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Physics Astrophysics Solar and Stellar Astrophysics

astro-ph.SR Watch Solar and Stellar Astrophysics

Thursday 27 August

Solar and Stellar Astrophysics

Bright Metal-Poor Star Survey - I. Tomo-e Gozen narrow-band photometric survey and medium-resolution spectroscopic follow-up

Hiroko Okada, Takumi Iwasaki, Nozomu Tominaga et al. (+21 more)

We present the Tomo-e Gozen Bright Metal-Poor Star Survey (TeMPS), a wide-area narrow-band photometric survey for bright metal-poor stars in the northern sky. The survey uses the Tomo-e Gozen camera on the 1.05 m Kiso Schmidt telescope with four narrow-band filters centered on the \ion{Ca}{2} H and K lines, the CH $G$ band, H$\alpha$, and a reference wavelength region. We review the survey strategy, photometric processing, and calibration of metallicity and carbon abundance estimates derived from narrow-band colors. We further present medium-resolution spectroscopic follow-up with Nayuta/MALLS to validate the photometric selection and identify new metal-poor stars. The current data set covers $\gtrsim 22,000$d̃eg$^{2}$ in all four bands with a total integration time of $\sim 100$ hr. The median limiting magnitudes at S/N = 20 correspond to $G\sim12.5$. By combining narrow-band photometry with archival broad-band photometry and Gaia distances, we estimate $T\_{\rm eff}$, $\log (g)$, metallicity, and carbon abundance. Calibration against literature abundances derived from high-resolution spectra shows typical scatters of $< 0.3$ dex in metallicity and $< 0.4$ dex in carbon abundance. We estimate metallicities for $\sim 1.7$ million stars and identify $\sim 16,000$ very metal-poor candidates with [M/H]$_{\rm NB,fin}<-2$. We show that Nayuta/MALLS medium-resolution spectra provide metallicities consistent with high-resolution measurements, with a scatter of $\sim 0.27$ dex. Among 32 photometrically selected candidates followed up with MALLS, 24 are confirmed to have [M/H]$_{\rm MALLS}< -2$, including one newly identified star with [M/H]$_{\rm MALLS}\simeq -3.4$. These results demonstrate that Tomo-e Gozen narrow-band photometry and MALLS medium-resolution spectroscopic follow-up efficiently select bright metal-poor stars for future high-resolution abundance studies. (abbreviated)
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All authors Hiroko Okada, Takumi Iwasaki, Nozomu Tominaga, Wako Aoki, Satoshi Honda, Kurumi Furutsuka, Tadafumi Matsuno, Tomoki Morokuma, Takuma Suda, Miho N. Ishigaki, Naoto Kobayashi, Hidenori Takahashi, Yuu Niino, Satoshi Takita, Sohei Kondo, Yuki Mori, Kenzo Kinugasa, Shigeyuki Sako, Tomio Kanzawa, Hikaru Iwashita, Kenji Mitsui, Takeo Fukuda, Keiko Kaneko, Mitsuhiro Fukushima

Solar and Stellar Astrophysics

NGTS clusters survey - VI: Stellar rotation in seven young open clusters within the PLATO LOPS2 field

Alexander Hughes, Edward Gillen, Matthew Battley et al. (+18 more)

We present NGTS measurements of rotation period distributions for FGKM stars in seven young open clusters spanning ~40–700 Myr within PLATO's first long-stare LOPS2 field. We measure 1063 rotation periods, of which 479 are newly analysed as part of cluster specific rotation studies, whilst 63 are unique periods not reported in the recent TESS All-Sky Rotation Survey. Of the 1063 rotation periods, 285 are identified as likely binary or higher order multiple systems using colour-magnitude diagrams and Gaia astrometry. These are the first comprehensive rotation period distributions for Trumpler 10, NGC 2451B and Alessi 3, while extending existing distributions for NGC 2451A, NGC 2516, Collinder 135 and IC 2391, to create a fuller picture on the rotation state of young stars in PLATO's LOPS2 field. We find that main-sequence solar-mass stars in the ~40 Myr old NGC 2451B cluster, form a slow sequence that can be distinguished from their counterparts at ~70–80 Myr, thereby significantly reducing the age at which young stellar groups can be relatively aged via their rotation sequences. We also observe stalled spin down from the age of NGC 2451A to at least that of NGC 2516 (~70–150 Myr) at masses $\gtrsim1$ $M_{\odot}$, supporting previous predictions that angular momentum redistribution and removal should result in a wave of stalled spin down that propagates as a function of both mass and age. Finally, we provide a new age estimate for Alessi 3 of 687$\pm$106 Myr using differential gyrochronology age dating.
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All authors Alexander Hughes, Edward Gillen, Matthew Battley, Deepak Chahal, Beatrice Caccherano, David Anderson, Ioannis Apergis, Daniel Bayliss, Matthew Burleigh, Jorge Fernández Fernández, Michael Goad, George Harvey, James S. Jenkins, Alicia Kendall, James McCormac, Jose Moyano, Gavin Ramsay, Suman Saha, Jose Vines, Richard G. West, Peter J. Wheatley

Solar and Stellar Astrophysics

Not so typical doubly eclipsing systems

Petr Zasche

Classical doubly eclipsing systems are stars for which two distinct eclipsing periods that apparently come from one point source are detected. Through thorough analysis, the physical parameters of the component stars of these systems can be revealed, and sometimes even the mutual motion of the two doubles around a common barycentre can be constrained. This is most typically done via study of the eclipse-timing variations for both pairs, whose behaviour should be opposite in manner to each other, as the two doubles revolve around a common barycentre. In this study, we present rather unusual systems for which such an easy approach does not work. The period changes are clearly detectable, but only for one pair. These unusual systems are V736 And (periods 0.3596 days and 0.3069 days); ASAS J074939-3037.0 (0.4417 d, 0.2648 d); OGLE BLG-ECL-123507 (1.0170 d, 2.9488 d); ASASSN-V J180818.54-684329.4 (0.3392 d, 3.3234 d); and CRTS J191726.4-543540 (0.3129 d, 2.8178 d). Several hypotheses are presented regarding the possible origins of such behaviour. However, a final decisive explanation is still yet to be determined.
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Solar and Stellar Astrophysics

Classical Cepheids in the JWST and Roman Era: A New Theoretical Framework and its Metallicity Dependence

Giulia De Somma, Marcella Marconi, Vincenzo Ripepi et al. (+7 more)

