) and 2, 4 and 12 weeks after transitioning to PZIR (starting dose 0.2-0.7 U/kg q12h). Short duration of insulin action was defined as <9 h. Linear mixed effects modelling assessed for change in fructosamine, mean blood glucose (MBG) during BGCs, DIAQoL-pet score, DCS and q12h insulin dose. McNemar's tests compared the proportion of cats with hypoglycaemia at week 0 (PLIS-treated) and week 4 (PZIR-treated).
Results Twenty-two cats were recruited. Median PLIS dose at enrolment was 0.5 U/kg (interquartile range 0.3-0.7 U/kg) q12h, equalling median PZIR starting dose (0.5 U/kg; interquartile range 0.3-0.7 U/kg q12h). Transitioning was followed by significant decreases in fructosamine (P = 0.00007), insulin dose (P = 0.02), DCS (P = 8.1 x 10(-8)) and DIAQoL-pet score (P = 0.003), indicating improved quality of life. MBG did not alter significantly (P = 0.1). Five cats (22.7%) achieved remission. Hypoglycaemia was recorded in 30/190 12 h BGCs (15.8%) and five cats experienced clinical hypoglycaemia. The proportion of cats with hypoglycaemia did not differ between PLIS (week 0) and PZIR (week 4) (P = 1.0). Duration of action was analysed in 19 cats. Six cats (31.6%) showed short duration of action on PLIS, compared with two cats (10.5%) after 4 weeks on PZIR. All six cats with short PLIS duration showed duration of 9 h on PZIR.
Conclusions and relevance Used alongside a low-carbohydrate diet, transitioning to PZIR was associated with significantly improved clinical signs and quality of life, with some cats achieving remission. Transition to PZIR should be considered for cats with short duration of action on PLIS
Comparison Between Supervised and Unsupervised Classifications of Neuronal Cell Types: A Case Study
In the study of neural circuits, it becomes essential to discern the different neuronal cell types that build the circuit. Traditionally, neuronal cell types have been classified using qualitative descriptors. More recently, several attempts have been made to classify neurons quantitatively, using unsupervised clustering methods. While useful, these algorithms do not take advantage of previous information known to the investigator, which could improve the classification task. For neocortical GABAergic interneurons, the problem to discern among different cell types is particularly difficult and better methods are needed to perform objective classifications. Here we explore the use of supervised classification algorithms to classify neurons based on their morphological features, using a database of 128 pyramidal cells and 199 interneurons from mouse neocortex. To evaluate the performance of different algorithms we used, as a âbenchmark,â the test to automatically distinguish between pyramidal cells and interneurons, defining âground truthâ by the presence or absence of an apical dendrite. We compared hierarchical clustering with a battery of different supervised classification algorithms, finding that supervised classifications outperformed hierarchical clustering. In addition, the selection of subsets of distinguishing features enhanced the classification accuracy for both sets of algorithms. The analysis of selected variables indicates that dendritic features were most useful to distinguish pyramidal cells from interneurons when compared with somatic and axonal morphological variables. We conclude that supervised classification algorithms are better matched to the general problem of distinguishing neuronal cell types when some information on these cell groups, in our case being pyramidal or interneuron, is known a priori. As a spin-off of this methodological study, we provide several methods to automatically distinguish neocortical pyramidal cells from interneurons, based on their morphologies
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