Hostname: page-component-76fb5796d-dfsvx Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-25T23:43:50.797Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Persistent Transition Region Emission in Very Low Mass Stars

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 May 2016

Suzanne L. Hawley
Affiliation:
University of Washington, Department of Astronomy, Box 351580, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
Christopher M. Johns-Krull
Affiliation:
Department of Physics & Astronomy, 6100 Main St., Rice University, Houston, Texas, 77005, USA

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

We have obtained HST/STIS time series observations of active, very low mass stars of spectral types M7-M9. The observations comprise 15 consecutive exposures on each of the stars VB 8, VB 10, and LHS 2065. Emission is present in several transition region lines including Si IV, C IV and He II. The emission appears to be variable between exposures, but is always observed. A strong flare was observed in one exposure on VB 10. Our results suggest that active, very low-mass stars maintain a persistent quiescent chromosphere and transition region that is similar to those observed in active, earlier type M dwarfs. This contradicts the currently popular idea that very low mass stars exhibit only relatively strong flares and no quiescent emission.

Type
Part 6: Low Mass Stellar Magnetic Activity and Evolution
Copyright
Copyright © Astronomical Society of the Pacific 2004 

References

Burgasser, A. J., Liebert, J., Kirkpatrick, J. D., & Gizis, J. E. 2002, AJ, 123, 2744.Google Scholar
Fleming, T.A., Giampapa, M.S., & Schmitt, J.H.M.M. 2000, ApJ, 533, 372.Google Scholar
Gizis, J. E., Monet, D. G., Reid, I. N., Kirkpatrick, J. D., Liebert, J., & Williams, R. J. 2000, AJ, 120, 1085.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Güdel, M., Audard, M., Kashyap, V. L., Drake, J. J., & Guinan, E. F. 2003, ApJ, 582, 423.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hawley, S.L., Gizis, J.E., & Reid, I.N. 1996, AJ, 112, 2799.Google Scholar
Hawley, S.L. & Johns-Krull, 2003, ApJ, 588, L109.Google Scholar
Johns-Krull, C.M., Valenti, J.A., & Linsky, J.L. 2000, ApJ, 539, 815.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kashyap, V. L., Drake, J. J., Güdel, M., & Audard, M. 2002, ApJ, 580, 1118.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Liebert, J., Kirkpatrick, J.D., Reid, I.N., Fisher, M.D. 1999, ApJ, 519, 345.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Linsky, J.L., Wood, B.E., Brown, A., Giampapa, M.S., & Ambruster, C. 1995, ApJ, 455, 670.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Martín, E. L. & Bouy, H. 2002, New Astronomy, 7, 595.Google Scholar
Mohanty, S., Basri, G., Shu, F., Allard, F., & Chabrier, G. 2002, ApJ, 571, 469.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rutledge, R.E., Basri, G., Martín, E.L., Bildsten, L. 2000, ApJ, 538, L141.Google Scholar