Classical Cepheids are fundamental distance indicators that anchor the cosmic distance ladder through their Period-Luminosity, Period-Luminosity-Color, and Period-Wesenheit relations, while also providing valuable constraints on young stellar populations. Recent advances in space-based near-infrared observations highlight the need for theoretical calibrations of Classical Cepheid observables in modern photometric systems optimized for precision distance-scale applications. This work provides a homogeneous theoretical framework for Classical Cepheids in the JWST/NIRCam and Roman/WFI systems and explores their use as standard candles in the near-infrared. We exploit an extensive grid of nonlinear convective pulsation models spanning a broad range of masses, effective temperatures, periods, metallicities, convective efficiencies, and mass-luminosity relations. We derive mean magnitudes, colors, pulsation amplitudes, amplitude ratios, and new theoretical Period-Luminosity-Color, Period-Wesenheit, and metal-dependent Period-Wesenheit relations. The theoretical Wesenheit relations are compared with recent JWST observations of Classical Cepheids in six SN Ia host galaxies from the SH0ES collaboration. We find excellent agreement between predictions and observations, with the largest systematic effects arising from the adopted mass-luminosity relation. Theoretical distance moduli are fully consistent with empirical JWST determinations when a mildly overluminous mass-luminosity relation is adopted instead of the canonical one. These results provide a self-consistent pulsation-based calibration for JWST and Roman observations and a theoretical framework for future precision studies of the local distance scale.
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All authors Giulia De Somma, Marcella Marconi, Vincenzo Ripepi, Roberto Molinaro, Ilaria Musella, Silvio Leccia, Teresa Sicignano, Erasmo Trentin, Mami Deka, Laura Salmeri

Solar and Stellar Astrophysics

Carbon in J0815+4729: Casting a shadow of doubt on the interpretation of CH absorption in the most primitive stars

Junbo Zhang, Carlos Allende Prieto, Yeisson Osorio et al. (+7 more)

Aims. We revisit the carbon abundance in the primitive iron-poor star J0815+4729 ([Fe/H] = -5.49). J0815+4729 is so carbon-enhanced and oxygen-rich that, in addition to CH and C2 molecular lines, weaker neutral atomic transitions are measurable in its spectrum, providing a unique opportunity to explore the line formation of C I and O I transitions in such an extremely iron-deficient star. Methods. Based on high-resolution spectroscopy and newly constructed atomic models for carbon and oxygen, we present the first investigation to derive carbon and oxygen abundances of this hyper iron-poor star from neutral atomic transitions under non-local thermodynamic equilibrium (NLTE) conditions. Results. The carbon abundance derived from C I lines is A(C)NLTE = 8.08+-0.07, consistent with that inferred from C2 lines (A(C)LTE =7.96 +- 0.08), but around 0.6 dex higher than the value from CH lines (A(C)LTE = 7.47 +- 0.17). Since CH lines are the most commonly-used carbon abundance indicator for extremely metal-poor stars, this result casts doubt on the quantitative interpretation of CH absorption in the most primitive stars. We confirm that J0815+4729 is one of the most carbon-enhanced stars with [Fe/H] <= -4.5 known to date. We have also determined A(O)NLTE as 7.25 +- 0.11, with NLTE corrections of around -0.11 dex. The carbon-to-oxygen ratio of the star is [C/O] = 1.06 +- 0.1.
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All authors Junbo Zhang, Carlos Allende Prieto, Yeisson Osorio, Jonay I. González Hernández, David S. Aguado, Ivan Hubeny, Shuai Liu, Jianrong Shi, Rafael Rebolo, Gang Zhao

Solar and Stellar Astrophysics

Bifrost spectral inversions, Fast non-LTE solar chromospheric diagnostics from 3D simulations

Elias R. Udnæs, Tiago M. D. Pereira, Ignasi J. Soler Poquet et al. (+1 more)

Modern solar observatories produce vast amounts of detailed spectral data. To infer atmospheric parameters from these data, in particular for the solar chromosphere, requires immense computational resources. This problem is becoming more acute as spatial resolution improves, and faster methods are much needed to make sense of the data. Archive-based inversions provide a cost-effective way to infer atmospheric parameters from solar spectra, and involve building databases of synthetic spectra and atmospheric models. We extend this idea to a $k$-nearest neighbour inversion with non-LTE chromospheric spectra from a three-dimensional radiative-magnetohydrodynamic simulation. Our database consists of 150 million \theline\ line profiles from a magnetically quiet simulation. We validate our method on a different simulation, and then apply the database inversion on high-cadence observations taken with the Swedish 1-m Solar Telescope and find excellent agreement between the observed and fitted spectra for almost the entire field of view. We recover the chromospheric temperature and line-of-sight velocity, and calculate the uncertainty in their inversions. The gas temperature has small uncertainties over a broad range of optical depths, and we recover a physically consistent solution over a broad range of optical depths, even beyond the line sensitivity region. Compared with the traditional inversion method, our approach is four orders of magnitude faster. Limitations and future improvements of the method are discussed.
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All authors Elias R. Udnæs, Tiago M. D. Pereira, Ignasi J. Soler Poquet, Luc Rouppe van der Voort

Solar and Stellar Astrophysics

Two Predicted, Concentric Nova Shells Surround the Prototype Dwarf Nova U Geminorum

Michael M. Shara, Kenneth M. Lanzetta, Aayushi Doshi et al. (+7 more)

In the 170 years since its discovery, U Gem has been intensively studied as the prototypical cataclysmic binary star. Its massive white dwarf (WD) (~ 1.2 Msun) is cannibalizing its ~ 0.42 Msun red dwarf companion. The WD's resulting accreted hydrogen-rich envelope has previously undergone thermonuclear runaways seen as nova eruptions. These weekslong transient events brighten U Gem to m ~ -3 and eject the accreted envelope (~ 0.00001 Msun) at thousands of km/s. Ultraviolet observations show that the accreted envelope of U Gem's WD is greatly enhanced in nitrogen and depleted in carbon relative to solar composition, and that the WD's effective temperature is much hotter than that of most cataclysmic binary WDs. These suggest that U Gem underwent a classical nova eruption quite recently and should therefore still be surrounded by the ejecta of that event. Modeling of U Gem predicts a nova event ~ 1000 years ago, and the existence of two concentric shells, each of order 1 degree in size, surrounding U Gem. We obtained deep narrowband H-alpha imaging of U Gem with the Condor Array Telescope. The two concentric H-alpha-bright shells that we find, centered on U Gem, may be the first-ever predicted old nova ejecta. A transient "guest star" in the asterism Shuiwei, recorded by Chinese imperial astrologers in November 829 CE is consistent with the timing and location of U Gem's last predicted nova eruption, but the transient's absence in Japanese and Korean records weighs against this suggestion.
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All authors Michael M. Shara, Kenneth M. Lanzetta, Aayushi Doshi, Alexandra Masegian, Stefan Gromoll, Yael Hillman, Susanne M. Hoffmann, David Valls-Gabaud, Frederick M. Walter, John K. Webb

Wednesday 26 August

Solar and Stellar Astrophysics

Fine-scale flare structures and their energetic implications from short-exposure extreme-ultraviolet imaging

