Charles Explorer logo
🇬🇧

FLARES ON A-TYPE STARS: EVIDENCE FOR HEATING OF SOLAR CORONA BY NANOFLARES?

Publication at Faculty of Mathematics and Physics |
2016

Abstract

We analyzed the occurrence rates of flares on stars of spectral types K, G, F, and A, observed by Kepler. We found that the histogram of occurrence frequencies of stellar flares is systematically shifted toward a high-energy tail for A-type stars compared to stars of cooler spectral types.

We extrapolated the fitted power laws toward flares with smaller energies ( nanoflares) and made estimates for total energy flux to stellar atmospheres by flares. We found that, for A-type stars, the total energy flux density was at least four-times smaller than for G. stars.

We speculate that this deficit in energy supply may explain the lack of hot coronae on A-type stars. Our results indicate the. importance of nanoflares for heating and formation of the solar corona.