The largest solar flare recorded in nearly five years was triggered by interactions between five rotating sunspots. Researchers at the University of Central Lancashire studied observations of the flaring region of the Sun taken by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory over a period of five days. Dr Daniel Brown will present the findings at the RAS National Astronomy Meeting in Llandudno, Wales, on Wednesday 20th April 2011.

"Sunspots are features where magnetic field generated in the Sun’s interior pushes through the surface and into the atmosphere," said Dr Brown. "Twisting the Sun's magnetic field is like twisting an elastic band. At first you store energy in the elastic, but if you twist too much the elastic band

snaps, releasing the stored energy. Similarly, rotating sunspots store energy in the Sun's atmospheric magnetic field. If they twist too much, the magnetic field breaks releasing energy in a flash of light and heat which makes up the solar flare."

The flare occurred at 1.44am on 15th February 2011, when the Sun released the largest recorded solar flare since December 2006 and the first flare of the current solar cycle to be classified as the most powerful “X-class”. Looking at five days of SDO observations that included this flare, Dr Brown found that the active region that flared contained five newly emerged sunspots. All five of the sunspots rotated between 50 and 130 degrees, some in a clockwise and some in an anticlockwise direction, over the five days of observations.

“Rotating sunspots are an extremely efficient way to inject energy into the magnetic field of the Sun's atmosphere,” said Dr Brown.  “With five sunspots rotating at the same time enough energy has been injected into the atmospheric magnetic field to produce the largest solar flare seen for almost 5 years.”

In addition to the large X-class flare, the same region also released over 40 smaller flares during the five days studied.

IMAGES

Image caption: The Sun at 1.50am on 15th February 2011 using composite data of the Sun's surface from SDO/HMI and the Sun's million degree corona from SDO/AIA. The cutout region shows (bottom) the five rotating sunspots of the active region (AR 11158), and (top) the bright release of light from the X class flare.

Image credit: Image produced by D. Brown (UCLan). Data courtesy of NASA/SDO and the AIA, EVE, and HMI science teams.

SDO movie for NAM press release can be downloaded by using this link, it is in mpeg format and is about 32 MB in size.

This movie shows the dynamics of the Sun's atmosphere over 6 days as seen by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO). It uses composite data from two instruments, the surface data is from SDO/HMI, and the atmospheric data (at around 1,000,000 degrees) is from SDO/AIA. The right-hand inset shows a close up of active region 11158 from both of these instruments. The sunspots are seen to emerge and undergo a twisting motion in the solar surface. The response fo the coronal loops in the atmosphere shows rapid brightenings throughout the movie which are the solar flares being released.

Movie credit: Movie produce by D. Brown (UCLan). Data courtesy of NASA/SDO and the AIA, EVE, and HMI science teams.

SCIENCE CONTACTS

Dr Daniel Brown

University of Central Lancashire

Tel: 44 (0)1772 893305

E-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

PRESS CONTACTS

NAM 2011 Press Office (0900 – 1730 BST, 18-21 April only)

Conwy Room

Venue Cymru conference centre

Llandudno

Tel: +44 (0)1492 873 637, +44 (0)1492 873 638

Dr Robert Massey

Royal Astronomical Society

Mob: +44 (0)794 124 8035

Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Anita Heward

Royal Astronomical Society

Mob: +44 (0)7756 034 243

Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

NOTES FOR EDITORS

NAM 2011

Bringing together around 500 astronomers and space scientists, the RAS National Astronomy Meeting 2011 (NAM 2011: http://www.ras.org.uk/nam-2011) will take place from 17-21 April in Venue Cymru (http://www.venuecymru.co.uk), Llandudno, Wales. The conference is held in conjunction with the UK Solar Physics (UKSP: http://www.uksolphys.org) and Magnetosphere Ionosphere and Solar-Terrestrial Physics (MIST: http://www.mist.ac.uk) meetings. NAM 2011 is principally sponsored by the RAS and the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC: http://www.stfc.ac.uk).

The Royal Astronomical Society

The Royal Astronomical Society (RAS: http://www.ras.org.uk), founded in 1820, encourages and promotes the study of astronomy, solar-system science, geophysics and closely related branches of science. The RAS organizes scientific meetings, publishes international research and review journals, recognizes outstanding achievements by the award of medals and prizes, maintains an extensive library, supports education through grants and outreach activities and represents UK astronomy nationally and internationally. Its more than 3500 members (Fellows), a third based overseas, include scientific researchers in universities, observatories and laboratories as well as historians of astronomy and others.

The Science and Technology Facilities Council

The Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC: http://www.stfc.ac.uk) ensures the UK retains its leading place on the world stage by delivering world-class science; accessing and hosting international facilities; developing innovative technologies; and increasing the socio-economic impact of its research through effective knowledge exchange. The Council has a broad science portfolio including Astronomy, Particle Astrophysics and Space Science. In the area of astronomy it funds the UK membership of international bodies such as the European Southern Observatory.

Venue Cymru

Venue Cymru (http://www.venuecymru.co.uk) is a purpose built conference centre and theatre with modern facilities for up to 2000 delegates. Located on the Llandudno promenade with stunning sea and mountain views; Venue Cymru comprises a stunning location, outstanding quality and exceptional value: the perfect conference package.

A British-based team of astronomers has discovered carbon monoxide gas in the atmosphere of Pluto, after a worldwide search lasting for nearly two decades. Team leader Dr Jane Greaves of the University of St Andrews will present the new discovery in her talk on Wednesday 20 April at the National Astronomy Meeting in Venue Cymru, Llandudno, Wales.
 

Artist's impression of Pluto's huge atmosphere of carbon monoxide. The source of this gas is erratic evaporation from the mottled icy surface of the dwarf planet. The Sun appears at the top, as seen in the ultra-violet radiation that is thought to force some of the dramatic atmospheric changes. Pluto's largest moon, Charon, is seen to the lower right. Credit: P.A.S. Cruickshank

The new results, obtained at the 15-metre James Clerk Maxwell Telescope in Hawaii, show a strong signal of carbon monoxide gas. Previously the atmosphere was known to be over a hundred kilometres thick, but the new data raise this height to more than 3000 kilometres - a quarter of the way out to Pluto's largest moon, Charon. The gas is extremely cold, about -220 degrees Centigrade. A big surprise for the team was that the signal is more than twice as strong as an upper limit obtained by another group, who used the IRAM 30-metre telescope in Spain in 2000.

