Probing Coronal Flare Energetics: XTE Observations of Nearby Flare Stars
Abstract
We propose to use XTE to probe the energetics of coronal flares on late-type dwarfs. 50 ks exposures of AU Mic and EQ Peg will each likely provide time-resolved PCA spectroscopy of at least one strong flare. We also expect that non-thermal hard (15-50 keV) X-ray bursts will be detectable for tens to hundreds of seconds with both the PCA and HEXTE detectors. To date, the hard X-ray bursts which accompany microwave bursts in strong solar flares have never been observed on a star other than the sun. Together with simultaneous monitoring of the microwave, balmer-line, and ultraviolet-continuum emission, these XTE observations will allow us, for the first time, to trace the time evolution of thermal and non-thermal processes in the flaring plasma.
- Publication:
-
RXTE Proposal
- Pub Date:
- 1996
- Bibcode:
- 1996rxte.prop10007L