A Systematic Spectroscopic X-Ray Study of Stellar Coronae with XMM-Newton: Early Results


Abstract in English

We have been conducting a comprehensive survey of stellar coronae with the XMM-Newton Reflection Grating Spectrometers during the commissioning, calibration, verification, and guaranteed time phases of the mission, accompanied by simultaneous observations with the EPIC cameras and, for several targets, with the radio VLA and/or the VLBA. The principal aim of this project is threefold: i) To understand stellar coronal structure and composition by studying systematics in the coronae of stars with widely different levels of magnetic activity; ii) to investigate heating and particle acceleration physics during flares, their role in the overall coronal energy budget, and their possible role in the quiescent stellar emission; iii) to probe stellar coronal evolution by studying solar analogs of different ages. We report early results from this project.

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