"It was thrilling to see the signal gradually emerge as we added in many nights of data", said Dr Jane Greaves, the team leader from the University of St Andrews, "The change in brightness over the last decade is startling. We think the atmosphere may have grown in size, or the carbon monoxide abundance may have been boosted." Such changes have been seen before but only in the lower atmosphere, where methane - the only other gas ever positively identified - has also been seen to vary.

In 1989 Pluto made its closest approach to the Sun, a comparatively recent event given that it takes 248 years to complete each orbit. The gases probably result from solar heating of surface ice, which evaporates as a consequence of the slightly higher temperatures during this period. The resulting atmosphere is probably the most fragile in the Solar System, with the top layers blowing away into space.

"The height to which we see the carbon monoxide agrees well with models of how the solar wind strips Pluto's atmosphere" commented team member Dr Christiane Helling, also of the University of St Andrews.

Unlike the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide acts as a coolant, while methane absorbs sunlight and so produces heating. The balance between the two gases, which are just trace elements in what is thought to be a nitrogen-dominated atmosphere, is critical for its fate during the many-decades long seasons. The newly discovered carbon monoxide may hold the key to slowing loss of the atmosphere - but if the chilling effect is too great, it could result in nitrogen snowfalls and all the gases freezing out onto the ground. "Seeing such an example of extra-terrestrial climate-change is fascinating", says Dr Greaves. "This cold simple atmosphere that is strongly driven by the heat from the Sun could give us important clues to how some of the basic physics works, and act as a contrasting test-bed to help us better understand the Earth's atmosphere."

The data were obtained with the JCMT's 'receiver A', an instrument that has been in regular operation since the 1990s. Dr Per Friberg, who designed new observing modes and data analysis procedures for the team, commented "This shows how we can make the best use of telescopes and keep making unexpected discoveries." The JCMT is operated jointly by the UK, Canada and the Netherlands and is approaching its twenty-fifth anniversary. The team have another Pluto observing run scheduled at the JCMT for the end of April, and in the long-term, they hope to continue tracking the changes in the atmosphere at least up to the fly-by of NASA's New Horizons space probe in 2015.

Science contacts

Dr Jane Greaves
University of St Andrews
Mob: +44 (0)786 474 1874
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Dr Christiane Helling
Mob: +44 (0)750 650 5894
Tel: +43 1 4277 53834 (Austria)
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Dr Per Friberg
Tel: +1 808 961 3756 (in Hawaii, 11hours behind the UK)
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Press contacts

NAM 2011 Press Office (0900 – 1730 BST, 18-21 April only)
Conwy Room
Venue Cymru conference centre
Llandudno
Tel: +44 (0)1492 873 637, +44 (0)1492 873 638

Dr Robert Massey
Royal Astronomical Society
Mob: +44 (0)794 124 8035
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Anita Heward
Royal Astronomical Society
Mob: +44 (0)7756 034 243
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Images

An artist's impression of Pluto and its atmosphere and a graph of the discovery data are available from http://www-star.st-and.ac.uk/~jsg5/Pluto.html

Further information

The results will appear in "Discovery of carbon monoxide in the upper atmosphere of Pluto", Greaves J. S., Helling Ch., Friberg P. A, Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, in press.

Notes for editors

NAM 2011

Bringing together around 500 astronomers and space scientists, the RAS National Astronomy Meeting 2011 (NAM 2011: http://www.ras.org.uk/nam-2011) will take place from 17-21 April in Venue Cymru (http://www.venuecymru.co.uk), Llandudno, Wales. The conference is held in conjunction with the UK Solar Physics (UKSP: http://www.uksolphys.org) and Magnetosphere Ionosphere and Solar-Terrestrial Physics (MIST: http://www.mist.ac.uk) meetings. NAM 2011 is principally sponsored by the RAS and the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC: http://www.stfc.ac.uk).

The Royal Astronomical Society

The Royal Astronomical Society (RAS: http://www.ras.org.uk), founded in 1820, encourages and promotes the study of astronomy, solar-system science, geophysics and closely related branches of science. The RAS organizes scientific meetings, publishes international research and review journals, recognizes outstanding achievements by the award of medals and prizes, maintains an extensive library, supports education through grants and outreach activities and represents UK astronomy nationally and internationally. Its more than 3500 members (Fellows), a third based overseas, include scientific researchers in universities, observatories and laboratories as well as historians of astronomy and others.

The Science and Technology Facilities Council

The Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC: http://www.stfc.ac.uk) ensures the UK retains its leading place on the world stage by delivering world-class science; accessing and hosting international facilities; developing innovative technologies; and increasing the socio-economic impact of its research through effective knowledge exchange. The Council has a broad science portfolio including Astronomy, Particle Astrophysics and Space Science. In the area of astronomy it funds the UK membership of international bodies such as the European Southern Observatory.

Venue Cymru

Venue Cymru (http://www.venuecymru.co.uk) is a purpose built conference centre and theatre with modern facilities for up to 2000 delegates. Located on the Llandudno promenade with stunning sea and mountain views; Venue Cymru comprises a stunning location, outstanding quality and exceptional value: the perfect conference package.

 The Van Allen radiation belts are a hazardous environment, full of 'killer' electrons that can be lethal to orbiting satellites. And when those electrons sometimes hit the atmosphere, they alter its chemistry with implications for climate variation. Now students at a school in Yorkshire are set to help scientists better understand the belts.

Teacher, scientist and pupil all standing in front of the new AARDDVARK receiver at Headlands School and Community Science College. Credit: Andrew Kavanagh

The belts were discovered at the dawn of the space age by the Explorer 1 satellite launched in 1958, but scientists still do not really understand how they form and how they change with time.

In the new partnership, Headlands School will host a sensitive radio receiver supplied by ionospheric physicists from the Space Plasma Environment and Radio Science Group at Lancaster University. The receiver will form part of the global Antarctic-Arctic Radiation-belt (Dynamic) Deposition - VLF Atmospheric Research Konsortium (AARDDVARK) consortium of international universities and will pick up signals from very low frequency transmitters from around the globe.

Van Allen belt electrons that drop into the atmosphere between the transmitters and the receiver will change the radio signals between them. The Headlands receiver is particularly well placed as it will monitor signals that cross right under the footprint of the radiation belts.

Long-term monitoring will let the AARDDVARK scientists determine how much of the change in the radiation belts is due to loss to the atmosphere and how much of a direct impact geomagnetic storms have on the middle and lower regions of our atmosphere. The project will support the aims of the NASA Radiation Belt Storm Probe Mission due to be launched in 2012.

The students from Headlands School will have direct access to the data and will undertake projects looking at how the signal varies and look at sources of radio noise such as lightning. They will also be in direct contact with the project scientists giving them an insight into how modern scientific research is carried out.

