| 1. |
- De Pontieu, Bart, et al.
(author)
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Probing the Physics of the Solar Atmosphere with the Multi-slit Solar Explorer (MUSE). I. Coronal Heating
- 2022
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In: Astrophysical Journal. - : American Astronomical Society. - 0004-637X .- 1538-4357. ; 926:1
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The Multi-slit Solar Explorer (MUSE) is a proposed mission composed of a multislit extreme ultraviolet (EUV) spectrograph (in three spectral bands around 171 Å, 284 Å, and 108 Å) and an EUV context imager (in two passbands around 195 Å and 304 Å). MUSE will provide unprecedented spectral and imaging diagnostics of the solar corona at high spatial (≤05) and temporal resolution (down to ∼0.5 s for sit-and-stare observations), thanks to its innovative multislit design. By obtaining spectra in four bright EUV lines (Fe ix 171 Å, Fe xv 284 Å, Fe xix–Fe xxi 108 Å) covering a wide range of transition regions and coronal temperatures along 37 slits simultaneously, MUSE will, for the first time, "freeze" (at a cadence as short as 10 s) with a spectroscopic raster the evolution of the dynamic coronal plasma over a wide range of scales: from the spatial scales on which energy is released (≤05) to the large-scale (∼170'' × 170'') atmospheric response. We use numerical modeling to showcase how MUSE will constrain the properties of the solar atmosphere on spatiotemporal scales (≤05, ≤20 s) and the large field of view on which state-of-the-art models of the physical processes that drive coronal heating, flares, and coronal mass ejections (CMEs) make distinguishing and testable predictions. We describe the synergy between MUSE, the single-slit, high-resolution Solar-C EUVST spectrograph, and ground-based observatories (DKIST and others), and the critical role MUSE plays because of the multiscale nature of the physical processes involved. In this first paper, we focus on coronal heating mechanisms. An accompanying paper focuses on flares and CMEs.
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| 2. |
- Harakawa, Hiroki, et al.
(author)
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A super-Earth orbiting near the inner edge of the habitable zone around the M4.5 dwarf Ross 508
- 2022
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In: Publications of the Astronomical Society of Japan. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0004-6264 .- 2053-051X. ; 74:4, s. 904-922
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We report the near-infrared radial velocity (RV) discovery of a super-Earth planet on a 10.77 d orbit around the M4.5 dwarf Ross 508 (Jmag = 9.1). Using precision RVs from the Subaru Telescope IRD (InfraRed Doppler) instrument, we derive a semi-amplitude of 3.92ms−1, corresponding to a planet with a minimum mass msini=4.00M⊕. We find no evidence of significant signals at the detected period in spectroscopic stellar activity indicators or MEarth photometry. The planet, Ross 508 b, has a semi-major axis of 0.05366au. This gives an orbit-averaged insolation of ≈1.4 times the Earth’s value, placing Ross 508 b near the inner edge of its star’s habitable zone. We have explored the possibility that the planet has a high eccentricity and its host is accompanied by an additional unconfirmed companion on a wide orbit. Our discovery demonstrates that the near-infrared RV search can play a crucial role in finding a low-mass planet around cool M dwarfs like Ross 508.
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| 3. |
- Kuzuhara, Masayuki, et al.
(author)
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Gliese 12 b: A Temperate Earth-sized Planet at 12 pc Ideal for Atmospheric Transmission Spectroscopy
- 2024
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In: Astrophysical Journal Letters. - 2041-8213 .- 2041-8205. ; 969:1
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Recent discoveries of Earth-sized planets transiting nearby M dwarfs have made it possible to characterize the atmospheres of terrestrial planets via follow-up spectroscopic observations. However, the number of such planets receiving low insolation is still small, limiting our ability to understand the diversity of the atmospheric composition and climates of temperate terrestrial planets. We report the discovery of an Earth-sized planet transiting the nearby (12 pc) inactive M3.0 dwarf Gliese 12 (TOI-6251) with an orbital period (P(or)b) of 12.76 days. The planet, Gliese 12 b, was initially identified as a candidate with an ambiguous P-orb from TESS data. We confirmed the transit signal and P-orb using ground-based photometry with MuSCAT2 and MuSCAT3, and validated the planetary nature of the signal using high-resolution images from Gemini/NIRI and Keck/NIRC2 as well as radial velocity (RV) measurements from the InfraRed Doppler instrument on the Subaru 8.2 m telescope and from CARMENES on the CAHA 3.5 m telescope. X-ray observations with XMM-Newton showed the host star is inactive, with an X-ray-to-bolometric luminosity ratio of log L-X/L-bol approximate to - 5.7. Joint analysis of the light curves and RV measurements revealed that Gliese 12 b has a radius of 0.96 +/- 0.05 R-circle plus, a 3 sigma mass upper limit of 3.9M(circle plus), and an equilibrium temperature of 315 +/- 6 K assuming zero albedo. The transmission spectroscopy metric (TSM) value of Gliese 12 b is close to the TSM values of the TRAPPIST-1 planets, adding Gliese 12 b to the small list of potentially terrestrial, temperate planets amenable to atmospheric characterization with JWST.
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