Lyman-α observations of astrospheres

Linsky, J. L.; Wood, B. E.

doi:https://doi.org/10.5194/ap-1-43-2014

Articles | Volume 1

ASTRA Proc., 1, 43–49, 2014

https://doi.org/10.5194/ap-1-43-2014

© Author(s) 2014. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.

ASTRA Proc., 1, 43–49, 2014

https://doi.org/10.5194/ap-1-43-2014

© Author(s) 2014. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.

Articles | Volume 1

25 Aug 2014

Lyman-α observations of astrospheres

J. L. Linsky¹ and B. E. Wood² J. L. Linsky and B. E. Wood J. L. Linsky¹ and B. E. Wood²

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¹JILA, University of Colorado and NIST, Boulder, CO, USA
²US Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, D.C., USA

Received: 02 May 2014 – Revised: 21 Jul 2014 – Accepted: 25 Jul 2014 – Published: 25 Aug 2014

Abstract. Charge-exchange reactions between outflowing stellar wind protons and interstellar neutral hydrogen atoms entering a stellar astrosphere produce a region of piled-up-decelerated neutral hydrogen called the hydrogen wall. Absorption by this gas, which is observed in stellar Lyman-α emission lines, provides the only viable technique at this time for measuring the mass-loss rates of F–M dwarf stars. We describe this technique, present an alternative way for understanding the relation of mass-loss rate with X-ray emission, and identify several critical issues.

Abstracted/indexed

Lyman-α observations of astrospheres