Dr Kavanagh sees the collaboration as a real way to engage schoolchildren with science: "We hope that by interacting with this project the students will get a better feel for how important science can be for their everyday lives, as well as stimulating them to ask questions about the wider Universe.

'And the really exciting thing is that this is a project of mutual benefit. The work that the Headlands pupils do will contribute to our understanding of the Earth's space environment and our place within it."

SCIENCE CONTACTS

Dr Andrew Kavanagh
Space Plasma Environment and Radio Science Group
Department of Physics
Lancaster University
Tel: +44 (0)152 450 1411
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

PRESS CONTACTS

NAM 2011 Press Office (0900 – 1730 BST, 18-21 April only)
Conwy Room
Venue Cymru conference centre
Llandudno
Tel: +44 (0)1492 873 637, +44 (0)1492 873 638

Dr Robert Massey
Royal Astronomical Society
Mob: +44 (0)794 124 8035
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Anita Heward
Royal Astronomical Society
Mob: +44 (0)7756 034 243
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

IMAGES

Images associated with the project can be found at http://spears.lancs.ac.uk/~kavanaaj/headlands_vlf/

NOTES FOR EDITORS

NAM 2011

Bringing together around 500 astronomers and space scientists, the RAS National Astronomy Meeting 2011 (NAM 2011: http://www.ras.org.uk/nam-2011) will take place from 17-21 April in Venue Cymru (http://www.venuecymru.co.uk), Llandudno, Wales. The conference is held in conjunction with the UK Solar Physics (UKSP: http://www.uksolphys.org) and Magnetosphere Ionosphere and Solar-Terrestrial Physics (MIST: http://www.mist.ac.uk) meetings. NAM 2011 is principally sponsored by the RAS and the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC: http://www.stfc.ac.uk).

The Royal Astronomical Society

The Royal Astronomical Society (RAS: http://www.ras.org.uk), founded in 1820, encourages and promotes the study of astronomy, solar-system science, geophysics and closely related branches of science. The RAS organizes scientific meetings, publishes international research and review journals, recognizes outstanding achievements by the award of medals and prizes, maintains an extensive library, supports education through grants and outreach activities and represents UK astronomy nationally and internationally. Its more than 3500 members (Fellows), a third based overseas, include scientific researchers in universities, observatories and laboratories as well as historians of astronomy and others.

The Science and Technology Facilities Council

The Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC: http://www.stfc.ac.uk) ensures the UK retains its leading place on the world stage by delivering world-class science; accessing and hosting international facilities; developing innovative technologies; and increasing the socio-economic impact of its research through effective knowledge exchange. The Council has a broad science portfolio including Astronomy, Particle Astrophysics and Space Science. In the area of astronomy it funds the UK membership of international bodies such as the European Southern Observatory.

Venue Cymru

Venue Cymru (http://www.venuecymru.co.uk) is a purpose built conference centre and theatre with modern facilities for up to 2000 delegates. Located on the Llandudno promenade with stunning sea and mountain views; Venue Cymru comprises a stunning location, outstanding quality and exceptional value: the perfect conference package.

 A team at Bristol University have found irrevocable evidence that explains how an unusual type of galaxy, so-called compact ellipticals (cEs), are formed and have discovered two examples in which they see the process of formation in action. Team leader Dr Avon Huxor will present their work on Wednesday 20 April at the Royal Astronomical Society's National Astronomy Meeting in Llandudno, Wales.

A Canada-France-Hawaii-Telescope/Megacam image of the newly forming cE and its host galaxy (III Zw 069). The image is about 160,000 light years on each side. The streams of stars can be seen being stripped from the cE as it interacts with its more massive neighbour. Credit: Avon Huxor

Until now, the evidence supporting the stripping scenario has been circumstantial. The astronomers used the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS), one of the largest and deepest surveys of galaxies ever undertaken, to discover two cEs where they observed the process of stripping taking place. These images showed streams of stars being ripped from the cE galaxies, and leaving small bright remnants behind. In a serendipitous find, the scientists also discovered one of the cEs in high-quality archival data from the 4-meter Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope (CFHT).

"The stripping process is expected to be short-lived, in astronomical terms," explained Professor Steve Phillipps, a co-author of the study, "but by studying the many galaxies in the SDSS we have had the opportunity to find a couple in which this stripping has been caught in the act - we have found the 'smoking gun'."

Both of the cEs were found in small groups of galaxies. These are very different from the big galaxy cluster environments in which previous researchers had looked for them. It may be that the cEs found in galaxy clusters were actually formed in small groups that later came together to become a galaxy cluster.

However lead author Dr Huxor expressed a note of caution, "Although these cEs show that stripping is certainly one way in which these galaxies form, it does not exclude other mechanisms". An analysis of the many cE candidates found in the Bristol study will show what alternatives might also exist.

Science contact

Dr Avon Huxor
University of Bristol
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Press contacts

NAM 2011 Press Office (0900 – 1730 BST, 18-21 April only)
Conwy Room
Venue Cymru conference centre
Llandudno
Tel: +44 (0)1492 873 637, +44 (0)1492 873 638

Dr Robert Massey
Royal Astronomical Society
Mob: +44 (0)794 124 8035
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Anita Heward
Royal Astronomical Society
Mob: +44 (0)7756 034 243
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Image

An image of one of the cE galaxies is available from http://www.star.bris.ac.uk/avon/nam2011/

Figure caption: A CFHT/Megacam image of the newly forming cE and its host galaxy (III Zw 069). The image is about 160,000 light years on each side. The streams of stars can be seen being stripped from the cE as it interacts with its more massive neighbour. Credit: Avon Huxor

Notes for editors

NAM 2011

Bringing together around 500 astronomers and space scientists, the RAS National Astronomy Meeting 2011 (NAM 2011: http://www.ras.org.uk/nam-2011) will take place from 17-21 April in Venue Cymru (http://www.venuecymru.co.uk), Llandudno, Wales. The conference is held in conjunction with the UK Solar Physics (UKSP: http://www.uksolphys.org) and Magnetosphere Ionosphere and Solar-Terrestrial Physics (MIST: http://www.mist.ac.uk) meetings. NAM 2011 is principally sponsored by the RAS and the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC: http://www.stfc.ac.uk).

The Royal Astronomical Society

The Royal Astronomical Society (RAS: http://www.ras.org.uk), founded in 1820, encourages and promotes the study of astronomy, solar-system science, geophysics and closely related branches of science. The RAS organizes scientific meetings, publishes international research and review journals, recognizes outstanding achievements by the award of medals and prizes, maintains an extensive library, supports education through grants and outreach activities and represents UK astronomy nationally and internationally. Its more than 3500 members (Fellows), a third based overseas, include scientific researchers in universities, observatories and laboratories as well as historians of astronomy and others.

