Solar and Stellar Astrophysics (astro-ph.SR)

Abstract: The Sun produces the most powerful explosions in the solar system, solar flares, that can also be accompanied by large eruptions of magnetised plasma, coronal mass ejections (CMEs). These processes can accelerate electron beams up to relativistic energies through magnetic reconnection processes during solar flares and CME-driven shocks. Energetic electron beams can in turn generate radio bursts through the plasma emission mechanism. CME shocks, in particular, are usually associated with type II solar radio bursts. However, on a few occasions, type II bursts have been reported to occur either in the absence of CMEs or shown to be more likely related with the flaring process. It is currently an open question how a shock generating type II bursts forms without the occurrence of a CME eruption. Here, we aim to determine the physical mechanism responsible for a type II burst which occurs in the absence a CME. By using radio imaging from the Nan{\c c}ay Radioheliograph, combined with observations from the Solar Dynamics Observatory and the Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory spacecraft, we investigate the origin of a type II radio burst that appears to have no temporal association with a white-light CME. We identify a typical type II radio burst with band-split structure that is associated with a C-class solar flare. The type II burst source is located above the flaring active region and ahead of disturbed coronal loops observed in extreme ultraviolet images. The type II is also preceded by type III radio bursts, some of which are in fact J-bursts indicating that accelerated electron beams do not all escape along open field lines. The type II sources show single-frequency movement towards the flaring active region. The type II is located ahead of a faint extreme-ultraviolet (EUV) front propagating through the corona.

Abstract: Tsinghua university-Ma Huateng Telescope for Survey (TMTS) aims to discover rapidly evolving transients by monitoring the northern sky. The TMTS catalog is cross-matched with the white dwarf (WD) catalog of Gaia EDR3, and light curves of more than a thousand WD candidates are obtained so far. Among them, the WD TMTS J23450729+5813146 (hereafter J2345) is one interesting common source. Based on the light curves from the TMTS and follow-up photometric observations, periods of 967.113 s, 973.734 s, 881.525 s, 843.458 s, 806.916 s and 678.273 s are identified. In addition, the TESS observations suggest a 3.39 h period but this can be attributed to the rotation of a comoving M dwarf located within 3". The spectroscopic observation indicates that this WD is DA type with Teff = 11778+/-617K,log g = 8.38+/-0.31,mass=0.84+/-0.20Msun and age=0.704+/-0.377 Gyrs. Asteroseismological analysis reveals a global best-fit solution of Teff =12110+/-10K and mass=0.760+/-0.005Msun,consistent with the spectral fitting results, and Oxygen and Carbon abundances in the core center are 0.73 and 0.27, respectively. The distance derived from the intrinsic luminosity given by asteroseismology is 93 parsec, which is in agreement with the distance of 98 parsec from Gaia DR3. Additionally, kinematic study shows that this WD is likely a thick disk star. The mass of its zero-age main-sequence mass is estimated to be 3.08 Msun and has a main-sequence plus cooling age of roughly 900 Myrs.

Abstract: Context: The study of high-mass stars found to be isolated in the field of the Milky Way may help to probe the feasibility of the core-accretion mechanism in the case of massive star formation. The existence of truly isolated stars may efficiently probe the possibility that individual massive stars can be born in isolation. Aims: We observed WR67a (hereafter Sapaki), an O3If* star that appears to be isolated close to the center of a well-developed giant cavity that is aptly traced by 8.0 $\mu$m hot dust emission. Methods: We acquired medium-resolution ($R=4100$) and moderate signal-to-noise ($S/N = 95$ at 4500 \r{A}) spectra for Sapaki in the range of 3800-10500 \r{A} with the Magellan Echellette (MagE) at Las Campanas Observatory. We computed the line-of-sight total extinctions. Additionally, we restricted its heliocentric distance by using a range of different estimators. Moreover, we measured its radial velocity from several lines in its spectrum. Finally, we analyzed its proper motions from Gaia to examine its possible runaway status. Results: The star has been classified as having the spectral type O3If* given its resemblance to standard examples of the class. In addition, we found that Sapaki is highly obscured, reaching a line-of-sight extinction value of $A_{V} = 7.87$. We estimated the heliocentric distance to be in the range of $d = 4-7$ kpc. We also estimated its radial velocity to be $V_{r} = -34.2 \pm 15.6$ km/s. We may also discard its runaway status solely based on its 2D kinematics. Furthermore, by analyzing proper motions and parallaxes provided by Gaia, we found only one other star with compatible measurements. Conclusions: Given its apparent non-runaway status and the absence of clustering, Sapaki appears to be a solid candidate for isolated high-mass star formation in the Milky Way.

