The high-energy environment of the heavy sub-Earth GJ 367 b indicates likely complete evaporation of its atmosphere

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Poppenhaeger, K., Ketzer, L., Ilic, N., Magaudda, E., Robrade, J., Stelzer, B., Schmitt, J. H. M. M., Schneider, P. C.
Format: Preprint
Published: 2024
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author Poppenhaeger, K.
Ketzer, L.
Ilic, N.
Magaudda, E.
Robrade, J.
Stelzer, B.
Schmitt, J. H. M. M.
Schneider, P. C.
author_facet Poppenhaeger, K.
Ketzer, L.
Ilic, N.
Magaudda, E.
Robrade, J.
Stelzer, B.
Schmitt, J. H. M. M.
Schneider, P. C.
contents The planet GJ 367 b is a recently discovered high-density sub-Earth orbiting an M dwarf star. Its composition was modelled to be predominantly iron with a potential remainder of a hydrogen-helium envelope. Here we report an X-ray detection of this planet's host star for the first time, using data from the spectro-imaging X-ray telescope eROSITA onboard the Spectrum-Roentgen-Gamma (SRG) mission. We characterise the magnetic activity of the host star from the X-ray data and estimate its effects on a potential atmosphere of the planet. We find that despite the very low activity level of the host star the expected mass loss rates, both under core-powered and photoevaporative mass loss regimes, are so high that a potential primordial or outgassed atmosphere would evaporate very quickly. Since the activity level of the host star indicates that the system is several Gigayears old, it is very unlikely that the planet currently still hosts any atmosphere.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2401_17302
institution arXiv
publishDate 2024
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle The high-energy environment of the heavy sub-Earth GJ 367 b indicates likely complete evaporation of its atmosphere
Poppenhaeger, K.
Ketzer, L.
Ilic, N.
Magaudda, E.
Robrade, J.
Stelzer, B.
Schmitt, J. H. M. M.
Schneider, P. C.
Solar and Stellar Astrophysics
Earth and Planetary Astrophysics
The planet GJ 367 b is a recently discovered high-density sub-Earth orbiting an M dwarf star. Its composition was modelled to be predominantly iron with a potential remainder of a hydrogen-helium envelope. Here we report an X-ray detection of this planet's host star for the first time, using data from the spectro-imaging X-ray telescope eROSITA onboard the Spectrum-Roentgen-Gamma (SRG) mission. We characterise the magnetic activity of the host star from the X-ray data and estimate its effects on a potential atmosphere of the planet. We find that despite the very low activity level of the host star the expected mass loss rates, both under core-powered and photoevaporative mass loss regimes, are so high that a potential primordial or outgassed atmosphere would evaporate very quickly. Since the activity level of the host star indicates that the system is several Gigayears old, it is very unlikely that the planet currently still hosts any atmosphere.
title The high-energy environment of the heavy sub-Earth GJ 367 b indicates likely complete evaporation of its atmosphere
topic Solar and Stellar Astrophysics
Earth and Planetary Astrophysics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2401.17302