Simulating the Inner Asterospheric Magnetic Fields of Exoplanet Host Stars
Abstract
We study magnetic and energetic activity across a range of stellar behavior via the application of an observationally-based heliophysics modeling framework. We simulate the inner asterospheric magnetic fields of host stars with the aim of better understanding and constraining the space weather environments of exoplanets, and improving our knowledge of the solar-stellar connection. As astronomy instrumentation has improved, Earth-like exoplanets are increasingly being found orbiting in the habitable zones of a variety of stars, ranging from the smallest and coolest M dwarfs to larger and more solar-like stars. We are therefore interested in characterizing a broad range of stellar magnetic activity and the resulting impacts on asterospheric environments. We will present our work simulating stellar magnetic activity on cycle timescales via the integration of modeled magnetic flux emergence, coronal field structure and related plasma emission, and stellar winds. We use this self-consistent framework of heliophysics-based models to simulate stellar and asterospheric evolution, in order to better understand the dynamic connections between host stars and potential impacts on planetary space weather and habitability. We also remark on the comparative heliophysics approach which we plan to extend to star-planet interactions via coupling to models of magnetospheric activity and dynamo-driven stellar flux emergence.
- Publication:
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American Astronomical Society Meeting Abstracts #234
- Pub Date:
- June 2019
- Bibcode:
- 2019AAS...23430305F