Evryscope and K2 Constraints on TRAPPIST-1 Superflare Occurrence and Planetary Habitability

The nearby ultracool dwarf TRAPPIST-1 possesses several Earth-sized terrestrial planets, three of which have equilibrium temperatures that may support liquid surface water, making it a compelling target for exoplanet characterization. TRAPPIST-1 is an active star with frequent flaring, with implicat...

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Authors: Glazier, Amy L., Howard, Ward S., Corbett, Hank, Law, Nicholas M., Ratzloff, Jeffrey K., Fors Aldrich, Octavi, Ser Badia, Daniel del
Format: article
Status:Published version
Publication Date:2020
Country:España
Institution:Varias* (Consorci de Biblioteques Universitáries de Catalunya, Centre de Serveis Científics i Acadèmics de Catalunya)
Repository:Recercat. Dipósit de la Recerca de Catalunya
OAI Identifier:oai:recercat.cat:2445/207397
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/2445/207397
Access Level:Open access
Keyword:Estels
Telescopis
Teoria dels planetes
Stars
Telescopes
Planetary theory
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spelling Evryscope and K2 Constraints on TRAPPIST-1 Superflare Occurrence and Planetary HabitabilityGlazier, Amy L.Howard, Ward S.Corbett, HankLaw, Nicholas M.Ratzloff, Jeffrey K.Fors Aldrich, OctaviSer Badia, Daniel delEstelsTelescopisTeoria dels planetesStarsTelescopesPlanetary theoryThe nearby ultracool dwarf TRAPPIST-1 possesses several Earth-sized terrestrial planets, three of which have equilibrium temperatures that may support liquid surface water, making it a compelling target for exoplanet characterization. TRAPPIST-1 is an active star with frequent flaring, with implications for the habitability of its planets. Superflares (stellar flares whose energy exceeds 1033 erg) can completely destroy the atmospheres of a cool star's planets, allowing ultraviolet radiation and high-energy particles to bombard their surfaces. However, ultracool dwarfs emit little ultraviolet flux when quiescent, raising the possibility of frequent flares being necessary for prebiotic chemistry that requires ultraviolet light. We combine Evryscope and Kepler observations to characterize the high-energy flare rate of TRAPPIST-1. The Evryscope is an array of 22 small telescopes imaging the entire Southern sky in g' every two minutes. Evryscope observations, spanning 170 nights over 2 yr, complement the 80 day continuous short-cadence K2 observations by sampling TRAPPIST-1's long-term flare activity. We update TRAPPIST-1's superflare rate, finding a cumulative rate of 4.2−0.2+1.9 superflares per year. We calculate the flare rate necessary to deplete ozone in the habitable-zone planets' atmospheres, and find that TRAPPIST-1's flare rate is insufficient to deplete ozone if present on its planets. In addition, we calculate the flare rate needed to provide enough ultraviolet flux to power prebiotic chemistry. We find TRAPPIST-1's flare rate is likely insufficient to catalyze some of the Earthlike chemical pathways thought to lead to ribonucleic acid synthesis, and flux due to flares in the biologically relevant UV-B band is orders of magnitude less for any TRAPPIST-1 planet than has been experienced by Earth at any time in its history.Institute of Physics (IOP)2024202420202024info:eu-repo/semantics/articleinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion9 p.application/pdfhttps://hdl.handle.net/2445/207397Articles publicats en revistes (Física Quàntica i Astrofísica)reponame:Recercat. Dipósit de la Recerca de Catalunyainstname:Varias* (Consorci de Biblioteques Universitáries de Catalunya, Centre de Serveis Científics i Acadèmics de Catalunya)InglésReproducció del document publicat a: https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/aba4a6Astrophysical Journal, 2020, vol. 900, num.1, p. 1-9https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/aba4a6(c) American Astronomical Society, 2020info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessoai:recercat.cat:2445/2073972026-05-29T05:05:01Z
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv Evryscope and K2 Constraints on TRAPPIST-1 Superflare Occurrence and Planetary Habitability
title Evryscope and K2 Constraints on TRAPPIST-1 Superflare Occurrence and Planetary Habitability
spellingShingle Evryscope and K2 Constraints on TRAPPIST-1 Superflare Occurrence and Planetary Habitability
Glazier, Amy L.
Estels
Telescopis
Teoria dels planetes
Stars
Telescopes
Planetary theory
title_short Evryscope and K2 Constraints on TRAPPIST-1 Superflare Occurrence and Planetary Habitability
