Stellar X-Ray Variability and Planetary Evolution in the DS Tucanae System
We present an analysis of four Chandra observations of the 45 Myr old DS Tuc binary system. We observed X-ray variability of both stars on timescales from hours to months, including two strong X-ray flares from star A. The implied flaring rates are in agreement with past observations made with XMM-N...
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IOP Publishing
2025-01-01
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| Series: | The Astrophysical Journal |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ada948 |
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| author | George W. King Lía R. Corrales Vincent Bourrier Leonardo A. Dos Santos Lauren Doyle Baptiste Lavie Gavin Ramsay Peter J. Wheatley |
| author_facet | George W. King Lía R. Corrales Vincent Bourrier Leonardo A. Dos Santos Lauren Doyle Baptiste Lavie Gavin Ramsay Peter J. Wheatley |
| author_sort | George W. King |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | We present an analysis of four Chandra observations of the 45 Myr old DS Tuc binary system. We observed X-ray variability of both stars on timescales from hours to months, including two strong X-ray flares from star A. The implied flaring rates are in agreement with past observations made with XMM-Newton, though these rates remain imprecise due to the relatively short total observation time. We find a clear, monotonic decline in the quiescent level of the star by a factor of 1.8 across 8 months, suggesting stellar variability that might be due to an activity cycle. If proven through future observations, DS Tuc A would be the youngest star for which a coronal activity cycle has been confirmed. The variation in our flux measurements across the four visits is also consistent with the scatter in empirical stellar X-ray relationships with Rossby number. In simulations of the possible evolution of the currently super-Neptune-sized planet DS Tuc A b, we find a range of scenarios for the planet once it reaches a typical field age of 5 Gyr, from Neptune size down to a completely stripped super-Earth. Improved constraints on the planet's mass in the future would significantly narrow these possibilities. We advocate for further Chandra observations to better constrain the variability of this important system. |
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| id | doaj-art-5885cc017c5e4ec3bb4ba7ed405d56d6 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1538-4357 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
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| series | The Astrophysical Journal |
| spelling | doaj-art-5885cc017c5e4ec3bb4ba7ed405d56d62025-02-03T06:33:45ZengIOP PublishingThe Astrophysical Journal1538-43572025-01-0198012710.3847/1538-4357/ada948Stellar X-Ray Variability and Planetary Evolution in the DS Tucanae SystemGeorge W. King0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3641-6636Lía R. Corrales1https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5466-3817Vincent Bourrier2https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9148-034XLeonardo A. Dos Santos3https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2248-3838Lauren Doyle4https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9365-2555Baptiste Lavie5https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8884-9276Gavin Ramsay6https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8722-9710Peter J. Wheatley7https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1452-2240Department of Astronomy, University of Michigan , Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; Department of Physics, University of Warwick , Gibbet Hill Road, Coventry CV4 7AL, UK; Centre for Exoplanets and Habitability, University of Warwick , Gibbet Hill Road, Coventry CV4 7AL, UKDepartment of Astronomy, University of Michigan , Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USAGeneva Observatory, University of Geneva , Chemin Pegasi 51b, CH-1290 Versoix, SwitzerlandSpace Telescope Science Institute , 3700 San Martin Drive, Baltimore, MD 21218, USADepartment of Physics, University of Warwick , Gibbet Hill Road, Coventry CV4 7AL, UK; Centre for Exoplanets and Habitability, University of Warwick , Gibbet Hill Road, Coventry CV4 7AL, UKGeneva Observatory, University of Geneva , Chemin Pegasi 51b, CH-1290 Versoix, SwitzerlandArmagh Observatory and Planetarium , College Hill, Armagh, NIR BT61 9DG, UKDepartment of Physics, University of Warwick , Gibbet Hill Road, Coventry CV4 7AL, UK; Centre for Exoplanets and Habitability, University of Warwick , Gibbet Hill Road, Coventry CV4 7AL, UKWe present an analysis of four Chandra observations of the 45 Myr old DS Tuc binary system. We observed X-ray variability of both stars on timescales from hours to months, including two strong X-ray flares from star A. The implied flaring rates are in agreement with past observations made with XMM-Newton, though these rates remain imprecise due to the relatively short total observation time. We find a clear, monotonic decline in the quiescent level of the star by a factor of 1.8 across 8 months, suggesting stellar variability that might be due to an activity cycle. If proven through future observations, DS Tuc A would be the youngest star for which a coronal activity cycle has been confirmed. The variation in our flux measurements across the four visits is also consistent with the scatter in empirical stellar X-ray relationships with Rossby number. In simulations of the possible evolution of the currently super-Neptune-sized planet DS Tuc A b, we find a range of scenarios for the planet once it reaches a typical field age of 5 Gyr, from Neptune size down to a completely stripped super-Earth. Improved constraints on the planet's mass in the future would significantly narrow these possibilities. We advocate for further Chandra observations to better constrain the variability of this important system.https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ada948X-ray astronomyStellar astronomyVariable starsTime domain astronomyExoplanetsExoplanet astronomy |
| spellingShingle | George W. King Lía R. Corrales Vincent Bourrier Leonardo A. Dos Santos Lauren Doyle Baptiste Lavie Gavin Ramsay Peter J. Wheatley Stellar X-Ray Variability and Planetary Evolution in the DS Tucanae System The Astrophysical Journal X-ray astronomy Stellar astronomy Variable stars Time domain astronomy Exoplanets Exoplanet astronomy |
| title | Stellar X-Ray Variability and Planetary Evolution in the DS Tucanae System |
| title_full | Stellar X-Ray Variability and Planetary Evolution in the DS Tucanae System |
| title_fullStr | Stellar X-Ray Variability and Planetary Evolution in the DS Tucanae System |
| title_full_unstemmed | Stellar X-Ray Variability and Planetary Evolution in the DS Tucanae System |
| title_short | Stellar X-Ray Variability and Planetary Evolution in the DS Tucanae System |
| title_sort | stellar x ray variability and planetary evolution in the ds tucanae system |
| topic | X-ray astronomy Stellar astronomy Variable stars Time domain astronomy Exoplanets Exoplanet astronomy |
| url | https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ada948 |
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