A search for star-planet interactions in chromospheric lines
Abstract
Massive planets in very close orbits around their central stars can induce so-called star-planet interactions (SPI), which may be of magnetic or gravitational nature. In both cases, SPI can potentially cause recurring chromospheric emission on the host star visible in Ca II H & K and/or H. The emission would be bound to the planetary orbit, not to the rotation period of the star. We searched for SPI in a sample of 7 stars with massive close-in planets using high-resolution spectroscopic data taken at HRS (HET) and FEROS (La Silla). We find no periodically recurring emission in the planet-hosting stars. In the case of HD 41004 AB, a binary system consisting of a K dwarf and an M dwarf, where the M dwarf is orbited by a brown dwarf companion, we find signs of cyclic variation in the Ca II K and H emission lines that could be associated to interactions between the M dwarf and its companion. We present our first results of this interesting system that may become an important system for the understanding of SPI.
Cite
@article{arxiv.1012.1720,
title = {A search for star-planet interactions in chromospheric lines},
author = {L. F. Lenz and A. Reiners and M. Kürster},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1012.1720},
year = {2015}
}
Comments
5 pages, 9 figures, proceeding of the Cool Stars 16 Conference (Seattle 2010)