Laura A. Hayes, Hannah Collier, Säm Krucker et al. (+5 more)

To capture the brightest and most rapidly evolving phases of solar flares, the Major Flare Solar Orbiter Observing Plan employed a dedicated short-exposure mode for the High Resolution Imager at 174 Angstrom (HRIEUV) of the Extreme Ultraviolet Imager. We investigate the spatial and temporal organisation of compact emission in the 19 March 2024 M2.1 flare using high-cadence, short-exposure HRIEUV observations. We combine these 0.04 s observations with hard X-ray timing, imaging, and spectroscopy from the Spectrometer Telescope for Imaging X-rays (STIX). We characterise impulsive ribbon kernels and later loop strands, and compare footpoint areas measured with HRIEUV, the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly, and STIX to constrain the local energy flux carried by flare-accelerated electrons. The short-exposure observations reveal compact emission largely obscured by saturation in normal-exposure EUV imaging. The integrated HRIEUV emission evolves co-temporally with the STIX 22-45 keV emission, with no lag discernible beyond the 2 s sampling. The ribbons comprise repeatedly activated kernels with characteristic separations of approximately 1.4-1.7 Mm, while the developing arcade shows a similar strand separation of approximately 1.3 Mm. Kernel and strand widths of approximately 0.4-0.5 Mm lie close to the instrumental resolution limit. The compact HRIEUV footpoint areas are approximately an order of magnitude smaller than those inferred from AIA or STIX, implying nominal local non-thermal energy fluxes on the order of 10^11 erg cm^-2 s^-1 at the hard X-ray peaks. These results reveal a characteristic 1-2 Mm spatial organisation of the flare emission and demonstrate the value of flare-optimised EUV imaging for future solar flare observations.
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All authors Laura A. Hayes, Hannah Collier, Säm Krucker, Daniel Ryan, David Berghmans, Emil Kraaikamp, Muriel Stiefel, Andrew Inglis

Solar and Stellar Astrophysics

Numerical modelling of recombination-driven stellar winds

Bestin James and Jiří Krtička

Low-temperature stars have a significant population of neutral hydrogen increasing with height in their atmospheres. This suggests eventual recombination as we move away from their deep photospheric layers. Recombination can potentially drive stellar winds, particularly in cool and evolved stars. We aim to verify the possibility of stellar winds driven by recombination. We also aim to constitute an initial model for this type wind driving. We examine the possibility of recombination-driven outflows across the HR diagram by comparing the gravitational potential energy per atom to the hydrogen ionization energy. Then we start from a simple analytical model with the addition of an extra heating term to the gas in the Parker wind model. We model the heating term, analogous to the heat released by recombination, and examine how it can drive an outflow. We implement the model in the code CASTRO and check the hydrodynamic stability of the solution. The added heating drives a steady transonic outflow in our models, when tested with the parameters of an AGB star. The heating function affects the solution and the location of the sonic point depends on the location of the heating function itself. Even though the derived hydrodynamic equations are independent of the density, we determine the processes that set the mass-loss rate. By comparing the heating from collisional recombination and cooling due to radiative recombination, we show that relatively high densities are required to release the recombination energy as heat, implying mass-loss rates of the order of 0.1 solar mass per year. Our comparison of energies across the HR diagram suggests a possibility of recombination-driven winds in evolved red giants and AGB stars. The main deciding factor for wind launching is the radial distribution of heat released by recombination in a star's atmosphere. This can in turn affect the mass-loss rate.
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Solar and Stellar Astrophysics

Path to Black Hole Astrometric Microlensing from 10-Year KMTNet Database

Andrew Gould

I present a Fisher analysis of the astrometric signature of black holes (BHs) that may lie in the 10-year KMTNet microlensing database, motivated by the recent success of the pilot study by Segev et al. (2026), which reduced the scatter at $I=18$ to $\sigma\sim 10\,$mas. Seeing-limited ground-based observations still suffer from a great deal of systematics, but under the assumption that these systematics can be controlled, I find that with this nominal precision, the Einstein radius can be measured with errors $\sigma(\theta_{\rm E})\sim 0.5\,$mas in the most intensively monitored fields ($\sim 12\,$deg$^2$), and hence to twice that value in an additional $\sim 28\,$deg$^2$ area. This precision hardly depends on whether the peak of the event is during the observing season or not, as long as the impact parameter is within the broad range that is accessible to photometric recognition of the event, i.e., $u_0\lesssim 1.5$. However, longer events do have somewhat better precision. The analysis presented here ignores blending, but this is a good first approximation for most sources $I\lesssim 18$, which lie near or on the giant branch. I outline a practical program, combining photometric and astrometric searches, aimed at identifying isolated BHs in the KMTNet database and measuring their masses and distances.
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Solar and Stellar Astrophysics

Diversity of stripped-envelope supernova light curves from interaction with binary-driven circumstellar material

Dandan Wei, Fabian R. N. Schneider, Philipp Podsiadlowski et al. (+2 more)

A growing number of core-collapse supernovae (CCSNe) exhibit diverse light-curve morphologies that indicate strong interaction with dense, pre-existing circumstellar material (CSM). Understanding the physical origin of such CSM is essential for exploring the late-stage evolution of SN progenitors. Non-conservative mass transfer during binary interactions provides a promising channel for producing dense CSM before core collapse. Using the stellar evolution code MESA, we simulate post-common-envelope binaries that give rise to ultra-stripped progenitors and self-consistently construct the CSM from mass loss during binary evolution. We further analytically predict the resulting bolometric and radio light curves by following the shock dynamics of SN ejecta interacting with the CSM. We find that surface-radius variations in the ultra-stripped progenitors trigger multiple episodes of mass transfer and produce diverse CSM density profiles, including detached shells and multi-peaked structures. Interaction with such CSM gives rise to non-monotonic, multi-peaked optical and radio light curves that qualitatively resemble features observed in some stripped-envelope SNe. Long-term multi-wavelength monitoring of stripped-envelope SN candidates, particularly at late times, will be crucial for probing structured CSM and constraining the mass-loss history of stripped progenitors. Our results suggest that SN-CSM interaction in binaries hosting ultra-stripped progenitors provides a possible channel for producing diverse light-curve morphologies, highlighting a potential connection between the pre-SN evolution of massive binary stars and the diversity of their explosive transients.
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All authors Dandan Wei, Fabian R. N. Schneider, Philipp Podsiadlowski, Takashi J. Moriya, Eva Laplace

