No Arabic abstract
The dissipation of the kinetic energy of wave-like tidal flows within the convective envelope of low-mass stars is one of the key physical mechanisms that shapes the orbital and rotational dynamics of short-period exoplanetary systems. Although low-mass stars are magnetically active objects, the question of how the stars magnetic field impacts large-scale tidal flows and the excitation, propagation and dissipation of tidal waves still remains open. Our goal is to investigate the impact of stellar magnetism on the forcing of tidal waves, and their propagation and dissipation in the convective envelope of low-mass stars as they evolve. We have estimated the amplitude of the magnetic contribution to the forcing and dissipation of tidally induced magneto-inertial waves throughout the structural and rotational evolution of low-mass stars (from M to F-type). For this purpose, we have used detailed grids of rotating stellar models computed with the stellar evolution code STAREVOL. The amplitude of dynamo-generated magnetic fields is estimated via physical scaling laws at the base and the top of the convective envelope. We find that the large-scale magnetic field of the star has little influence on the excitation of tidal waves in the case of nearly-circular orbits and coplanar hot-Jupiter planetary systems, but that it has a major impact on the way waves are dissipated. Our results therefore indicate that a full magneto-hydrodynamical treatment of the propagation and dissipation of tidal waves is needed to properly assess the impact of star-planet tidal interactions throughout the evolutionary history of low-mass stars hosting short-period massive planets.
More than 1500 exoplanets have been discovered around a large diversity of host stars (from M- to A-type stars). Tidal dissipation in their convective envelope is a key actor that shapes the orbital architecture of short-period systems and that still remains unknown. Using a simplified two-layer assumption and grids of stellar models, we compute analytically an equivalent modified tidal quality factor, which is proportional to the inverse of the frequency-averaged dissipation due to the viscous friction applied by turbulent convection on tidal waves. It leads the conversion of their kinetic energy into heat and tidal evolution of orbits and spin. During their Pre-Main-Sequence, all low-mass stars have a decrease of the equivalent modified tidal quality factor for a fixed angular velocity of their convective envelope. Next, it evolves on the Main Sequence to an asymptotic value that is minimum for $0.6M_{odot}$ K-type stars and that increases by several orders of magnitude with increasing stellar mass. Finally, the rotational evolution of low-mass stars strengthens tidal dissipation during the Pre-Main-Sequence.
Tidal interactions in close star-planet or binary star systems may excite inertial waves (their restoring force is the Coriolis force) in the convective region of the stars. The dissipation of these waves plays a prominent role in the long-term orbital and rotational evolution of the bodies involved. If the primary star rotates as a solid body, inertial waves have a Doppler-shifted frequency restricted to the range $[-2Omega, 2Omega]$ ($Omega$ being the angular velocity of the star), and they can propagate in the entire convective region. However, turbulent convection can sustain differential rotation with an equatorial acceleration (as in the Sun) or deceleration that modifies the frequency range and propagation domain of inertial waves and allows corotation resonances for non-axisymmetric oscillations. In this work, we perform numerical simulations of tidally excited inertial waves in a differentially rotating convective envelope with a conical (or latitudinal) rotation profile. The tidal forcing that we adopt contains spherical harmonics that correspond to the case of a circular and coplanar orbit. We study the viscous dissipation of the waves as a function of tidal frequency for various stellar masses and differential rotation parameters, as well as its dependence on the turbulent viscosity coefficient. We compare our results with previous studies assuming solid-body rotation and point out the potential key role of corotation resonances in the dynamical evolution of close-in star-planet or binary systems.
Tidal dissipation in stars is one of the key physical mechanisms that drive the evolution of binary and multiple stars. As in the Earth oceans, it corresponds to the resonant excitation of their eigenmodes of oscillation and their damping. Therefore, it strongly depends on the internal structure, rotation, and dissipative mechanisms in each component. In this work, we present a local analytical modeling of tidal gravito-inertial waves excited in stellar convective and radiative regions respectively. This model allows us to understand in details the properties of the resonant tidal dissipation as a function of the excitation frequencies, the rotation, the stratification, and the viscous and thermal properties of the studied fluid regions. Then, the frequencies, height, width at half-height, and number of resonances as well as the non-resonant equilibrium tide are derived analytically in asymptotic regimes that are relevant in stellar interiors. Finally, we demonstrate how viscous dissipation of tidal waves leads to a strongly erratic orbital evolution in the case of a coplanar binary system. We characterize such a non-regular dynamics as a function of the height and width of resonances, which have been previously characterized thanks to our local fluid model.
Measurements of the physical properties of stars at the lower end of the main sequence are scarce. In this context we report masses, radii and surface gravities of ten very-low-mass stars in eclipsing binary systems, with orbital periods of the order of several days. The objects probe the stellar mass-radius relation in the fully convective regime, $M_star lesssim 0.35$ M$_odot$, down to the hydrogen burning mass-limit, $M_{mathrm{HB}} sim 0.07$ M$_odot$. The stars were detected by the WASP survey for transiting extra-solar planets, as low-mass, eclipsing companions orbiting more massive, F- and G-type host stars. We use eclipse observations of the host stars (TRAPPIST, Leonhard Euler, SPECULOOS telescopes), and radial velocities of the host stars (CORALIE spectrograph), to determine physical properties of the low-mass companions. Companion surface gravities are derived from the eclipse and orbital parameters of each system. Spectroscopic measurements of the host star effective temperature and metallicity are used to infer the host star mass and age from stellar evolution models. Masses and radii of the low-mass companions are then derived from the eclipse and orbital parameters of each system. The objects are compared to stellar evolution models for low-mass stars, to test for an effect of the stellar metallicity and orbital period on the radius of low-mass stars in close binary systems. Measurements are in good agreement with stellar models; an inflation of the radii of low-mass stars with respect to model predictions is limited to 1.6 $pm$ 1.2% in the fully convective regime. The sample of ten objects indicates a scaling of the radius of low-mass stars with the host star metallicity. No correlation between stellar radii and orbital periods of the binary systems is determined. A combined analysis with comparable objects from the literature is consistent with this result.
Turbulent friction in convective regions in stars and planets is one of the key physical mechanisms that drive the dissipation of the kinetic energy of tidal flows in their interiors and the evolution of their systems. This friction acts both on the equilibrium/non-wave like tide and on tidal inertial waves in these layers. It is thus necessary to obtain a robust prescription for this friction. In the current state-of-the-art, it is modeled by a turbulent eddy-viscosity coefficient, based on mixing-length theory, applied on velocities of tides. However, none of the current prescriptions take into account the action of rotation that can strongly affects turbulent convection. Therefore, we use theoretical scaling laws for convective velocities and characteristic lengthscales in rotating stars and planets that have been recently confirmed by 3-D high-resolution nonlinear Cartesian numerical simulations to derive a new prescription. A corresponding local model of tidal waves is used to understand the consequences for the linear tidal dissipation. Finally, new grids of rotating stellar models and published values of planetary convective Rossby numbers are used to discuss astrophysical consequences. The action of rotation on convection deeply modifies the turbulent friction applied on tides. In the regime of rapid rotation (with a convective Rossby number below 0.25), the eddy-viscosity may be decreased by several ordres of magnitude. It may lead to a loss of efficiency of the viscous dissipation of the equilibrium tide and to a more efficient complex and resonant dissipation of tidal inertial waves in the bulk of convective regions. Therefore, it is necessary to have a completely coupled treatment of the tidal/rotational evolution of star-planet systems and multiple stars with a coherent treatment of the variations of tidal flows and of their dissipation as a function of rotation.