Models of Star-Planet Magnetic Interaction

Magnetic interactions between a planet and its environment are known to lead to phenomena such as aurorae and shocks in the solar system. The large number of close-in exoplanets that were discovered triggered a renewed interest in magnetic interactions in star-planet systems. Multiple other magnetic effects were then unveiled, such as planet inflation or heating, planet migration, planetary material escape, and even modification of the host star properties. We review here the recent efforts in modelling and understanding magnetic interactions between stars and planets in the context of compact systems. We first provide simple estimates of the effects of magnetic interactions and then detail analytical and numerical models for different representative scenarii. We finally lay out a series of future developments that are needed today to better understand and constrain these fascinating interactions.Comment: 23 pages, 10 figures, accepted as a chapter in the Handbook of Exoplanet

A spectro-polarimetric study of the planet-hosting G dwarf, HD 147513

© ESO, 2015. Reproduced with permission from Astronomy & Astrophysics, © ESO. This is the final published version of the work, which was originally published at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/201526595The results from a spectro-polarimetric study of the planet-hosting Sun-like star, HD 147513 (G5V), are presented here. Robust detections of Zeeman signatures at all observed epochs indicate a surface magnetic field, with longitudinal magnetic field strengths varying between 1.0-3.2 G. Radial velocity variations from night to night modulate on a similar timescale to the longitudinal magnetic field measurements. These variations are therefore likely due to the rotational modulation of stellar active regions rather than the much longer timescale of the planetary orbit (Porb = 528 d). Both the longitudinal magnetic field measurements and radial velocity variations are consistent with a rotation period of 10 ± 2 days, which are also consistent with the measured chromospheric activity level of the star (′log R′HK = -4.64). Together, these quantities indicate a low inclination angle, i ∼ 18°. We present preliminary magnetic field maps of the star based on the above period and find a simple poloidal large-scale field. Chemical analyses of the star have revealed that it is likely to have undergone a barium-enrichment phase in its evolution because of a higher mass companion. Despite this, our study reveals that the star has a fairly typical activity level for its rotation period and spectral type. Future studies will enable us to explore the long-term evolution of the field, as well as to measure the stellar rotation period, with greater accuracy

Activity and magnetic field structure of the Sun-like planet-hosting star HD 1237

Journal Article© ESO, 2015. Reproduced with permission from Astronomy & Astrophysics, © ESO. This is the final published version of the work, which was originally published at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/201525771We analyse the magnetic activity characteristics of the planet-hosting Sun-like star, HD 1237, using HARPS spectro-polarimetric time-series data. We find evidence of rotational modulation of the magnetic longitudinal field measurements that is consistent with our ZDI analysis with a period of 7 days. We investigate the effect of customising the LSD mask to the line depths of the observed spectrum and find that it has a minimal effect on the shape of the extracted Stokes V profile but does result in a small increase in the S/N (~7%). We find that using a Milne-Eddington solution to describe the local line profile provides a better fit to the LSD profiles in this slowly rotating star, which also affects the recovered ZDI field distribution. We also introduce a fit-stopping criterion based on the information content (entropy) of the ZDI map solution set. The recovered magnetic field maps show a strong (+90 G) ring-like azimuthal field distribution and a complex radial field dominating at mid latitudes (~45 degrees). Similar magnetic field maps are recovered from data acquired five months apart. Future work will investigate how this surface magnetic field distribution affeccts the coronal magnetic field and extended environment around this planet-hosting star

Stellar Coronal and Wind Models: Impact on Exoplanets

Surface magnetism is believed to be the main driver of coronal heating and stellar wind acceleration. Coronae are believed to be formed by plasma confined in closed magnetic coronal loops of the stars, with winds mainly originating in open magnetic field line regions. In this Chapter, we review some basic properties of stellar coronae and winds and present some existing models. In the last part of this Chapter, we discuss the effects of coronal winds on exoplanets.Comment: Chapter published in the "Handbook of Exoplanets", Editors in Chief: Juan Antonio Belmonte and Hans Deeg, Section Editor: Nuccio Lanza. Springer Reference Work