Investigating circumstellar atomic radiation-driven dynamics in exoplanet and debris disc environments
Abstract
Presentation at University of Stockholm monthly SPA seminar in 2025.
Full text
Investigating Circumstellar Atomic Radiation-driven Dynamics in Exoplanet and Debris Disc Environments Alexandra Lehtmets 2. Year PhD, Young Research Fellow Supervisors: Mihkel Kama, Luca Fossati and Anna Aret SPA meeting 31.01.25
Contents: 2 Introduction and Motivation Model Methods Results Discussion Future work
Introduction 3 Jermyn and Kama, 2018 - Found that low mass slowly rotating stars are most likely targets for observing stellar contamination. Fernandez, Brandeker and Wu, 2005 - Calculated gravitational and radiation pressure force acting on atoms and ions in Ξ² Pictoris case.
Motivation Another way to look into the exoplanet atmosphere/debris disc chemical composition! 4
Methods 5 Main equations: 1. Calculation of beta ratio - Distance independent! π½ = πΉπππ πΉ ππππ£ π£πππ = π½ πΊπ π2 1 Ξ 2. Calculation of boost velocity - only neutral atoms, boost before being ionised
6 NIST atomic database (H to Ni) ATLAS9 fluxes π½ = πΉπππ πΉ ππππ£ π£πππ = π½ πΊπ π2 1 Ξ I I, II, III MODEL INPUT TABELS FOR Ξ²AND π£πππ SOLUTIONS OUTPUT XCOM (H to Ni) CMD ver. 3.7 evolutionary tracks Stellar masses STAR PARAMETERS ππππ β 4,500 β19,000 K Age = 20 Myr Log g = 4.5
7 NEUTRAL Results (1) Radiation affectsβ¦ -β¦ noble gases (He, Ne, β¦) slightly -β¦ non-metals (N, F, β¦) moderately -β¦ metals (Li, Na, β¦) highly
Results (2) 8 SINGLY IONISED Radiation affectsβ¦ -β¦ noble gases (He, Ne, β¦) slightly -β¦ non-metals (N, F, β¦) moderately -β¦ metals (Li, Na, β¦) highly
Results (3) 9 Radiation affectsβ¦ -β¦ noble gases (He, Ne, β¦) slightly -β¦ non-metals (N, F, β¦) moderately -β¦ metals (Li, Na, β¦) highly DOUBLY IONISED
Future work 16 β’Model - Add stellar wind (Kral et al. 2023) - Quantify mass loss rates from the evaporating gas source - Assess potential accretion of material onto the host star - Apply the model to observed systems β’Experimental (exoplanets) - Monitor host-star (6,500β8,000 K) spectra during exoplanet transit and secondary eclipse to detect potential contamination signatures - This model can give info about which lines should you look at in the spectra - Compare stellar chemical abundances before, during, and after transit/eclipse
Thanks for listening! Questions? Feel free to ask me now or later! 17 Alexandra Lehtmets Young Research Fellow Tartu Observatory [email protected] linkedin.com/in/alexandra-lehtmets
Where comes the Ξ² ratio? 18