Lyman-α observations of astrospheres
Abstract
Charge-exchange reactions between outflowing stellar wind protons and interstellar neutral hydrogen atoms entering a stellar astrosphere produce a region of piled-up-decelerated neutral hydrogen called the hydrogen wall. Absorption by this gas, which is observed in stellar Lyman-α emission lines, provides the only viable technique at this time for measuring the mass-loss rates of F-M dwarf stars. We describe this technique, present an alternative way for understanding the relation of mass-loss rate with X-ray emission, and identify several critical issues.
- Publication:
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ASTRA Proceedings
- Pub Date:
- August 2014
- DOI:
- 10.5194/ap-1-43-2014
- arXiv:
- arXiv:1408.5934
- Bibcode:
- 2014ASTRP...1...43L
- Keywords:
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- Astrophysics - Solar and Stellar Astrophysics
- E-Print:
- 10 pages and 4 figures. Paper presented at the conference "Wind Bubbles, Astrospheres and the Helisphere, Environments and Cosmic Rays" held in Bochum Germany November 4, 2013