Magnetic energy fluxes in close-in star-planet systems
Abstract
Magnetic interactions between a close-in planet and its host star have been postulated to be a source of enhanced chromospheric emissions. We develop three dimensional global models of star-planet systems under the ideal magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) approximation to explore the impact of magnetic topology on the energy fluxes induced by the magnetic interaction. We conduct twin numerical experiments in which only the magnetic topology of the interaction is altered. We find that the Poynting flux varies by more than an order of magnitude when varying the magnetic topology from an aligned case to an anti-aligned case. This provides a simple and robust physical explanation for on/off enhanced chromospheric emissions induced by a close-in planet on time-scales of the order of days to years.
- Publication:
-
Solar and Stellar Flares and their Effects on Planets
- Pub Date:
- 2016
- DOI:
- 10.1017/S1743921315010753
- Bibcode:
- 2016IAUS..320..403S