Effect of stellar wind induced magnetic fields on planetary obstacles of non-magnetized hot Jupiters

Autor(en)
N V Erkaev, P. Odert, Helmut Lammer, Kristina Kislyakova, Colin Johnstone
Abstrakt

We investigate the interaction between the magnetized stellar wind plasma and the partially ionized hydrodynamic hydrogen outflow from the escaping upper atmosphere of non-magnetized or weakly magnetized hot Jupiters. We use the well-studied hot Jupiter HD 209458b as an example for similar exoplanets, assuming a negligible intrinsic magnetic moment. For this planet, the stellar wind plasma interaction forms an obstacle in the planet's upper atmosphere, in which the position of the magnetopause is determined by the condition of pressure balance between the stellar wind and the expanded atmosphere, heated by the stellar extreme ultraviolet radiation. We show that the neutral atmospheric atoms penetrate into the region dominated by the stellar wind, where they are ionized by photoionization and charge exchange, and then mixed with the stellar wind flow. Using a 3D magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) model, we show that an induced magnetic field forms in front of the planetary obstacle, which appears to be much stronger compared to those produced by the solar wind interaction with Venus and Mars. Depending on the stellar wind parameters, because of the induced magnetic field, the planetary obstacle can move up to ≈0.5-1 planetary radii closer to the planet. Finally, we discuss how estimations of the intrinsic magnetic moment of hot Jupiters can be inferred by coupling hydrodynamic upper planetary atmosphere and MHD stellar wind interaction models together with UV observations. In particular, we find that HD 209458b should likely have an intrinsic magnetic moment of 10-20 per cent that of Jupiter.

Organisation(en)
Institut für Astrophysik
Externe Organisation(en)
Russian Academy of Sciences, Karl-Franzens-Universität Graz, Österreichische Akademie der Wissenschaften (ÖAW)
Journal
Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Band
470
Seiten
4330 - 4336
Anzahl der Seiten
7
ISSN
0035-8711
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stx1471
Publikationsdatum
10-2017
Peer-reviewed
Ja
ÖFOS 2012
103003 Astronomie, 103004 Astrophysik
Schlagwörter
ASJC Scopus Sachgebiete
Astronomy and Astrophysics, Space and Planetary Science
Link zum Portal
https://ucrisportal.univie.ac.at/de/publications/4a489dfb-8423-4c2e-ac02-06d51a7aed95