Simple Model for Temporal Variations of Hα Spectrum by an Eruptive Filament from a Superflare on a Solar-type Star

• Published in: The Astrophysical journal Vol. 963; no. 1; pp. 50 - 64
• Main Authors: Ikuta, Kai, Shibata, Kazunari
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Philadelphia The American Astronomical Society 01.03.2024; IOP Publishing
• Subjects: Configurations; Coronal mass ejection; Deceleration; Escape velocity; Explosions; Flare stars; G dwarf stars; H alpha line; Solar analogs; Solar coronal mass ejections; Solar filament eruptions; Solar flares; Stellar coronal mass ejections; Stellar coronas; Stellar flares; Stellar surfaces; Velocity
• ISSN: 0004-637X; 1538-4357
• DOI: 10.3847/1538-4357/ad1ce6

Abstract Flares are intense explosions on the solar and stellar surfaces, and solar flares are sometimes accompanied by filament or prominence eruptions. Recently, a large filament eruption associated with a superflare on a solar-type star EK Dra was discovered for the first time. The absorption of the H α spectrum initially exhibited a blueshift with the velocity of 510 km s −1 , and decelerated in time probably due to gravity. Stellar coronal mass ejections (CMEs) were thought to occur, although the filament eruption did not exceed the escape velocity under the surface gravity. To investigate how such a filament eruption can occur and whether CMEs are associated with the filament eruption or not, we perform a one-dimensional hydrodynamic simulation of the flow along an expanding magnetic loop emulating a filament eruption under adiabatic and unsteady conditions. The loop configuration and expanding velocity normal to the loop are specified in the configuration parameters, and we calculate the line-of-sight velocity of the filament eruption using the velocities along and normal to the loop. We find that (i) the temporal variations of the H α spectrum for EK Dra can be explained by a falling filament eruption in the loop with longer time and larger spatial scales than that of the Sun, and (ii) the stellar CMEs are also thought to be associated with the filament eruption from the superflare on EK Dra, because the rarefied loop unobserved in the H α spectrum needs to expand faster than the escape velocity, whereas the observed filament eruption does not exceed the escape velocity.