Solar and Stellar Astrophysics · Cross-listed from astro-ph.IM

The MegaWave Radio Surveyor

T. Joseph W. Lazio, Evgenya Shkolnik, James Aguirre et al. (+40 more)

Several Decadal-level questions in astrophysics, exoplanets, astrobiology, and cosmology can be addressed only at low radio frequencies inaccessible from Earth. The MegaWave Radio Surveyor would open this largely-unexplored region of the electromagnetic spectrum with a space-based interferometer to (1)~Track the space weather of other stars; (2)~Detect magnetically-generated emission from exoplanets to probe their interiors and assess magnetic shielding of their atmospheres; (3)~Probe the Universe's evolution during the Dark Ages via the highly-redshifted HI hyperfine line; and (4)~Assess the role of cosmic rays and magnetic fields in the cosmic web. An Astrophysics Strategic Technology & Research Accelerator (ASTRA) Initiative concept, the MegaWave Radio Surveyor's science objectives respond to the Pathways to Discovery Decadal Survey and three other National Academies studies, and it would serve as a Formative Era mission in the Enduring Quests, Daring Visions roadmap. Developments in U.S. space industries enable this observatory to be realized. The MegaWave Radio Surveyor would offer a versatile, scalable, and resilient architecture capable of sensitive and simultaneous observations below 45~MHz and unprecedented angular resolution at these frequencies. The concept builds upon NASA's Sun Radio Interferometer Space Experiment (SunRISE), Star-Planet Activity Research CubeSat (SPARCS), and Lunar Surface Electromagnetics Experiment (LuSEE-Night). The MegaWave Radio Surveyor could leverage multiple elements of the Artemis program, such as access to and beyond cislunar space and communications, and there are opportunities to infuse new autonomy/AI modes for mission operations. By opening one of the last windows in the electromagnetic spectrum and pioneering space interferometry at unprecedented scales, the MegaWave Radio Surveyor would establish a transformational capability.
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All authors T. Joseph W. Lazio, Evgenya Shkolnik, James Aguirre, Stuart D. Bale, Judd Bowman, Ruby Byrne, Joseph Callingham, Tracy E. Clarke, Ivey Davis, Tim Dolch, Peter Driscoll, Anastasia Fialkov, Steven Furlanetto, Simona Giacintucci, Ravit Helled, Jacqueline Hewitt, Phil Hopkins, Andrea Isella, Daniel Jacobs, Eloy de Lera Acedo, Melodie M. Kao, Mary Knapp, L.V.E. Koopmans, Nicholas Kern, Jasmina Lazendic-Galloway, Susan T. Lepri, R. O. Parke Loyd, James P. Lux, James P. Mason, Raul Monsalve, Miguel Morales, Julian B. Muñoz, Rachel Osten, J. Sebastian Pineda, Jonathan Pober, Sam B. Ponnada, Leslie A. Rogers, Saurabh Singh, Jake D. Turner, Jackie Villadsen, Philippe Zarka, John ZuHorne, Ellen Zweibel

Solar and Stellar Astrophysics

Active nests at solar maximum: How nested flux emergence dominated flaring activity and structured the heliosphere

Adam J. Finley, Allan Sacha Brun, Antoine Strugarek et al. (+5 more)

Multi-viewpoint observations from near-Earth satellites and ESA's Solar Orbiter enable a global view of the Sun. This continuous coverage is essential for characterising active nests. We investigated how the formation of active nests during the maximum of solar cycle 25 affected the Sun's flaring activity and large-scale magnetic field. Active nests were identified from their persistent activity in Carrington coordinates. For each nest, we monitored the evolution of their photospheric magnetic field, extreme ultraviolet emission, and associated solar flares. Their impact on the solar corona was explored through potential field source surface extrapolations and coronagraph observations. These results were then compared with in-situ measurements of solar wind speed and magnetic field polarity. During 156 days of global monitoring in 2024, nearly 80% of all solar flares originated from three active nests in the southern hemisphere. Two of the nests converged over several months, colliding with a burst of activity in October 2024. The third nest was linked to the emergence of NOAA active region AR13664 in May 2024. Magnetically complex NOAA active regions were more prevalent within active nests. During 2024, 28% of the 147 nested active regions were complex, compared to just 16% of the 181 regions elsewhere. In January 2025, two active nests emerged from the collision site, and a new active nest appeared in the north. This reinforced a tilted dipole topology throughout 2025. Active nests modulated global solar activity in 2024 and shaped the solar corona and wind in 2025. Nearly continuous tracking was used to isolate their flaring and flux emergence rates. Active nest migration was driven by the emergence of magnetic flux, implying a coherent sub-surface origin. By anchoring the coronal magnetic field, active nests created more favourable source regions for solar wind connectivity studies.
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All authors Adam J. Finley, Allan Sacha Brun, Antoine Strugarek, Barbara Perri, Daniel Müller, Miho Janvier, Andy S H To, Henrik Eklund

Solar and Stellar Astrophysics

The Isotopic and Elemental Abundances of Planet-Host Star TRAPPIST-1

Darío González Picos, Ian J.M. Crossfield, David Coria et al. (+6 more)

Elemental and isotopic abundances are key tracers of planet formation, stellar evolution, and Galactic chemical evolution. Very low-mass stars are particularly interesting in this regard, because unlike more massive or evolved stars their photospheric abundances retain the star's natal composition. Cool dwarf spectra have historically been challenging to use for measurements of chemical abundances because of the blending of molecular and atomic features. However, recent advances in molecular line lists, atmospheric models, fitting techniques and IR spectrographs have enabled the successful measurement of elemental and isotopic ratios in a few dozen very low-mass stars. Here, we present near-infrared high-resolution spectroscopy of TRAPPIST-1 covering the fundamental and overtone bands of carbon monoxide and its prominent isotopologues. From the joint analysis of the $K$-band (CFHT/SPIRou) and $M$-band (Keck/NIRSPEC) spectra, we derive the first stellar C/O ratio and the first carbon and oxygen isotope ratios for this star. We obtain a metallicity of $[\mathrm{M/H}] = 0.00 \pm 0.06$, a C/O ratio of $0.60 \pm 0.02$, $^{12}\mathrm{C}/^{13}\mathrm{C} = 154{}^{+17}_{-16}$, and $^{16}\mathrm{O}/^{18}\mathrm{O} = 490{}^{+78}_{-64}$. TRAPPIST-1 has generally solar-like elemental abundances, with a $^{12}\mathrm{C}/^{13}\mathrm{C}$ ratio that is higher than the solar value and may be modestly elevated relative to some nearby cool dwarfs at similar metallicity. While C/O is most tightly constrained by the $K$-band, the isotopic detections are driven by the $M$-band data.
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All authors Darío González Picos, Ian J.M. Crossfield, David Coria, Joshua Lothringer, Eric Gaidos, Elisabeth A.C. Mills, Sam de Regt, Donatella Romano, Ignas Snellen

Solar and Stellar Astrophysics · Cross-listed from astro-ph.EP

Benchmark Brown Dwarfs as Chemical Laboratories: Linking System Bulk Properties to Atmospheric Retrievals