The Science and Technology Facilities Council

The Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC: http://www.stfc.ac.uk) ensures the UK retains its leading place on the world stage by delivering world-class science; accessing and hosting international facilities; developing innovative technologies; and increasing the socio-economic impact of its research through effective knowledge exchange. The Council has a broad science portfolio including Astronomy, Particle Astrophysics and Space Science. In the area of astronomy it funds the UK membership of international bodies such as the European Southern Observatory.

Venue Cymru

Venue Cymru (http://www.venuecymru.co.uk) is a purpose built conference centre and theatre with modern facilities for up to 2000 delegates. Located on the Llandudno promenade with stunning sea and mountain views; Venue Cymru comprises a stunning location, outstanding quality and exceptional value: the perfect conference package.

So great is the wealth of data about the Sun now being sent back by space missions such as SOHO, STEREO and the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) that scientists back on Earth can struggle to keep pace. To combat this data overload, scientists from the Visual Computer Centre at Bradford University are developing advanced imaging tools to help scientists visualise what's happening at the Sun, make sense of the data and predict the extreme solar activities that could affect our life here on Earth. Dr Rami Qahwaji will present the tools at the RAS National Astronomy Meeting at Llandudno on Tuesday and Wednesday, 19th and 20th April.

"These techniques are very important," said Qahwaji. "We are now able to process images on the ground so that the resolution is double that of the source images.  Most satellites are limited by the amount of data that they can store and download.  The ability to turn medium resolution images into high resolution in the lab means that satellites can take smaller images but more frequently, which will help with real-time monitoring of the Sun and predicting space weather.  It also means that scientists can zoom in on the features that interest them, without downloading huge files. There is lot of potential for this technology. For example, it can help overcome small information loss caused by noise and can be used to generate high-definition 3D images."

In addition to enhancing image resolution, the Bradford group has been developing 2- and 3-dimensional visualisation tools to help scientists understand the complex processes that drive solar activity.  By processing multiple of solar images, they have created automated maps that summarise solar activity over an entire solar rotaion and models of magnetic field lines, generating 3-D visualisations of magnetic loop locations on the Sun's rotating globe.

"This is the first time that SDO data has been used to create these synoptic maps and we have also created the first automated 3-D model of magnetic loops," said Qahwaji. "As well as being a useful tool for scientists, we hope that the public will find the 3-D model an interesting way of finding out what’s happening on the Sun."

The group is now collaborating with Trinity College Dublin on the development of a new flares predictions system called SMART-ASAP. This computerised system analyses recent images to extract physical properties from solar magnetic features that are analysed further using artificial intelligence techniques to predict whether extreme solar activities will occur.

"Extreme solar activities, such as flares, can affect our life on Earth since we rely more and more on space-based communication and extended power distribution systems, both of which are vulnerable to such activities. The satellite and electrical power industries generate hundreds of billions of dollars in annual revenue and, if we are to protect these assets, we need accurate solar weather forecasting," said Qahwaji.

SCIENCE CONTACTS

Dr. Rami Qahwaji

Bradford University

Tel: +44(0)1274 236078

Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

http://spaceweather.inf.brad.ac.uk/

PRESS CONTACTS

NAM 2011 Press Office (0900 – 1730 BST, 18-21 April only)

Conwy Room

Venue Cymru conference centre

Llandudno

Tel: +44 (0)1492 873 637, +44 (0)1492 873 638

Dr Robert Massey

Royal Astronomical Society

Mob: +44 (0)794 124 8035

Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Anita Heward

Royal Astronomical Society

Mob: +44 (0)7756 034 243

Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

IMAGES

For images and videos, see: http://spaceweather.inf.brad.ac.uk/NAM2011/

NOTES FOR EDITORS

NAM 2011

Bringing together around 500 astronomers and space scientists, the RAS National Astronomy Meeting 2011 (NAM 2011: http://www.ras.org.uk/nam-2011) will take place from 17-21 April in Venue Cymru (http://www.venuecymru.co.uk), Llandudno, Wales. The conference is held in conjunction with the UK Solar Physics (UKSP: http://www.uksolphys.org) and Magnetosphere Ionosphere and Solar-Terrestrial Physics (MIST: http://www.mist.ac.uk) meetings. NAM 2011 is principally sponsored by the RAS and the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC: http://www.stfc.ac.uk).

The Royal Astronomical Society

The Royal Astronomical Society (RAS: http://www.ras.org.uk), founded in 1820, encourages and promotes the study of astronomy, solar-system science, geophysics and closely related branches of science. The RAS organizes scientific meetings, publishes international research and review journals, recognizes outstanding achievements by the award of medals and prizes, maintains an extensive library, supports education through grants and outreach activities and represents UK astronomy nationally and internationally. Its more than 3500 members (Fellows), a third based overseas, include scientific researchers in universities, observatories and laboratories as well as historians of astronomy and others.

The Science and Technology Facilities Council

The Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC: http://www.stfc.ac.uk) ensures the UK retains its leading place on the world stage by delivering world-class science; accessing and hosting international facilities; developing innovative technologies; and increasing the socio-economic impact of its research through effective knowledge exchange. The Council has a broad science portfolio including Astronomy, Particle Astrophysics and Space Science. In the area of astronomy it funds the UK membership of international bodies such as the European Southern Observatory.

Venue Cymru

Venue Cymru (http://www.venuecymru.co.uk) is a purpose built conference centre and theatre with modern facilities for up to 2000 delegates. Located on the Llandudno promenade with stunning sea and mountain views; Venue Cymru comprises a stunning location, outstanding quality and exceptional value: the perfect conference package.

A sky with two suns is a favourite image for science fiction films, but how would a binary star system affect life evolving on an orbiting planet?

Jack O'Malley-James of the University of St Andrews has studied what plants might be like on an Earth-like planet with two or three suns and found that they may appear black or grey.  He will be presenting results at the RAS National Astronomy Meeting in Llandudno on Tuesday 19th April.

Photosynthesis - converting sunlight into energy - is the basis for the majority of life on Earth. It is the energy source for plants and, hence, animals higher up the food chain. With multiple light sources, life may have adapted to use all suns, or different forms may develop that choose to use one specific sun. This may be the more likely option for planets on which parts of the surface are illuminated by only one sun for long periods of time.