Abstract: Data-driven analysis methods can help to infer physical properties of red giant stars where "gold-standard" asteroseismic data are not available. The study of optical and infrared spectra of red giant stars with data-driven analyses has revealed that differences in oscillation frequencies and their separations are imprinted in said spectra. This makes it possible to confidently differentiate core-helium burning red clump stars (RC) from those that are still on their first ascent of the red giant branch (RGB). We extend these studies to a tenfold larger wavelength range of 0.33 to 2.5 microns with the moderate-resolution VLT/X-shooter spectrograph. Our analysis of 49 stars with asteroseismic data from the K2 mission confirms that CN, CO and CH features are indeed the primary carriers of spectroscopic information on the evolutionary stages of red giant stars. We report 215 informative features for differentiating the RC from the RGB within the range of 0.33 to 2.5 microns. This makes it possible for existing and future spectroscopic surveys to optimize their wavelength regions to deliver both a large variety of elemental abundances and reliable age estimates of luminous red giant stars.

Abstract: We present a novel Hall magnetohydrodynamics (HMHD) numerical simulation of a three-dimensional (3D) magnetic flux rope (MFR) -- generated by magnetic reconnections from an initial 3D bipolar sheared field. Magnetic reconnections during the HMHD evolution are compared with the MHD. In both simulations, the MFRs generate as a consequence of the magnetic reconnection at null points which has not been realized in contemporary simulations. Interestingly, the evolution is faster and more intricate in the HMHD simulation. Repetitive development of the twisted magnetic field lines (MFL) in the vicinity of 3D nulls (reconnection site) is unique to the HMHD evolution of the MFR. The dynamical evolution of magnetic field lines around the reconnection site being affected by the Hall forcing, correspondingly affects the large-scale structures.

Abstract: Mass loss from massive stars plays a determining role in their evolution through the upper Hertzsprung-Russell diagram. The hydrodynamic theory that describes their steady-state winds is the line-driven wind theory (m-CAK). From this theory, the mass loss rate and the velocity profile of the wind can be derived, and estimating these properly will have a profound impact on quantitative spectroscopy analyses from the spectra of these objects. Currently, the so-called beta-law, which is an approximation for the fast solution, is widely used instead of m-CAK hydrodynamics, and when the derived value is beta greater than 1.2, there is no hydrodynamic justification for these values. This review focuses on (1) a detailed topological analysis of the equation of motion (EoM), (2) solving the EoM numerically for all three different (fast and two slow) wind solutions, (3) deriving analytical approximations for the velocity profile via the LambertW function and (4) presenting a discussion of the applicability of the slow solutions.

Abstract: The evolutionary relationships and mechanisms governing the behavior of the wide variety of luminous stars populating the upper H-R diagram are not well established. Luminous blue variables (LBVs) are particularly rare, with only a few dozen identified in the Milky Way and nearby galaxies. Since 2012, the Barber Observatory Luminous Stars Survey has monitored more than 100 luminous targets in M33, including M33C-4119 which has recently undergone photometric and spectroscopic changes consistent with an S Doradus eruption of an LBV.

Abstract: Coronal rain is the most dramatic cooling phenomenon of the solar corona and an essential diagnostic tool for the coronal heating properties. A puzzling feature of the solar corona, besides the heating, is its EUV filamentary structure and variability. We aim to identify observable features of the TNE-TI scenario underlying coronal rain at small and large spatial scales, to understand the role it plays in the solar corona. We use EUV datasets at unprecedented spatial resolution of ~240 km from EUI/HRIEUV and SPICE of Solar Orbiter from the spring 2022 perihelion. EUV absorption features produced by coronal rain are detected at scales as small as 260 km. As the rain falls, heating and compression is produced immediately downstream, leading to a small EUV brightening accompanying the fall and producing a "fireball" phenomenon. Just prior to impact, a flash-like EUV brightening downstream of the rain, lasting a few minutes is observed for the fastest events. For the first time, we detect the atmospheric response to the rain's impact on the chromosphere and consists of upward propagating rebound shocks and flows partly reheating the loop. The observed widths of the rain clumps are 500 +- 200 km. They exhibit a broad velocity distribution of 10 - 150 km s^-1, peaking below 50 km s^-1. Coronal strands of similar widths are observed along the same loops co-spatial with cool filamentary structure, which we interpret as the CCTR. Matching with the expected cooling, prior to the rain appearance sequential loop brightenings are detected in gradually cooler lines from corona to chromospheric temperatures. Despite the large rain showers, most cannot be detected in AIA 171 in quadrature, indicating that LOS effects play a major role in coronal rain visibility. Still, AIA 304 and SPICE observations reveal that only a small fraction of the rain can be captured by HRIEUV.

