Variable X-ray Emission of the Planet Hosting T Tauri Star CI Tau

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Autori principali: Skinner, Stephen L., Guedel, Manuel
Natura: Preprint
Pubblicazione: 2025
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author Skinner, Stephen L.
Guedel, Manuel
author_facet Skinner, Stephen L.
Guedel, Manuel
contents We report results of Chandra X-ray observations of CI Tau, a young magnetically active classical T Tauri star for which previous studies have reported periodic variability attributed to a massive planet in a short-period orbit. CI Tau was clearly detected by Chandra in four separate observations acquired in late 2023. The X-ray emission was steady in the first two observations with a characteristic plasma temperature kT ~ 2 keV (~23 MK) and X-ray luminosity log Lx = 29.74 erg/s. During each of the last two observations obtained two weeks later the count rate increased slowly and the X-ray plasma temperature was much higher but remained nearly steady at kT ~ 4 - 5 keV (~46 - 58 MK) and peak luminosity log Lx = 30.5 erg/s. Such variable X-ray emission in T Tauri stars accompanied by high plasma temperatures is a signature of magnetic activity, consistent with the known presence of a strong magnetic field in CI Tau. We summarize the variable X-ray emission properties of CI Tau within the framework of T Tauri stars of similar mid-K spectral type, identify possible variability mechanisms, and assess the effects of stellar X-ray irradiation on the claimed planet.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2512_00246
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Variable X-ray Emission of the Planet Hosting T Tauri Star CI Tau
Skinner, Stephen L.
Guedel, Manuel
Solar and Stellar Astrophysics
We report results of Chandra X-ray observations of CI Tau, a young magnetically active classical T Tauri star for which previous studies have reported periodic variability attributed to a massive planet in a short-period orbit. CI Tau was clearly detected by Chandra in four separate observations acquired in late 2023. The X-ray emission was steady in the first two observations with a characteristic plasma temperature kT ~ 2 keV (~23 MK) and X-ray luminosity log Lx = 29.74 erg/s. During each of the last two observations obtained two weeks later the count rate increased slowly and the X-ray plasma temperature was much higher but remained nearly steady at kT ~ 4 - 5 keV (~46 - 58 MK) and peak luminosity log Lx = 30.5 erg/s. Such variable X-ray emission in T Tauri stars accompanied by high plasma temperatures is a signature of magnetic activity, consistent with the known presence of a strong magnetic field in CI Tau. We summarize the variable X-ray emission properties of CI Tau within the framework of T Tauri stars of similar mid-K spectral type, identify possible variability mechanisms, and assess the effects of stellar X-ray irradiation on the claimed planet.
title Variable X-ray Emission of the Planet Hosting T Tauri Star CI Tau
topic Solar and Stellar Astrophysics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2512.00246