"If a planet were found in a system with two or more stars, there would potentially be multiple sources of energy available to drive photosynthesis. The temperature of a star determines its colour and, hence, the colour of light used for photosynthesis. Depending on the colours of their star-light, plants would evolve very differently," said O'Malley-James.

O'Malley James  is working on a PhD, supervised by Dr Jane Greaves at the University of St Andrews, Prof John Raven of the University of Dundee and Prof Charles Cockell of The Open University, to assess the potential for photosynthetic life in multi-star systems with different combinations of Sun-like stars and red dwarfs.  Sun-like stars are known to host exoplanets and red dwarfs are the most common type of star in our Galaxy, often found in multi-star systems, and old and stable enough for life to have evolved. Over 25% of Sun-like stars and 50% of red dwarfs are found in multi-star systems. In the team’s simulations, the Earth-like planets either orbit two stars close together or orbit one of two widely separated stars.  The team has also looked at combinations of these scenarios, with two close stars and one more distant star.

"Our simulations suggest that planets in multi-star systems may host exotic forms of the more familiar plants we see on Earth. Plants with dim red dwarf suns for example, may appear black to our eyes, absorbing across the entire visible wavelength range in order to use as much of the available light as possible.  They may also be able to use infrared or ultraviolet radiation to drive photosynthesis. For planets orbiting two stars like our own, harmful radiation from intense stellar  flares could lead to plants that develop their own UV-blocking sun-screens, or photosynthesising microorganisms that can move in response to a sudden flare," said O'Malley-James.

CONTACTS
Jack O’Malley-James
University of St Andrews
Tel: 44 (0) 1334 463142
E-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Dr Jane Greaves

University of St Andrews

Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Prof John Raven

University of Dundee

Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Charles Cockell,

Open University,

Tel: +44 1908 652588

Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

PRESS CONTACTS

NAM 2011 Press Office (0900 – 1730 BST, 18-21 April only)

Conwy Room

Venue Cymru conference centre

Llandudno

Tel: +44 (0)1492 873 637, +44 (0)1492 873 638

Dr Robert Massey

Royal Astronomical Society

Mob: +44 (0)794 124 8035

Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Anita Heward

Royal Astronomical Society

Mob: +44 (0)7756 034 243

Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

IMAGES

Images can be found at: http://www-star.st-and.ac.uk/~jto5/Images/

NOTES FOR EDITORS

Jack O’Malley is funded by the STFC Aurora scheme.

NAM 2011

Bringing together around 500 astronomers and space scientists, the RAS National Astronomy Meeting 2011 (NAM 2011: http://www.ras.org.uk/nam-2011) will take place from 17-21 April in Venue Cymru (http://www.venuecymru.co.uk) , Llandudno, Wales. The conference is held in conjunction with the UK Solar Physics (UKSP: http://www.uksolphys.org) and Magnetosphere Ionosphere and Solar-Terrestrial Physics (MIST: http://www.mist.ac.uk) meetings. NAM 2011 is principally sponsored by the RAS and the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC: http://www.stfc.ac.uk).

The Royal Astronomical Society

The Royal Astronomical Society (RAS: http://www.ras.org.uk), founded in 1820, encourages and promotes the study of astronomy, solar-system science, geophysics and closely related branches of science. The RAS organizes scientific meetings, publishes international research and review journals, recognizes outstanding achievements by the award of medals and prizes, maintains an extensive library, supports education through grants and outreach activities and represents UK astronomy nationally and internationally. Its more than 3500 members (Fellows), a third based overseas, include scientific researchers in universities, observatories and laboratories as well as historians of astronomy and others.

The Science and Technology Facilities Council

The Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC: http://www.stfc.ac.uk) ensures the UK retains its leading place on the world stage by delivering world-class science; accessing and hosting international facilities; developing innovative technologies; and increasing the socio-economic impact of its research through effective knowledge exchange. The Council has a broad science portfolio including Astronomy, Particle Astrophysics and Space Science. In the area of astronomy it funds the UK membership of international bodies such as the European Southern Observatory.

Venue Cymru

Venue Cymru (http://www.venuecymru.co.uk) is a purpose built conference centre and theatre with modern facilities for up to 2000 delegates. Located on the Llandudno promenade with stunning sea and mountain views; Venue Cymru comprises a stunning location, outstanding quality and exceptional value: the perfect conference package.

Technology developed for space missions to study the most distant objects in the Universe is now finding a host of practical applications back on Earth. QMC Instruments Ltd., in partnership with the Astronomical instrumentation Group at Cardiff University, has built instruments for many major space missions, including Herschel and Planck. Now, expanding on that experience they are developing KIDCAM, a kind of detector that could have applications in hospitals, factories and airports. Ken Wood will present the project at the RAS National Astronomy Meeting in Llandudno, Wales, on Tuesday 19th April.

The part of the Electromagnetic Spectrum including the far infra red and microwave is also called 'terahertz' radiation.  Astronomers use this kind of radiation to study the Cosmic Microwave Background and the huge dust clouds where stars are born.  The sensitive detectors they use will only operate at temperatures very close to absolute zero (minus 273C.) In Terahertz cameras like KIDCAM, those low temperatures are accessible in compact and less expensive ways using relatively new cooler technology. KIDCAM therefore has many potential day-to-day applications.

"We are all familiar with optical images of the surface of objects and X-ray images which penetrate through soft tissue to reveal bone structure.  Terahertz observations give us something in between the two. For example, most clothing and packaging materials are transparent to Terahertz radiation, whereas skin, water, metal and a host of other interesting materials are not. This gives rise to some important day-to-day applications: detecting weapons concealed under clothing or inside parcels; distinguishing skin and breast cancer tissue; quality control of manufactures items and processes in factories.  Our KIDCAM detectors are also very sensitive, and so we can look at the natural radiation emitted by the target. This means there are no safety issues like those associated with other imaging techniques which shine radiation, including X-rays, at the target," said Wood.

Until recently, there have been many practical obstacles to using terahertz detectors.  Terahertz sources have only become available to the non-specialist in the last 10 years and cooling the detectors to very low temperatures using liquid cryogens is costly and complicated.

"The instruments aboard the Herschel and Planck satellites need to be cooled to temperatures close to absolute zero so that emissions from the spacecraft don’t drown out the faint signals that come from the very edge of the observable Universe," said Ken Wood.  "For KIDCAM, we have developed a kind of detector that can be operated in electrical coolers and therefore without the use of liquefied gases.  KIDCAM can be tuned to specific frequencies for specific applications, for instance to enhance the contrast between skin and plastic explosive for airport security scanners.  Unwanted frequencies can be blocked to increase the camera's sensitivity. The experience that we gained working on astronomical missions has been invaluable in helping us do this.  The race is now on around the world to produce devices that will realise the enormous potential of terahertz science and thanks to the ingenuity of UK astronomers we have made a great start."

