Constraining Mass-loss Rates of Low-mass Cool Stars |
TYPE | Astrophysics Seminar |
Speaker: | Ofer Cohen |
Affiliation: | Harvard-Smithsonian CfA |
Organizer: | Hagai Perets |
Date: | 29.12.2013 |
Time: | 13:30 - 14:30 |
Location: | Lidow 620 |
Abstract: | Mass-loss rates of low-mass cools stars (solar analogs) are important ingredient for stellar evolution models as they define the spindown rate of these stars over time. However, stellar winds and mass-loss rates of such stars cannot be directly observed due to their weak signal. Indirect observations resulted in a scaling laws for the mass-loss rate as a function of activity level. These scaling laws predict much higher mass-loss rate for young active stars. In my talk, I will show a study of stellar mass-loss rates of solar analogs that combines numerical simulations and data analysis based on the known physics of the Sun and the solar wind. I will argue that mass-loss rates of solar analogs may not be as high as predicted by the scaling laws. |