Abstract: Models of planet-disk interaction are mainly based on 2D and 3D viscous hydrodynamical simulations. Accretion is classically prescribed by an alpha parameter which characterizes the turbulent radial transport of angular momentum (AM) in the disk. This accretion scenario has been questioned for a few years and an alternative paradigm has been proposed that involves the vertical transport of AM by MHD winds. We revisit planet-disk interaction in such context, with a focus on the planet's ability to open a gap and produce meridional flows. Accretion, magnetic field and wind torque in the gap are also explored, as well as the gravitational torque exerted by the disk onto the planet. We carry out high-resolution 3D global non-ideal MHD simulations of a gaseous disk threaded by a large-scale vertical magnetic field harboring a planet in a fixed circular orbit using the GPU-accelerated code Idefix. We consider various planet masses and disk magnetizations. We find that gap-opening always occurs for sufficiently massive planets, with deeper gaps when the planet mass increases and when the initial magnetization decreases. We propose a gap opening criterion when accretion is dominated by MHD winds. We show that accretion is unsteady and comes from surface layers in the outer disk, bringing material directly towards the planet poles. A planet gap is a privileged region for magnetic field accumulation, leading to nearly sonic accretion stream through the gap. For massive planets, the wind torque induces an asymmetric gap, both in depth and in width, that gradually erodes the outer gap edge, reducing the outer Lindblad torque and potentially reversing the migration direction of Jovian planets in magnetized disks after a few hundreds of orbits. For low-mass planets, we find strongly fluctuating gravitational torques that are mostly positive on average, indicating a stochastic outward migration.

Abstract: We outline and discuss a model for the enhanced abundances of trans-Fe elements in impulsive Solar Energetic Particle (SEP) events, where large mass dependent abundance enhancements are frequently seen. It comes about as a variation of the ponderomotive force model for the First Ionization Potential (FIP) Effect, i.e. the increase in coronal abundance of elements like Fe, Mg, and Si that are ionized in the solar chromosphere relative to those that are neutral. In this way, the fractionation region is placed in the chromosphere, and is connected to the solar envelope allowing the huge abundance variations to occur, that might otherwise be problematic with a coronal fractionation site. The principal mechanism behind the mass-independent FIP fractionation becoming the mass dependent impulsive SEP fractionation is the suppression of acoustic waves in the chromosphere. The ponderomotive force causing the fractionation must be due to torsional Alfven waves, which couple much less effectively to slow modes than do shear waves, and upward propagating acoustic waves deriving from photospheric convection must be effectively mode converted to fast modes at the chromospheric layer where Alfven and sound speeds are equal, and subsequently totally internally reflected. We further discuss observations of the environments thought to be the source of impulsive SEPs, and the extent to which the real Sun might meet these conditions.

Abstract: We develop statistical methods within a Bayesian framework to infer the star formation history from photometric surveys of pre-main sequence populations. Our procedures include correcting for biases due to extinction in magnitude-limited surveys, and using distributions from subsets of stars with individual extinction measurements. We also make modest corrections for unresolved binaries. We apply our methods to samples of populations with Gaia photometry in the Orion A molecular cloud. Using two well-established sets of evolutionary tracks, we find that, although our sample is incomplete at youngest ages due to extinction, star formation has proceeded in Orion A at a relatively constant rate between ages of about 0.3 and 5 Myr, in contrast to other studies suggesting multiple epochs of star formation. Similar results are obtained for a set of tracks that attempt to take the effects of strong magnetic fields into account. We also find no evidence for a well-constrained "birthline" that would result from low-mass stars appearing first along the deuterium-burning main sequence, especially using the magnetic evolutionary tracks. While our methods have been developed to deal with Gaia data, they may be useful for analyzing other photometric surveys of star-forming regions.