Viktória Kecskeméthy, Ben Burningham, Fei Wang et al. (+8 more)

We present the first atmospheric retrieval analysis of two compositional benchmark mid-L dwarfs – SDSSJ141659.78+500626.4 and GJ 499 C – using the Brewster retrieval framework, where the wide benchmark nature of these systems provides independent constraints on age and bulk composition from their stellar primaries. These targets were observed with JWST using NIRSpec Prism and MIRI LRS, providing low-resolution ($R$ $\sim$ 100) spectra between 0.6–14.0 $\mathrm{\mu}$m with high signal-to-noise ratios (SNR $\sim$100 – 600). For SDSSJ141659.78+500626.4, the retrieved cloud combination of a high-altitude enstatite slab and low-altitude iron deck clouds matches phase-equilibrium predictions based on the primary star's Mg/Si ratio. We retrieve a super-solar C/O = 0.71$^{+0.01}_{-0.01}$ and slightly metal-rich [M/H] = 0.22$^{+0.03}_{-0.03}$. This C/O ratio can only be reconciled with the value inferred for the primary if additional oxygen sequestration beyond the retrieved cloud mass is present, or if there are uncertainties in the adopted opacities or other model deficiencies. The inferred [C/H] and [O/H] are 0.31$\pm$0.03 and 0.19$\pm$0.03, respectively, which are consistent within the relatively large uncertainties of the host star abundances. For GJ 499 C, the retrieved silicon-monoxide and forsterite slab clouds are difficult to explain with simple phase-equilibrium assumptions, yielding Mg/Si $\sim$ 1.9. We estimate C/O = 0.69$^{+0.02}_{-0.02}$ and [M/H] = 0.13$^{+0.04}_{-0.06}$. For both objects, the inferred radii of 0.85$^{+0.01}_{-0.01}$ $R_{\mathrm{Jup}}$ and 1.00$^{+0.02}_{-0.02}$ $R_{\mathrm{Jup}}$ and masses of 73.7$^{+4.9}_{-9.2}$ $M_{\mathrm{Jup}}$ and 68.0$^{+8.5}_{-12.7}$ $M_{\mathrm{Jup}}$ are consistent with evolutionary models and system ages, highlighting the plausibility of our results.
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All authors Viktória Kecskeméthy, Ben Burningham, Fei Wang, Austin J. Rothermich, Jacqueline K. Faherty, Genaro Suárez, Caprice L. Phillips, Melanie Rowland, Channon Visscher, Johanna M. Vos, Daniella C. Bardalez Gagliuffi

Solar and Stellar Astrophysics · Cross-listed from astro-ph.EP

JWST color sequence of transiting exoplanets and directly imaged substellar objects

Guangwei Fu, Joshua D. Lothringer, Sagnick Mukherjee et al. (+4 more)

Color-magnitude diagrams (CMDs) have been foundational across astrophysics, from galaxies and stars to brown dwarfs, and JWST now extends them to transiting exoplanets and self-luminous substellar objects at overlapping temperatures. We compile JWST dayside emission spectra for 13 transiting giant planets, 57 self-luminous objects, and the irradiated brown dwarf ZTF J0038+2030 B, spanning ~350-2600 K and log g = 2.5-5.5, plus ~2150 SPHEREx ultracool dwarfs, converted to synthetic photometry in 2MASS J/Ks and five NIRCam medium bands isolating H2O, CH4, CO2, and CO. Low gravity and inflated radii make transiting planets resemble young substellar objects, with shallower features and redder colors from high-altitude clouds that raise the photosphere. Transiting planets follow the L-dwarf sequence on the J versus J-K CMD, with WASP-80 b (T_eq~800 K) showing no T-dwarf-like blueward turn, suggesting a delayed or suppressed L/T transition in irradiated, low-gravity atmospheres. Methane onset is delayed from substellar to transiting-planet atmospheres, and cloudy radiative-convective models indicate that lower gravity and cloud back-warming shift atmospheres toward CO-dominated chemistry, suppressing photospheric CH4. The irradiated but old, high-gravity brown dwarf ZTF J0038+2030 B (T_day = 1049 K, log g = 5.4) shows a deep, field-T-dwarf-like dayside methane band, implicating gravity rather than irradiation as the dominant control. CO2-to-CO diagnostics place transiting and directly imaged planetary-mass companions at stronger relative CO2 absorption than field brown dwarfs, consistent with metallicity enhancement from planetesimal accretion. These CMD sequences provide a unified, model-testable map for self-luminous and irradiated atmospheres.
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All authors Guangwei Fu, Joshua D. Lothringer, Sagnick Mukherjee, David K. Sing, Elena Manjavacas, Kevin B. Stevenson, William Balmer

Solar and Stellar Astrophysics

Exploring Late Stellar Evolution in the Era of Large Surveys: Machine Learning Prospects for Hot Subdwarfs and White Dwarfs

Princy Ranaivomanana and Murat Uzundag

The rapid growth of large-scale astronomical surveys and advances in data-driven analysis techniques have transformed the study of late-stage stellar evolution. Modern facilities are producing large volumes of photometric, spectroscopic, and astrometric data, enabling systematic investigations of compact stellar populations across the Milky Way. Among the most important tracers of these advanced evolutionary phases are hot subdwarfs and white dwarfs: hot subdwarfs are core-helium-burning tracers of late, binary-driven stellar evolution, while white dwarfs represent the final evolutionary endpoint of low- and intermediate-mass stars. These compact objects provide important laboratories for studying stellar interiors, binary evolution, and the long-term fate of planetary systems. This paper explores how recent advances in machine learning are being applied to the detection, characterization, and, when combined with follow-up spectroscopy and modeling, the physical interpretation of hot subdwarfs and white dwarfs. By combining photometric, spectroscopic, and time-domain observations with these computational tools, it is now possible to efficiently discover rare objects, detect stellar variability, and probe the internal structure and evolutionary pathways of compact stars. Ultimately, these developments highlight the growing role of advanced algorithms in supporting the study of the final stages of stellar evolution, provided their outputs are validated against physical observables.
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Solar and Stellar Astrophysics

Can circumbinary discs produce the eccentricities of shell-burning stripped giant binaries?

