2005/05/27 by A. E. Glassgold, Eric D. Feigelson, Glassgold, A. E. +7
Physics and Astronomy · #Astro and Planetary Science #Astrophysics (astro-ph) #FOS: Physical sciences #Solar and Space Plasma Dynamics #Stellar, planetary, and galactic studies #astro-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.astro-ph/0505562
17 pages, 5 figures, ASP style
openalex publication_date 2005/05/27 · arxiv created 2005/06/13 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
Astronomical observations of flares from analogs of the early Sun have the potential to give critical insights into the high energy irradiation environment of protoplanetary disks. Solar-mass young stellar objects are significantly more X-ray luminous than the typical low-mass T Tauri star. They undergo frequent strong flaring on a several day time scale. Very powerful flares also occur, but on a longer time frame. The hard X-ray spectrum of these stars become even harder during flaring. The X-rays from these sun-like young stellar objects have the potential to ionize circumstellar material out to large distances. Three specific illustrations are given of the effects of the X-rays: The physics and chemistry of the atmospheres of the inner accretion disks; the ionization level at the disk midplane, important for the viability of the magnetorotational instability; and the nuclear fluence in the irradiation zone just interior to the inner edge of the disk, important in local irradiation scenarios for producing the short-lived radionuclides found in meteorites.