title_full Evryscope and K2 Constraints on TRAPPIST-1 Superflare Occurrence and Planetary Habitability
title_fullStr Evryscope and K2 Constraints on TRAPPIST-1 Superflare Occurrence and Planetary Habitability
title_full_unstemmed Evryscope and K2 Constraints on TRAPPIST-1 Superflare Occurrence and Planetary Habitability
title_sort Evryscope and K2 Constraints on TRAPPIST-1 Superflare Occurrence and Planetary Habitability
dc.creator.none.fl_str_mv Glazier, Amy L.
Howard, Ward S.
Corbett, Hank
Law, Nicholas M.
Ratzloff, Jeffrey K.
Fors Aldrich, Octavi
Ser Badia, Daniel del
author Glazier, Amy L.
author_facet Glazier, Amy L.
Howard, Ward S.
Corbett, Hank
Law, Nicholas M.
Ratzloff, Jeffrey K.
Fors Aldrich, Octavi
Ser Badia, Daniel del
author_role author
author2 Howard, Ward S.
Corbett, Hank
Law, Nicholas M.
Ratzloff, Jeffrey K.
Fors Aldrich, Octavi
Ser Badia, Daniel del
author2_role author
author
author
author
author
author
dc.subject.none.fl_str_mv Estels
Telescopis
Teoria dels planetes
Stars
Telescopes
Planetary theory
topic Estels
Telescopis
Teoria dels planetes
Stars
Telescopes
Planetary theory
description The nearby ultracool dwarf TRAPPIST-1 possesses several Earth-sized terrestrial planets, three of which have equilibrium temperatures that may support liquid surface water, making it a compelling target for exoplanet characterization. TRAPPIST-1 is an active star with frequent flaring, with implications for the habitability of its planets. Superflares (stellar flares whose energy exceeds 1033 erg) can completely destroy the atmospheres of a cool star's planets, allowing ultraviolet radiation and high-energy particles to bombard their surfaces. However, ultracool dwarfs emit little ultraviolet flux when quiescent, raising the possibility of frequent flares being necessary for prebiotic chemistry that requires ultraviolet light. We combine Evryscope and Kepler observations to characterize the high-energy flare rate of TRAPPIST-1. The Evryscope is an array of 22 small telescopes imaging the entire Southern sky in g' every two minutes. Evryscope observations, spanning 170 nights over 2 yr, complement the 80 day continuous short-cadence K2 observations by sampling TRAPPIST-1's long-term flare activity. We update TRAPPIST-1's superflare rate, finding a cumulative rate of 4.2−0.2+1.9 superflares per year. We calculate the flare rate necessary to deplete ozone in the habitable-zone planets' atmospheres, and find that TRAPPIST-1's flare rate is insufficient to deplete ozone if present on its planets. In addition, we calculate the flare rate needed to provide enough ultraviolet flux to power prebiotic chemistry. We find TRAPPIST-1's flare rate is likely insufficient to catalyze some of the Earthlike chemical pathways thought to lead to ribonucleic acid synthesis, and flux due to flares in the biologically relevant UV-B band is orders of magnitude less for any TRAPPIST-1 planet than has been experienced by Earth at any time in its history.
publishDate 2020
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2020
2024
2024
2024
dc.type.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/article
info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
format article
status_str publishedVersion
dc.identifier.none.fl_str_mv https://hdl.handle.net/2445/207397
url https://hdl.handle.net/2445/207397
dc.language.none.fl_str_mv Inglés
language_invalid_str_mv Inglés
dc.relation.none.fl_str_mv Reproducció del document publicat a: https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/aba4a6
Astrophysical Journal, 2020, vol. 900, num.1, p. 1-9
https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/aba4a6
dc.rights.none.fl_str_mv (c) American Astronomical Society, 2020
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
rights_invalid_str_mv (c) American Astronomical Society, 2020
eu_rights_str_mv openAccess
dc.format.none.fl_str_mv 9 p.
application/pdf
dc.publisher.none.fl_str_mv Institute of Physics (IOP)
publisher.none.fl_str_mv Institute of Physics (IOP)
dc.source.none.fl_str_mv Articles publicats en revistes (Física Quàntica i Astrofísica)
reponame:Recercat. Dipósit de la Recerca de Catalunya
instname:Varias* (Consorci de Biblioteques Universitáries de Catalunya, Centre de Serveis Científics i Acadèmics de Catalunya)
instname_str Varias* (Consorci de Biblioteques Universitáries de Catalunya, Centre de Serveis Científics i Acadèmics de Catalunya)
reponame_str Recercat. Dipósit de la Recerca de Catalunya
collection Recercat. Dipósit de la Recerca de Catalunya
repository.name.fl_str_mv
repository.mail.fl_str_mv
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score 15,812429

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