C. A. S. Moltzer, O. R. Pols and H. Van Winckel

Post-RGB and post-AGB binaries, collectively shell-burning stripped giant (SBSG) binaries, contain a primary star recently stripped of its envelope, alongside a main-sequence companion. These systems are characterised by a stable circumbinary disc (CBD), thought to have formed from envelope material stripped via mass transfer. Their eccentricities range between $0-0.63$, contradicting canonical binary evolution that predicts such post-mass-transfer systems should have circularised. We investigate whether CBD-binary interaction can explain the observed eccentricities of SBSG binaries using a new formalism based on hydrodynamic simulations. To compare with observations, we generated model populations for which post-mass-transfer eccentricity and amount of mass accreted from the CBD were free parameters. We found that CBD-binary interaction can reproduce the observed eccentricity distribution of SBSG binaries, provided that: (1) their post-mass-transfer eccentricities range up to at least 0.05, (2) their CBDs have initial masses of at least $0.1$ $M_\odot$, and (3) accretion onto the SBSG star is highly inefficient to prevent refilling of its Roche lobe. Our model requires higher post-mass-transfer eccentricities than canonically predicted and more massive CBDs than currently observed. We speculate that there is a population of post-mass-transfer progenitor systems with CBDs massive enough to facilitate significant eccentricity pumping. Mass loss via the $L_2$ point during mass transfer needs investigation, as this could form the CBD and shorten the orbital period, necessary for many SBSG binaries assuming they formed stably. We hypothesise that the observed eccentricities are related to the amount of mass lost via $L_2$. Since many other post-interaction systems exhibit similar orbital properties, we speculate that they may all have interacted with CBDs shortly after mass transfer.
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Solar and Stellar Astrophysics

Sequential Magnetic Reconnections in a Fishbone-like Structure Leading to Recurrent Brightenings

Bo Yang, Jiayan Yang, Junchao Hong et al. (+1 more)

The fine-scale release of magnetic free energy in the solar atmosphere is a fundamental open question in solar physics. Multi-wavelength observations at high spatiotemporal resolution now offer a direct window into this process. Using data from NVST, SDO, IRIS, and Hinode, we reveal the energy release process in a fishbone-like magnetic structure within active region 12297. The fishbone-like structure consists of a spine along a narrow, elongated positive-polarity field, with herringbone branches rooted in negative-polarity sunspots. Persistent photospheric magnetic flux emergence and shearing motions are observed beneath the fishbone-like structure, which may play a key role in maintaining its topology and producing the recurrent brightenings. During brightenings, compact bright features propagate sequentially from west to east along the spine, accompanied by bidirectional flows along the branches and plasma blobs ejected toward the distant positive sunspot. These propagating features could be interpreted as signatures of sequential magnetic reconnection events occurring in chronological order at nodes along the spine, predominantly in the chromosphere and transition region. Our observations may provide evidence that recurrent brightenings could arise from repeated sequential reconnection events organized by a coherent magnetic structure, deepening our understanding of how such recurrent brightenings are generated and how magnetic free energy is dissipated at fine scales in solar active regions.
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All authors Bo Yang, Jiayan Yang, Junchao Hong, Yi Bi

Solar and Stellar Astrophysics

Triple-induced mergers of black hole binaries: A comprehensive look at the role of stellar evolution, dynamical stability, and spin evolution

C. W. Bruenech, S. Toonen, T. Boekholt et al. (+1 more)

Mergers of black holes (BHs) have been shown to be a ubiquitous phenomenon in the Universe. However, uncertainties remain in our theoretical understanding of the evolution of the BHs prior to their merger. Black hole progenitors are seemingly born primarily in triples or higher-order multiples, and the presence of a tertiary object can perturb a black hole binary (BHB) enough to precipitate a merger. We used population synthesis coupled with orbit-averaged descriptions of triple dynamics to evolve a population of triples with initially wide orbits and massive progenitors. Wide orbits were chosen to avoid stellar interaction prior to BH formation. Systems that remain bound and form an inner BHB were evolved using a direct n-body code with post-Newtonian terms up to an order of 2.5. We also simulated the precession of the BH spin vectors by coupling the n-body solver with the differential equations for the spins. For the dynamically stable triples with inner BHBs, mergers occur with an estimated rate density of $\sim 5$ Gpc$^{-3}$ yr$^{-1}$. Mergers also occur in triples that become dynamically unstable at a rate of $\sim 1.4$ Gpc$^{-3}$ yr$^{-1}$. At the point of entering the 10 Hz gravitational wave frequency band, the merging inner binaries exhibit eccentricities between $10^{-4}$ and $10^{-2}$. The final effective spin of a BHB that merges through this channel can display a wide range of values between $-1$ and $1$, with a slight tendency towards $\chi_\text{eff} \approx 0$. This is a result of the strong three-body dynamics experienced by the merging triples before the inner binary begins to shrink due to GW emission. The inner angular momentum can explore the full phase space before the binary rapidly shrinks and decouples from the tertiary, effectively freezing out the effective spin to its value at the time of the highest inner eccentricity.
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All authors C. W. Bruenech, S. Toonen, T. Boekholt, A. Dorozsmai

Solar and Stellar Astrophysics

BV photometry of the cataclysmic variable LY UMa

L. Dankova, D. Marchev, S. Peneva et al. (+1 more)

We performed B- and V-band photometry of the probable dwarf nova LY UMa. We find that it has apparent magnitude V=15.26+/-0.03 on 2024-04-14, V=15.43+/-0.02 on 2025-04-28, and V = 15.57+/-0.02 on 2025-06-02. Using the GAIA distance d=310pc, we find that the lower values correspond to absolute V band magnitude M_V=7.94-8.10 and indicate that the mass donor of LY UMa is a K7-K8V star with M_V=8.0-8.5. Our B-band measurements show slightly bluer B-V index of LY UMa than that of its donor, consistent with its nature as a cataclysmic variable. Close to LY UMa is the Active Galaxy Nucleus Mrk 153, for which we estimate V=14.81+/-0.03.
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All authors L. Dankova, D. Marchev, S. Peneva, R. Zamanov

Solar and Stellar Astrophysics

Circular polarimetry of suspect wind-accreting pre-polars II

Pasi Hakala, Steven Parsons, Gavin Ramsay et al. (+2 more)

The origin of white dwarf magnetic fields is an open question. Furthermore, such fields play a vital role in the evolution of interacting binary stars. Here we present a study of white dwarf fields in so called pre-polars (or low accretion rate polars, LARPs , i.e. magnetic cataclysmic variables, where the mass losing secondary star is not in Roche lobe contact, but the systems experience accretion via stellar wind. Such systems play a crucial role in understanding the magnetic braking and the angular momentum evolution of close binaries. We aim to identify a set of wind-accreting pre-polars amongst our sample of nine candidate systems. We also attempt to measure the white dwarf magnetic fields and study the accretion geometry associated with wind-accreting pre-polars. We have obtained optical circular imaging photopolarimetry and circular spectropolarimetry of the targets. These are used to model the cyclotron emission and to estimate the white dwarf magnetic field strengths. We find that at least in four out of our nine candidate systems, we can confirm the magnetic nature of the white dwarf. Out of these, One system, ZTF J1737+4013, appears to be an eclipsing polar. Furthermore, ZTF J2220+0721 and ZTF J2353+4153 appear to be very strong candidates for wind-accreting pre-polars (or LARPs), with the fourth, ZTF J0056+4926, showing strong variable $H_{\alpha}$ emission, atypical of pre-polars. However, the emission could be related to the strong activity of the donor star, dominating the optical spectrum. One system, ZTF J0504+2145, is likely a novalike CV. The exact nature of the other systems remains unclear.
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All authors Pasi Hakala, Steven Parsons, Gavin Ramsay, Boris T. Gänsicke, Alex Brown