CONTACTS

Ken Wood

Sales & Marketing Director

QMC Instruments Ltd

School of Physics & Astronomy

Cardiff University

Tel: +44 2920 This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

www.terahertz.co.uk

PRESS CONTACTS

NAM 2011 Press Office (0900 – 1730 BST, 18-21 April only)

Conwy Room

Venue Cymru conference centre

Llandudno

Tel: +44 (0)1492 873 637, +44 (0)1492 873 638

Dr Robert Massey

Royal Astronomical Society

Mob: +44 (0)794 124 8035

Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Anita Heward

Royal Astronomical Society

Mob: +44 (0)7756 034 243

Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

IMAGES

The Herschel and Planks satellites are used by astronomers to map the furthest reaches of the Universe. UK business partnerships could soon ensure that similar technology is used back on Earth to keep our airports secure or diagnose breast cancer.  For images of the Herschel and Planck satellites and instruments, see:

http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Herschel/SEMBM00YUFF_1.html

http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Planck/SEMBU20YUFF_0.html

http://www.terahertz.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=164:tki_news_3&catid=42:tki_news&Itemid=403

NOTES FOR EDITORS

NAM 2011

Bringing together around 500 astronomers and space scientists, the RAS National Astronomy Meeting 2011 (NAM 2011: http://www.ras.org.uk/nam-2011) will take place from 17-21 April in Venue Cymru (http://www.venuecymru.co.uk), Llandudno, Wales. The conference is held in conjunction with the UK Solar Physics (UKSP: http://www.uksolphys.org) and Magnetosphere Ionosphere and Solar-Terrestrial Physics (MIST: http://www.mist.ac.uk) meetings. NAM 2011 is principally sponsored by the RAS and the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC: http://www.stfc.ac.uk).

The Royal Astronomical Society

The Royal Astronomical Society (RAS: http://www.ras.org.uk), founded in 1820, encourages and promotes the study of astronomy, solar-system science, geophysics and closely related branches of science. The RAS organizes scientific meetings, publishes international research and review journals, recognizes outstanding achievements by the award of medals and prizes, maintains an extensive library, supports education through grants and outreach activities and represents UK astronomy nationally and internationally. Its more than 3500 members (Fellows), a third based overseas, include scientific researchers in universities, observatories and laboratories as well as historians of astronomy and others.

The Science and Technology Facilities Council

The Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC: http://www.stfc.ac.uk) ensures the UK retains its leading place on the world stage by delivering world-class science; accessing and hosting international facilities; developing innovative technologies; and increasing the socio-economic impact of its research through effective knowledge exchange. The Council has a broad science portfolio including Astronomy, Particle Astrophysics and Space Science. In the area of astronomy it funds the UK membership of international bodies such as the European Southern Observatory.

Venue Cymru

Venue Cymru (http://www.venuecymru.co.uk) is a purpose built conference centre and theatre with modern facilities for up to 2000 delegates. Located on the Llandudno promenade with stunning sea and mountain views; Venue Cymru comprises a stunning location, outstanding quality and exceptional value: the perfect conference package.

 The largest disturbances to the Earth's geomagnetic environment occur when it is buffeted by solar material hurled in our direction by explosive changes in the Sun's atmosphere. These Coronal Mass Ejections or CMEs contain approximately a billion tonnes of ionized gas or plasma and can have a dramatic and damaging impact on everything from satellites to power grids.

A visible light image of the CME as it travelled from the Sun towards the Earth on 20 March 2010 made with the HI instrument on the STEREO observatory. The x-axis of the image corresponds to a distance of 48 million km from left to right. Credit: Anthony Williams / NASA / Richard Harrison

Mr Williams and his team used the Heliospheric Imagers (HI) on the Solar TErrestrial RElations Observatory (STEREO) spacecraft to examine the internal structure of an Earth-impacting CME – seen as sunlight scattered from high density blobs of plasma – as it travels outwards from the Sun. They compared this with the internal structure measured in situ by the Advanced Composition Explorer (ACE) spacecraft as the CME engulfed the spacecraft and impacted the Earth. This meant that the scientists have for the first time been able to compare the evolution of the CME structure as it races towards the Earth and the internal structure observed as it arrives.

The CME studied was ejected from the Sun on 19 March 2010, when the STEREO A spacecraft was in a position to watch from the side as the CME hurtled outwards towards the Earth.  The structure of the CME was examined in HI images spanning a distance of approximately 48 million km at different distances between the Sun and the Earth.  Analysing the images indicated that its speed was close to 350 km per second, which allowed its time of impact on the Earth to be predicted some 3 days after the initial ejection.

The results indicate that the CME structure evolves considerably on its outward journey, and that the internal structure can be difficult to predict from the images. And there is another key facet to this work – imaging CMEs with spacecraft like STEREO is an extremely effective means of forecasting their impact on Earth and the large scale disruption that can sometimes result.

Science contact

Anthony Williams (at NAM2011 Monday and Tuesday)
University of Leicester
Tel: +44 (0)116 252 3571
Mob: +44 (0)7989 952 633
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Press contacts

NAM 2011 Press Office (0900 – 1730 BST, 18-21 April only)
Conwy Room
Venue Cymru conference centre
Llandudno
Tel: +44 (0)1492 873 637, +44 (0)1492 873 638

Dr Robert Massey
Royal Astronomical Society
Mob: +44 (0)794 124 8035
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Anita Heward
Royal Astronomical Society
Mob: +44 (0)7756 034 243
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Images and movies

Images and movies of the CME can be downloaded from ftp://www.ion.le.ac.uk/pub/aow2/

The following four images chart the progress of the CME as it travelled from the Sun towards the Earth on 19 and 20 March 2010. All four are visible light images made with the HI instrument on STEREO. The x-axis of each image corresponds to a distance of 48 million km from left to right. Credit: Anthony Williams / NASA / Richard Harrison

ftp://www.ion.le.ac.uk/pub/aow2/19_mar_10_A1.jpg
ftp://www.ion.le.ac.uk/pub/aow2/19_mar_10_A2.jpg
ftp://www.ion.le.ac.uk/pub/aow2/19_mar_10_A3.jpg
ftp://www.ion.le.ac.uk/pub/aow2/19_mar_10_A4.jpg

Images of the same event have been assembled into a movie that can be seen at ftp://www.ion.le.ac.uk/pub/aow2/19-23_mar_2010_A_HI1.wmv
Credit: Anthony Williams / NASA / Richard Harrison

Notes for editors

NAM 2011

Bringing together around 500 astronomers and space scientists, the RAS National Astronomy Meeting 2011 (NAM 2011: http://www.ras.org.uk/nam-2011) will take place from 17-21 April in Venue Cymru (http://www.venuecymru.co.uk), Llandudno, Wales. The conference is held in conjunction with the UK Solar Physics (UKSP: http://www.uksolphys.org) and Magnetosphere Ionosphere and Solar-Terrestrial Physics (MIST: http://www.mist.ac.uk) meetings. NAM 2011 is principally sponsored by the RAS and the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC: http://www.stfc.ac.uk).

