Astrospheres and Solar-like Stellar Winds
Stellar analogs for the solar wind have proven to be frustratingly difficult to detect directly. However, these stellar winds can be studied indirectly by observing the interaction regions carved out by the collisions between these winds and the interstellar medium (ISM). These interaction regions a...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Springer
2004-07-01
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| Series: | Living Reviews in Solar Physics |
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| Online Access: | http://www.livingreviews.org/lrsp-2004-2 |
| _version_ | 1797705758659313664 |
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| author | Wood Brian E. |
| author_facet | Wood Brian E. |
| author_sort | Wood Brian E. |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Stellar analogs for the solar wind have proven to be frustratingly difficult to detect directly. However, these stellar winds can be studied indirectly by observing the interaction regions carved out by the collisions between these winds and the interstellar medium (ISM). These interaction regions are called "astrospheres", analogous to the "heliosphere" surrounding the Sun. The heliosphere and astrospheres contain a population of hydrogen heated by charge exchange processes that can produce enough H I Ly alpha absorption to be detectable in UV spectra of nearby stars from the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). The amount of astrospheric absorption is a diagnostic for the strength of the stellar wind, so these observations have provided the first measurements of solar-like stellar winds. Results from these stellar wind studies and their implications for our understanding of the solar wind are reviewed here. Of particular interest are results concerning the past history of the solar wind and its impact on planetary atmospheres. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T05:41:08Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-06b31925f97e4d7a9a4608352482e5fb |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1614-4961 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T05:41:08Z |
| publishDate | 2004-07-01 |
| publisher | Springer |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Living Reviews in Solar Physics |
| spelling | doaj.art-06b31925f97e4d7a9a4608352482e5fb2023-09-03T05:59:04ZengSpringerLiving Reviews in Solar Physics1614-49612004-07-0112Astrospheres and Solar-like Stellar WindsWood Brian E.Stellar analogs for the solar wind have proven to be frustratingly difficult to detect directly. However, these stellar winds can be studied indirectly by observing the interaction regions carved out by the collisions between these winds and the interstellar medium (ISM). These interaction regions are called "astrospheres", analogous to the "heliosphere" surrounding the Sun. The heliosphere and astrospheres contain a population of hydrogen heated by charge exchange processes that can produce enough H I Ly alpha absorption to be detectable in UV spectra of nearby stars from the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). The amount of astrospheric absorption is a diagnostic for the strength of the stellar wind, so these observations have provided the first measurements of solar-like stellar winds. Results from these stellar wind studies and their implications for our understanding of the solar wind are reviewed here. Of particular interest are results concerning the past history of the solar wind and its impact on planetary atmospheres.http://www.livingreviews.org/lrsp-2004-2Solar windStellar windsHeliosphereAstrosphere |
| spellingShingle | Wood Brian E. Astrospheres and Solar-like Stellar Winds Living Reviews in Solar Physics Solar wind Stellar winds Heliosphere Astrosphere |
| title | Astrospheres and Solar-like Stellar Winds |
| title_full | Astrospheres and Solar-like Stellar Winds |
| title_fullStr | Astrospheres and Solar-like Stellar Winds |
| title_full_unstemmed | Astrospheres and Solar-like Stellar Winds |
| title_short | Astrospheres and Solar-like Stellar Winds |
| title_sort | astrospheres and solar like stellar winds |
| topic | Solar wind Stellar winds Heliosphere Astrosphere |
| url | http://www.livingreviews.org/lrsp-2004-2 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT woodbriane astrospheresandsolarlikestellarwinds |