Solar and Stellar Astrophysics

Broadband 12-26 GHz Radio Radiation Reveals Evidence for Micro-flares on AU Mic

Isaiah I. Tristan, Rachel A. Osten, Yuta Notsu et al. (+2 more)

We present sequential 12-18 and 18-26 GHz radio-band ($Ku$, $K$) VLA observations of the 22 Myr dM1e star AU Mic. We detect two flares and two marginal events over a total of 3 contiguous hours on source, resulting in a radio flare rate of $\sim$1 flare hour$^{-1}$. While this rate is consistent with previous $Ku$-band observations, both flaring ($<$1 mJy) and quiescent ($\sim$0.4 mJy) flux densities are significantly lower. Furthermore, the quiescent spectral shape here is distinct, allowing for unique constraints on the radio-emitting sources of AU Mic. The time-averaged quiescent spectrum is best described by gyrosynchrotron radiation with a peak around 17 GHz and an optically thin spectral index of $\alpha \approx -0.6$. We estimate that the source regions have magnetic field strengths of $\sim$1 kG and cover a fraction of $<$0.5% of the stellar surface, yet the instantaneous total electron kinetic energies are $\sim$10$^{28}$ erg. The power-law index describing the distribution of electrons with energy derived from the spectral index, $\delta \approx 2$, implies a near-continuous injection of electrons. This could arise from micro-flares that occur over the surface of AU Mic that sustain the radio radiation. One clear flare per band occurs, with decay-to-rise $e$-folding time ratios of $3 - 4$, indicating magnetic trapping of the electrons. The $Ku$-band flare is optically thick during the rise and peak times, indicating a peak frequency above 18 GHz. Together, these quiescent and flaring characteristics suggest that continuous, unresolved micro-flaring and magnetic trapping dominate the non-thermal radio emission of active M-dwarf coronae.
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All authors Isaiah I. Tristan, Rachel A. Osten, Yuta Notsu, Adina D. Feinstein, Adam F. Kowalski

Solar and Stellar Astrophysics

Large fraction of blends from Rowan et al. (2023)

P Zasche

Following the work by Rowan et al., I found that a large fraction of systems presented as triple/quadruple stars are in fact only blends. After careful inspection of 225 candidate systems from Rowan et al., I found that one-third of them are, in fact, only blended signals of two different eclipsing binaries, well separated from each other on the sky. Their typical angular separation is dozens of arcsec, reaching up to more than 100 arcsec for some targets. This is probably due to relatively large TESS pixels and insufficient cross-checking of all available catalogues and photometric data. I present a list of 76 confirmed blends with their correct identification and respective periods. Such a high fraction (33.8 per cent) of reported false-positive systems should be taken into account in future studies, when reporting to new discoveries of doubly eclipsing candidates.
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Tuesday 25 August

Solar and Stellar Astrophysics

ABYSS. IV. Identifying signatures of stellar youth in APOGEE spectra

Valentina Bonilla Villalobos, Marina Kounkel, Joseph Mullen et al. (+9 more)

We develop a convolutional neural network classifier that performs spectroscopic identification of stellar youth (<40 Myr) in APOGEE spectra. This classifier is sensitive to several youth-related features, including rotational broadening, which is common in younger stars, and to several discrete lines that appear to be indicative of a very spotted photosphere. The model is successful at identifying youth across a wide range of stars, achieving its strongest performance at discriminating young M and K dwarfs, while maintaining useful discriminatory power for hotter stars as well. This work enables more robust separation of pre-main-sequence stars from more evolved sources in the field even when they have comparable Teff and log(g), providing a reliable means to substantially reduce contamination in photometrically selected YSO candidates. In addition to constructing a classifier for APOGEE spectra, we also perform classification of young stars in optical BOSS spectra.
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All authors Valentina Bonilla Villalobos, Marina Kounkel, Joseph Mullen, Eleonora Zari, Alexandre Roman-Lopes, Keivan Stassun, Ricardo López-Valdivia, Jinyoung S. Kim, Mojgan Aghakhanloo, Facundo Pérez Paolino, Jonathan C. Tan, Jesús Hernández

Solar and Stellar Astrophysics · Cross-listed from astro-ph.IM

TESSExtractor: A web-based interactive tool for light-curve visualisation and period estimation using TESS full-frame images

Javier Serna, Jesús Hernández, Sean P. Matt et al. (+23 more)

We present a user-friendly web application that allows users to extract, visualise, and interact with TESS light-curves (LCs) from full-frame images. The service works for any star identified in the TIC database or using stellar coordinates. TESSExtractor performs photometry using a circular aperture centred on the object of interest, with a sky annulus for background subtraction. The application also uses cotrending basis vectors provided by TESS to correct photometry for possible systematic effects. The Lomb-Scargle Periodogram is used to obtain periods from the LC. The TESSExtractor's website offers an intuitive interface for scientific and educational purposes and is publicly available at https://www.tessextractor.app. This tool simplifies the analysis of TESS LCs and provides valuable insight for researchers seeking to extract and analyse TESS data for a variety of scientific goals (e.g., stellar rotation, activity, transient detection, asteroseismology, or simply detection of planetary transits or stellar companions, among others). TESS provides insights into our understanding of time-domain astrophysics, and TESSExtractor provides an accessible and intuitive web interface for scientific exploitation of TESS data. We demonstrate that TESSExtractor produces LCs of sufficient quality for both quantitative and morphological time-domain studies.
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All authors Javier Serna, Jesús Hernández, Sean P. Matt, Giovanni Pinzón, Astaroth Elizabethson, Jorge Martínez-Palomera, Carlos G. Román-Zúñiga, Sergio Sánchez-Sanjuán, Jaime Morice, Thanawuth Thanathibodee, Margarita Pereyra, Mauricio Tapia, Alejandro García-Varela, Juan F. Cabrera-García, Marcelo Jaque Arancibia, María Gracia Batista, Ricardo López-Valdivia, Raúl Michel, Ezequiel Manzo-Martínez, Keivan G. Stassun, Cesar Briceño, Sydney Robertson, Tanay Ayiliath, David Fernández, Fabián Ahumada, Alejandro Alfonso

Solar and Stellar Astrophysics

A Seismic Technique for Obtaining White Dwarf Fundamental Parameters from Mean Period Spacings and Astrometry

