Stellar flares can lead to decreased habitability of a planet, study finds

In a new study, a team led by researcher Dimitra Atri of the Center for Space Science at NYU Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) has identified stars most likely to host habitable exoplanets based on calculated erosion rates of planetary atmospheres .

In the article entitled “Stellar eruptions versus luminosity: atmospheric escape induced by XUVs and planetary habitability”, published in the journal Monthly Notices from the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters, Atri and graduate student Shane Carberry Mogan presented the process of analyzing flare emission data from NASA’s Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS).

The researchers found that more frequent, low-energy eruptions had a greater impact on an exoplanet’s atmosphere than less frequent, higher-energy eruptions. The researchers also determined how different types of stars produce extreme ultraviolet radiation (XUV) through stellar flares, and how nearby planets are affected.

The ability to maintain an atmosphere is one of the most important requirements for a habitable planet. This research provides new insights into the habitability of exoplanets, as the effects of stellar activity were not well understood. This study also highlights the need for better numerical modeling of atmospheric leakage – how the planets release atmospheric gases into space – as this can lead to the erosion of the atmosphere and decrease in the habitability of the planet.

“Given the proximity of exoplanets to host stars, it is critical to understand how space weather events related to these stars can affect the habitability of the exoplanet,” Atri said. “The next research step would be to expand our dataset to analyze stellar eruptions of a wider variety of stars to see the long-term effects of stellar activity and to identify more potentially habitable exoplanets. ”