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- Bellotti, S., et al.
(författare)
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Monitoring the large-scale magnetic field of AD Leo with SPIRou, ESPaDOnS, and Narval : Towards a magnetic polarity reversal?
- 2023
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Ingår i: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - : EDP Sciences. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 676
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Context: One clear manifestation of dynamo action on the Sun is the 22-yr magnetic cycle, exhibiting a polarity reversal and a periodic conversion between poloidal and toroidal fields. For M dwarfs, several authors claim evidence of activity cycles from photometry and analyses of spectroscopic indices, but no clear polarity reversal has been identified from spectropolarimetric observations. These stars are excellent laboratories to investigate dynamo-powered magnetic fields under different stellar interior conditions, that is partly or fully convective.Aims: Our aim is to monitor the evolution of the large-scale field of AD Leo, which has shown hints of a secular evolution from past dedicated spectropolarimetric campaigns. This is of central interest to inform distinct dynamo theories, contextualise the evolution of the solar magnetic field, and explain the variety of magnetic field geometries observed in the past.Methods: We analysed near-infrared spectropolarimetric observations of the active M dwarf AD Leo taken with SPIRou between 2019 and 2020 and archival optical data collected with ESPaDOnS and Narval between 2006 and 2019. We searched for long-term variability in the longitudinal field, the width of unpolarised Stokes profiles, the unsigned magnetic flux derived from Zeeman broadening, and the geometry of the large-scale magnetic field using both Zeeman-Doppler imaging and principal component analysis.Results: We found evidence of a long-term evolution of the magnetic field, featuring a decrease in axisymmetry (from 99% to 60%). This is accompanied by a weakening of the longitudinal field (-300 to -50 G) and a correlated increase in the unsigned magnetic flux (2.8-3.6 kG). Likewise, the width of the mean profile computed with selected near-infrared lines manifests a long-term evolution corresponding to field strength changes over the full time series, but does not exhibit modulation with the stellar rotation of AD Leo in individual epochs.Conclusions: The large-scale magnetic field of AD Leo manifested first hints of a polarity reversal in late 2020 in the form of a substantially increased dipole obliquity, while the topology remained predominantly poloidal and dipolar for 14 yr. This suggests that low-mass M dwarfs with a dipole-dominated magnetic field can undergo magnetic cycles.
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- Cadieux-Dion, M, et al.
(författare)
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Variants in CHRNB2 and CHRNA4 Identified in Patients with Insular Epilepsy
- 2020
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Ingår i: The Canadian journal of neurological sciences. Le journal canadien des sciences neurologiques. - : Cambridge University Press (CUP). - 0317-1671 .- 2057-0155. ; 47:6, s. 800-809
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose:Our purpose was to determine the role of CHRNA4 and CHRNB2 in insular epilepsy.Method:We identified two patients with drug-resistant predominantly sleep-related hypermotor seizures, one harboring a heterozygous missense variant (c.77C>T; p. Thr26Met) in the CHRNB2 gene and the other a heterozygous missense variant (c.1079G>A; p. Arg360Gln) in the CHRNA4 gene. The patients underwent electrophysiological and neuroimaging studies, and we performed functional characterization of the p. Thr26Met (c.77C>T) in the CHRNB2 gene.Results:We localized the epileptic foci to the left insula in the first case (now seizure-free following epilepsy surgery) and to both insulae in the second case. Based on tools predicting the possible impact of amino acid substitutions on the structure and function of proteins (sorting intolerant from tolerant and PolyPhen-2), variants identified in this report could be deleterious. Functional expression in human cell lines of α4β2 (wild-type), α4β2-Thr26Met (homozygote), and α4β2/β2-Thr26Met (heterozygote) nicotinic acetylcholine receptors revealed that the mutant subunit led to significantly higher whole-cell nicotinic currents. This feature was observed in both homo- and heterozygous conditions and was not accompanied by major alterations of the current reversal potential or the shape of the concentration-response relation.Conclusions:This study suggests that variants in CHRNB2 and CHRNA4, initially linked to autosomal dominant nocturnal frontal lobe epilepsy, are also found in patients with predominantly sleep-related insular epilepsy. Although the reported variants should be considered of unknown clinical significance for the moment, identification of additional similar cases and further functional studies could eventually strengthen this association.
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- Morello, Giuseppe, 1989, et al.
(författare)
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TOI-1442 b and TOI-2445 b: Two potentially rocky ultra-short period planets around M dwarfs
- 2023
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Ingår i: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - : EDP Sciences. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 673
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Context. Exoplanets with orbital periods of less than one day are known as ultra-short period (USP) planets. They are relatively rare products of planetary formation and evolution processes, but especially favourable for characterisation with current planet detection methods. At the time of writing, 125 USP planets have already been confirmed. Aims. Our aim is to validate the planetary nature of two new transiting planet candidates around M dwarfs announced by the NASA Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS), registered as TESS Objects of Interest (TOIs) TOI-1442.01 and TOI-2445.01. Methods. We used TESS data, ground-based photometric light curves, and Subaru/IRD spectrograph radial velocity (RV) measurements to validate both planetary candidates and to establish their physical properties. Results. TOI-1442 b is a validated exoplanet with an orbital period of P = 0.4090682 ± 0.0000004 day, a radius of Rp = 1.15 ± 0.06 R☉, and equilibrium temperature of Tp,eq = 1357+−4942 K. TOI-2445 b is also validated with an orbital period of P = 0.3711286 ± 0.0000004 day, a radius of Rp = 1.33 ± 0.09 R☉, and equilibrium temperature of Tp,eq = 1330+−6156 K. Their physical properties align with current empirical trends and formation theories of USP planets. Based on the RV measurements, we set 3σ upper mass limits of 8 M☉ and 20 M☉, thus confirming the non-stellar, sub-Jovian nature of both transiting objects. More RV measurements will be needed to constrain the planetary masses and mean densities, and the predicted presence of outer planetary companions. These targets extend the small sample of USP planets orbiting around M dwarfs up to 21 members. They are also among the 20 most suitable terrestrial planets for atmospheric characterisation via secondary eclipse with the James Webb Space Telescope, according to a widespread emission spectroscopy metric.
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