Print button

Abstract EANA2024-2


Evaporated atmosphere in the interplanetary medium of early-type stars

Alexandra Lehtmets (1), Mihkel Kama (1,2), Luca Fossati (3), Anna Aret (1)
(1) Stellar Physics department, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia (2) Department of Physics and Astronomy, University College London, London, UK (3) Space Research Institute, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Graz, Austria


In our study, we investigate how early-type stars influence the gases escaping from exoplanet atmospheres into space. We focus on two key aspects: how the star's radiation force and gravity affect the path of these gases, and how fast neutral atoms speed up before changing into ions. By combining theories and models, we aim to understand these processes better. Our research not only deepens our understanding of exoplanets but also sheds light on their relationship with the stars they orbit. Additionally, our models could help predict which chemical elements end up accreting on to the host star. For early-type stars, our predictions might even show up as observable patterns in their spectra, because one of the unique features of early-type stars is that material accreting onto them can easily “pollute” the photosphere.