Nonlinear Alfv\'en Wave Model of Stellar Coronae and Winds from the Sun to M dwarfs
Abstract
M dwarf's atmosphere and wind is expected to be highly magnetized. The nonlinear propagation of Alfv\'en wave could play a key role in both heating the stellar atmosphere and driving the stellar wind. Along this Alfv\'en wave scenario, we carried out the one-dimensional compressive magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulation about the nonlinear propagation of Alfv\'en wave from the M dwarf's photosphere, chromosphere to the corona and interplanetary space. Based on the simulation results, we develop the semi-empirical method describing the solar and M dwarf's coronal temperature, stellar wind velocity, and wind's mass loss rate. We find that M dwarfs' coronae tend to be cooler than solar corona, and that M dwarfs' stellar winds would be characterized with faster velocity and much smaller mass loss rate compared to those of the solar wind.
Keywords
Cite
@article{arxiv.2012.10868,
title = {Nonlinear Alfv\'en Wave Model of Stellar Coronae and Winds from the Sun to M dwarfs},
author = {Takahito Sakaue and Kazunari Shibata},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2012.10868},
year = {2021}
}
Comments
12 pages, 5 figures, accepted for the publication in The Astrophysical Journal Letters