The Royal Astronomical Society

The Royal Astronomical Society (RAS: http://www.ras.org.uk), founded in 1820, encourages and promotes the study of astronomy, solar-system science, geophysics and closely related branches of science. The RAS organizes scientific meetings, publishes international research and review journals, recognizes outstanding achievements by the award of medals and prizes, maintains an extensive library, supports education through grants and outreach activities and represents UK astronomy nationally and internationally. Its more than 3500 members (Fellows), a third based overseas, include scientific researchers in universities, observatories and laboratories as well as historians of astronomy and others.

The Science and Technology Facilities Council

The Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC: http://www.stfc.ac.uk) ensures the UK retains its leading place on the world stage by delivering world-class science; accessing and hosting international facilities; developing innovative technologies; and increasing the socio-economic impact of its research through effective knowledge exchange. The Council has a broad science portfolio including Astronomy, Particle Astrophysics and Space Science. In the area of astronomy it funds the UK membership of international bodies such as the European Southern Observatory.

Venue Cymru

Venue Cymru (http://www.venuecymru.co.uk) is a purpose built conference centre and theatre with modern facilities for up to 2000 delegates. Located on the Llandudno promenade with stunning sea and mountain views; Venue Cymru comprises a stunning location, outstanding quality and exceptional value: the perfect conference package.

Researchers have discovered 122 new eclipsing binary stars and observed hundreds more variable stars in an innovative survey using NASA's two STEREO solar satellites. The survey has been carried out by team from the Open University, University of Central Lancashire and the STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory. Dr Danielle Bewsher will present highlights at the RAS National Astronomy Meeting in Llandudno, Wales on Tuesday 19th April.

STEREO was launched in 2006 to study the Sun in 3D and coronal mass ejections, the cause of space weather. Each STEREO spacecraft carries a Heliospheric Imager (HI), each instrument comprising two cameras (HI-1 and HI-2) built and developed at the STFC's Rutherford Appleton Laboratory and the University of Birmingham. The HI cameras are able to make such stable measurements that researchers can accurately monitor the brightness of stars in the background. 

"Although STEREO is primarily a solar mission, we recognised that the stability of the HI cameras could also be used to monitor variations of the brightness of stars," said Bewsher, of the University of Central Lancashire. "To date, 893 000 stars have passed through the HI-1 field-of-view alone, producing an unexpected resource of scientific data about the variability of stars that is currently being data mined."

The lead author, Karl Wraight, an STFC PhD student at the OU, has found the 122 new eclipsing binaries during an initial analysis of the data, and expects many more to be discovered.

"STEREO's ability to sample continuously for up to 20 days, coupled with repeat viewings from the twin spacecraft during the year, makes it an invaluable resource for researching variable stars. As well as making discoveries, observations from HI are enabling us to pin down the periods of known variables with much greater accuracy," said Wraight. 

In addition to studying variable stars, the team believes that HI measurements may be used for exoplanet and astroseismology research.

"Very small changes to the brightnesses of stars can be detected, which could reveal the presence of transiting exoplanets, or be used to trace a star’s internal structure by measuring their seismic activity," said Professor Glenn White (RAL and OU).

SCIENCE CONTACTS

Dr Danielle Bewsher

University of Central Lancashire

Mob: 0771 889 7727

E-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Dr Bewsher can be contacted through the NAM 2011 Press Office on Monday 18^th and Tuesday 19^th April.

Professor Glenn White

Rutherford Appleton Laboratory/Open University

Mob: 0771 423 4897

E-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

PRESS CONTACTS

NAM 2011 Press Office (0900 – 1730 BST, 18-21 April only)

Conwy Room

Venue Cymru conference centre

Llandudno

Tel: +44 (0)1492 873 637, +44 (0)1492 873 638

Dr Robert Massey

Royal Astronomical Society

Mob: +44 (0)794 124 8035

Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Anita Heward

Royal Astronomical Society

Mob: +44 (0)7756 034 243

Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

IMAGES

Images and an animation can be found at: http://www.star.uclan.ac.uk/~db/nam.html

Image caption: A STEREO/HI-1A image taken on 7th March 2010 (left) with two variable stars highlighted in the image. The varying brightness of the two stars, V837 Tau and V1129 Tau are shown (right top and bottom, respectively).

Image credit: Image produced by D. Bewsher (UCLan). Data courtesy of NASA/STEREO and the HI instrument team.

NOTES FOR EDITORS

NAM 2011

Bringing together around 500 astronomers and space scientists, the RAS National Astronomy Meeting 2011 (NAM 2011: http://www.ras.org.uk/nam-2011) will take place from 17-21 April in Venue Cymru (http://www.venuecymru.co.uk), Llandudno, Wales. The conference is held in conjunction with the UK Solar Physics (UKSP: http://www.uksolphys.org) and Magnetosphere Ionosphere and Solar-Terrestrial Physics (MIST: http://www.mist.ac.uk) meetings. NAM 2011 is principally sponsored by the RAS and the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC: http://www.stfc.ac.uk).

The Royal Astronomical Society 

The Royal Astronomical Society (RAS: http://www.ras.org.uk), founded in 1820, encourages and promotes the study of astronomy, solar-system science, geophysics and closely related branches of science. The RAS organizes scientific meetings, publishes international research and review journals, recognizes outstanding achievements by the award of medals and prizes, maintains an extensive library, supports education through grants and outreach activities and represents UK astronomy nationally and internationally. Its more than 3500 members (Fellows), a third based overseas, include scientific researchers in universities, observatories and laboratories as well as historians of astronomy and others.

The Science and Technology Facilities Council

The Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC: http://www.stfc.ac.uk) ensures the UK retains its leading place on the world stage by delivering world-class science; accessing and hosting international facilities; developing innovative technologies; and increasing the socio-economic impact of its research through effective knowledge exchange. The Council has a broad science portfolio including Astronomy, Particle Astrophysics and Space Science. In the area of astronomy it funds the UK membership of international bodies such as the European Southern Observatory.

