TIME-RESOLVED ULTRAVIOLET SPECTROSCOPY OF THE M-DWARF GJ 876 EXOPLANETARY SYSTEM
- Center for Astrophysics and Space Astronomy, University of Colorado, 389 UCB, Boulder, CO 80309 (United States)
- JILA, University of Colorado and NIST, 440 UCB, Boulder, CO 80309 (United States)
- Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309 (United States)
- Exoplanets and Stellar Astrophysics Laboratory, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771 (United States)
Extrasolar planets orbiting M-stars may represent our best chance to discover habitable worlds in the coming decade. The ultraviolet spectrum incident upon both Earth-like and Jovian planets is critically important for proper modeling of their atmospheric heating and chemistry. In order to provide more realistic inputs for atmospheric models of planets orbiting low-mass stars, we present new near- and far-ultraviolet (NUV and FUV) spectroscopy of the M-dwarf exoplanet host GJ 876 (M4V). Using the COS and STIS spectrographs on board the Hubble Space Telescope, we have measured the 1150-3140 A spectrum of GJ 876. We have reconstructed the stellar H I Ly{alpha} emission line profile, and find that the integrated Ly{alpha} flux is roughly equal to the rest of the integrated flux (1150-1210 A + 1220-3140 A) in the entire ultraviolet bandpass (F(Ly{alpha})/F(FUV+NUV) Almost-Equal-To 0.7). This ratio is {approx}2500 Multiplication-Sign greater than the solar value. We describe the ultraviolet line spectrum and report surprisingly strong fluorescent emission from hot H{sub 2} (T(H{sub 2}) > 2000 K). We show the light curve of a chromospheric + transition region flare observed in several far-UV emission lines, with flare/quiescent flux ratios {>=}10. The strong FUV radiation field of an M-star (and specifically Ly{alpha}) is important for determining the abundance of O{sub 2}-and the formation of biomarkers-in the lower atmospheres of Earth-like planets in the habitable zones of low-mass stars.
- OSTI ID:
- 22047844
- Journal Information:
- Astrophysical Journal Letters, Vol. 750, Issue 2; Other Information: Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 2041-8205
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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