Keaton J. Bell and Agnès Bischoff-Kim

We present a new statistical technique that utilizes the synergy of precision astrometry and time series photometry from modern space missions to obtain reliable physical parameters of pulsating white dwarf stars. We compute a grid of white dwarf structural models that span the helium-atmosphere pulsating white dwarf (DBV) instability strip, showing that mean period spacings between adjacent pulsation modes and absolute magnitudes derived from Gaia astrometry vary monotonically and in opposing directions across parameter space. While most efforts in white dwarf asteroseismology to directly fit individual pulsation periods to stellar models result in degenerate and poorly resolved solutions, the "seismic technique" produces unique and reliable seismic solutions for global parameters of mass and effective temperature when a reliable mean period spacing is detected. Our models sample various physically plausible interior chemical composition profiles based on modern evolutionary models to propagate uncertainty from the precise structures of actual stars. Once the global stellar parameters are tightly constrained, seismically resolving white dwarf interior structures becomes more computationally tractable, and degeneracies can be resolved. This new seismic technique is largely insensitive to the precise absorption line profiles interpreted by the widely used spectroscopic technique, and therefore provides complementary constraints that can be used to test spectroscopic methods. We demonstrate the method for the pulsating helium-atmosphere white dwarf WD 0158-160 observed by TESS, obtaining $T_\mathrm{eff} = 24584\pm 971$ K and $M_\star = 0.608\pm 0.013$ $M_\odot$.
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Solar and Stellar Astrophysics

EncoTESS: Age-Sensitive Encodings from Raw TESS Light Curves

Phil R. Van-Lane, Joshua S. Speagle, Ryan Cloutier et al. (+3 more)

Main sequence stars of spectral types late F through M exhibit systematic variability in photometric light curves, particularly when they are young. Rotational modulation of starspots manifests as quasi-sinusoidal variability, which enables the measurement of rotation periods. Variability can also be stochastic, as in stellar flaring. However, since measurements of stochastic processes depend on the time of observation, they are typically noisier. Considering that different manifestations of variability have unique observational nuances, models that naturally unify these are incredibly useful for stellar characterization. Towards this goal, we have developed EncoTESS: a Time Series Foundation Model (TSFM) trained on a subset of TESS 2-min light curves. EncoTESS is specifically designed to handle the observational noise, heteroskedastic measurements, irregular sampling, and large data gaps common to TESS data. It is also ~1% of the size of a typical literature TSFM, so can be run easily on a modern laptop. EncoTESS encodes light curves into a fixed-size latent parameter space, which can be used to infer physical stellar properties and recovers light curve summary statistics well. EncoTESS outperforms rotation period and variability amplitude as age indicators for stars that have not converged onto the slow rotator sequence yet; broadly these include K and M stars less than ~100 Myr, and M stars less than ~1 Gyr. We focus on age inference as an application of EncoTESS in this work, but other downstream tasks such as stellar classification could also be explored. The architecture of EncoTESS enables its future extension to TESS light curves of all cadences, and additional surveys such as Kepler and the upcoming PLATO mission. The core EncoTESS framework and library of encodings produced for the stars used in this work are publicly available at https://github.com/philvanlane/encotess.
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All authors Phil R. Van-Lane, Joshua S. Speagle, Ryan Cloutier, Christopher A. Theissen, Gwendolyn M. Eadie, Ilay Kamai

Solar and Stellar Astrophysics

Potsdam Wolf-Rayet stellar atmosphere grids of OB-type stars: I. Spectroscopic temperature diagnostics across metallicity

D. Pauli, H. Todt, W.-R. Hamann et al. (+5 more)

Massive hot stars are among the major ionizing sources in the Universe. The ionizing flux of a star strongly depends on its temperature, which is best measured spectroscopically using lines of different ionization stages of the same element. For the quantitative spectral analysis of O-type stars, helium lines are commonly employed, and for B-type stars, lines of silicon and magnesium are used. At low metallicity, many of the diagnostic metal lines disappear. We conduct a systematic theoretical analysis of stellar atmosphere models of OB stars to study the effect of metallicity on key temperature diagnostic lines and how this impacts spectral classification. We computed large grids of state-of-the-art non-LTE stellar atmosphere models at four different metallicities, ranging from solar to 1/31 solar. We presented equivalent widths of selected diagnostic lines in the temperature-gravity plane and investigated their dependence on metallicity. Using Galactic stellar templates of O- and B-type stars, we established equivalent width ratios for spectral classification and applied them to our models. For the hottest stars in our model grids, He I lines become detectable at lower metallicity due to the reduced back-warming in the atmosphere, opening new possibilities for their classification. Metal lines used for the analysis of B-type stars are mostly absent in the spectra of stars with metallicity below that of the Small Magellanic Cloud, except Si lines, challenging current classification schemes. Our stellar atmosphere grids reveal that the decrease in metallicity causes many metal lines to disappear, leaving different sensitivities of He I lines the only temperature indicators for B-type stars in the optical. The ionizing flux of OB-type stars can be partially trapped within the stellar wind. As a result, at lower metallicity, a larger fraction of stars can emit hard ionizing radiation.
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All authors D. Pauli, H. Todt, W.-R. Hamann, L. M. Oskinova, A. A. C. Sander, T. Shenar, V. Ramachandran, S. Reyero Serantes

Solar and Stellar Astrophysics

Magnetic Heating Across the Sun and Solar-like Stars: Universal Scaling Laws from Chromospheres to Coronae

Shin Toriumi, Kosuke Namekata, Yuta Notsu et al. (+2 more)

Magnetic activity in cool stars governs the thermal structure and high-energy radiative output of their outer atmospheres, thereby influencing stellar evolution, stellar winds, and the atmospheres of orbiting (exo)planets. A long-standing question in stellar astrophysics is whether the mechanisms responsible for atmospheric heating are universal across the Sun and cool stars spanning different ages and activity levels. In this paper, we review recent progress in understanding magnetic heating across the Sun and Sun-like stars through empirical scaling relations between photospheric magnetic flux and radiative output from the chromosphere, transition region, and corona. Analysis of more than a decade of Sun-as-a-star observations reveals that irradiance and magnetic flux follow power-law relationships over a wide temperature range. While coronal emissions exhibit superlinear scaling with magnetic flux, chromospheric and transition-region diagnostics show weaker, sublinear dependencies. Remarkably, observations of G-type stars with ages ranging from 50 Myr to 4.5 Gyr are found to lie on extensions of the solar scaling laws, suggesting that a common magnetic-heating mechanism operates across different levels of stellar activity. We further discuss the application of these scaling relations to reconstructing stellar X-ray and ultraviolet (XUV) spectra from observed magnetic fluxes. The resulting synthetic spectra reproduce actual observations of young, active solar analogs, providing a practical tool to estimate the ionizing radiation whose extreme UV emissions cannot be directly measured.
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All authors Shin Toriumi, Kosuke Namekata, Yuta Notsu, Mai Yamashita, Vladimir S. Airapetian