Venue Cymru

Venue Cymru (http://www.venuecymru.co.uk) is a purpose built conference centre and theatre with modern facilities for up to 2000 delegates. Located on the Llandudno promenade with stunning sea and mountain views; Venue Cymru comprises a stunning location, outstanding quality and exceptional value: the perfect conference package.

Artists impression of the WASP-12 system. Credit: © ESA/C Carreau

In 2008, observations of WASP-12 detected a periodic dip in light as a large planet (catalogued as WASP-12b) passed in front of its host star. Planet hunting with transit instruments like SuperWASP allows astronomers to obtain a wealth of information about exoplanetary systems including their composition and size.

WASP-12b turns out to be one of the largest exoplanets found to date and completes each orbit around its parent star in just 26 hours. The planet is more than 250,000 km across, with its atmosphere swollen by the intense heat it receives from the star, making it a so-called ‘hot Jupiter’.
 
Hot Jupiters are similar to the planet Jupiter in our own Solar System but located far closer to their host star (WASP-12b is 3.4 million km away from WASP-12 which compares with the Earth-Sun distance of 150 million km). With such a small distance between them violent interactions between the star and the planet can take place.

As one of the largest hot Jupiters discovered to date, WASP-12b also gives a unique opportunity to observe the interactions between the planetary magnetic field and the host star’s magnetic field. The very presence of a magnetic field reveals that the planet must have a conducting, rotating interior.

There is now tantalizing new evidence from Hubble Space Telescope data that a magnetosphere exists around WASP-12b. Observations of the planet taken in ultraviolet wavelengths by a team including scientists from the Open University reveal that the start of the dip in the light from the star during the transit of the planet is earlier in ultraviolet than visible light. Originally, this was thought to be caused by material flowing from the planet onto the star. The St Andrews group have however determined that the planet ploughs into a supersonic headwind and pushes a shock ahead it – just like the one around a supersonic jet aircraft.

The St Andrews astronomers carried out simulations of a planet and its bow shock transiting a star and by investigating various shock geometries, orientations and densities have reproduced the dip in ultraviolet light observed in WASP-12b.

Team leader Dr Aline Vidotto commented on the new result. "The location of this bow shock provides us with an exciting new tool to measure the strength of planetary magnetic fields. This is something that presently cannot be done in any other way."

Joe Llama, a PhD student who carried out the simulations of the bow shock, said "Our models are able to reproduce the data from the Hubble Space telescope for a range of wind speeds implying that bow shocks could be far more commonplace than had been thought.”
 
Bow shocks may also protect the atmospheres of hot Jupiters from their harsh environment. These planets are constantly bombarded with highly charged, energized particles from the wind from their parent stars, meaning that their atmosphere can be eroded. The presence of a magnetic field could greatly reduce the amount of stellar wind the planet is exposed to, effectively acting as a shield and helping the atmosphere survive.

Joe Llama concludes, “Although our model predicts a bow shock similar to that of the Earth, we are not expecting any messages from WASP-12b as it is too hot to support life. But the first hints that extrasolar planets have magnetosphere is a big step forward in understanding and identifying the habitable zones where we ultimately hope to find signs of life”.

Science contacts

Dr Aline Vidotto (at NAM Monday and Tuesday morning)
University of St Andrews
Tel: +44(0)1334 462823
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Joe Llama (at NAM all week)
University of St Andrews
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Dr Kenny Wood
University of St Andrews
Tel: +44 (0)1334 463116
Email:  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Prof. Moira Jardine
University of St Andrews
Tel: +44 (0)1334 463146
Email:  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Dr Christiane Helling
University of St Andrews
Tel: +43 1 4277 53834
Email:  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Press contacts

NAM 2011 Press Office (0900 – 1730 BST, 18-21 April only)
Conwy Room
Venue Cymru conference centre
Llandudno
Tel: +44 (0)1492 873 637, +44 (0)1492 873 638

Dr Robert Massey
Royal Astronomical Society
Mob: +44 (0)794 124 8035
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Anita Heward
Royal Astronomical Society
Mob: +44 (0)7756 034 243
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Image and animation

An artist’s impression of WASP-12b is available from the European Space Agency. See http://www-star.st-and.ac.uk/~jl386/shocks/

An animation of WASP-12b and its bow shock moving in front of the star WASP-12 can be downloaded from http://star-www.st-andrews.ac.uk/~jl386/shocks/
Credit: Joe Llama

Further information

The results also appear in two papers in ApJ Letters (2010) 722, 168 and MNRAS Letters (2011), 411, 46.

Notes for editors

NAM 2011

Bringing together around 500 astronomers and space scientists, the RAS National Astronomy Meeting 2011 (NAM 2011: http://www.ras.org.uk/nam-2011) will take place from 17-21 April in Venue Cymru (http://www.venuecymru.co.uk), Llandudno, Wales. The conference is held in conjunction with the UK Solar Physics (UKSP: http://www.uksolphys.org) and Magnetosphere Ionosphere and Solar-Terrestrial Physics (http://www.mist.ac.uk) meetings. NAM 2011 is principally sponsored by the RAS and the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC: http://www.stfc.ac.uk).

The Royal Astronomical Society

The Royal Astronomical Society (RAS: http://www.ras.org.uk), founded in 1820, encourages and promotes the study of astronomy, solar-system science, geophysics and closely related branches of science. The RAS organizes scientific meetings, publishes international research and review journals, recognizes outstanding achievements by the award of medals and prizes, maintains an extensive library, supports education through grants and outreach activities and represents UK astronomy nationally and internationally. Its more than 3500 members (Fellows), a third based overseas, include scientific researchers in universities, observatories and laboratories as well as historians of astronomy and others.

The Science and Technology Facilities Council

The Science and Technology Facilities Council (http://www.stfc.ac.uk) ensures the UK retains its leading place on the world stage by delivering world-class science; accessing and hosting international facilities; developing innovative technologies; and increasing the socio-economic impact of its research through effective knowledge exchange. The Council has a broad science portfolio including Astronomy, Particle Astrophysics and Space Science. In the area of astronomy it funds the UK membership of international bodies such as the European Southern Observatory.

Venue Cymru

Venue Cymru (http://www.venuecymru.co.uk) is a purpose built conference centre and theatre with modern facilities for up to 2000 delegates. Located on the Llandudno promenade with stunning sea and mountain views; Venue Cymru comprises a stunning location, outstanding quality and exceptional value: the perfect conference package.