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Context. Wolf–Rayet (WR) stars are massive evolved stars that exhibit particularly fast and dense stellar winds. Although they constitute a very short phase near the end of a massive star's life, they play a crucial role in the evolution of massive stars and have a substantial impact on their surrounding environment. Aims. We present the most comprehensive and deepest X-ray study to date of the properties of the richest Wolf–Rayet population observed in a single stellar cluster, Westerlund 1 (Wd1). By examining the X-ray signatures of WR stars, we aim to shed light on the hottest plasma in their stellar winds and gain insights into whether they exist as single stars or within binary systems. Methods. This work is based on 36 Chandra observations obtained from the "Extended Westerlund 1 and 2 Open Clusters Survey" (EWOCS) project, plus 8 archival Chandra observations. The overall exposure depth Ms) and baseline of the EWOCS observations extending over more than one year enable us to perform a detailed photometric, colour, and spectral analysis, as well as to search for short- and long-term periodicity. Results. In X-rays, we detect 20 out of the 24 known Wolf–Rayet stars in Wd1 down to an observed luminosity of ~7 × 1029 erg s−1 (assuming a distance of 4.23 kpc to Wd1), with 8 WR stars being detected in X-rays for the first time. Nine stars show clear evidence of variability over the year-long baseline, with clear signs of periodicity. The X-ray colours and spectral analysis reveal that the vast majority of the WR stars are hard X-ray sources (kT≥2.0 keV). The Fe XXV emission line at ~6.7 keV, which commonly originates from the wind–wind collision zone in binary systems, is detected for the first time in the spectra of 17 WR stars in Wd1. In addition the ~6.4 keV fluorescent line is observed in the spectra of three stars, which are among the very few massive stars exhibiting this line, indicating that dense cold material coexists with the hot gas in these systems. Overall, our X-ray results alone suggest a very high binary fraction (≥80%) for the WR star population in Wd1. When combining our results with properties of the WR population from other wavelengths, we estimate a binary fraction of ≥92%, which could even reach unity. This suggests that either all the most massive stars are found in binary systems within Wd1, or that binarity is essential for the formation of such a rich population of WR stars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context. With a mass exceeding several 104M⊙ and a rich and dense population of massive stars, supermassive young star clusters represent the most massive star-forming environment that is dominated by the feedback from massive stars and gravitational interactions among stars. Aims. In this paper we present the Extended Westerlund 1 and 2 Open Clusters Survey (EWOCS) project, which aims to investigate the influence of the starburst environment on the formation of stars and planets, and on the evolution of both low and high mass stars. The primary targets of this project are Westerlund 1 and 2, the closest supermassive star clusters to the Sun. Methods. The project is based primarily on recent observations conducted with the Chandra and JWST observatories. Specifically, the Chandra survey of Westerlund 1 consists of 36 new ACIS-I observations, nearly co-pointed, for a total exposure time of 1 Msec. Additionally, we included 8 archival Chandra/ACIS-S observations. This paper presents the resulting catalog of X-ray sources within and around Westerlund 1. Sources were detected by combining various existing methods, and photon extraction and source validation were carried out using the ACIS-Extract software. Results. The EWOCS X-ray catalog comprises 5963 validated sources out of the 9420 initially provided to ACIS-Extract, reaching a photon flux threshold of approximately 2 × 10−8 photons cm−2 s−1. The X-ray sources exhibit a highly concentrated spatial distribution, with 1075 sources located within the central 1 arcmin. We have successfully detected X-ray emissions from 126 out of the 166 known massive stars of the cluster, and we have collected over 71 000 photons from the magnetar CXO J164710.20-455217. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

V4046 Sagittarii AB is a close short-period classical T Tauri binary. It is a circularised and synchronised system accreting from a circumbinary disk. In 2009 it was observed as part of a coordinated program involving near-simultaneous spectropolarimetric observations with ESPaDOnS at the Canada-France-Hawai’i Telescope and high-resolution X-ray observations with XMM-Newton. Magnetic maps of each star were derived from Zeeman-Doppler imaging. After briefly highlighting the most significant observational findings, we present a preliminary 3D model of the binary magnetosphere constructed from the magnetic maps using a newly developed binary magnetic field extrapolation code. The large-scale fields (the dipole components) of both stars are highly tilted with respect to their rotation axes, and their magnetic fields are linked.

The dynamics of YSO accretion shocks is determined by radiative processes as well as the strength and structure of the magnetic field. A quasi-periodic emission signature is theoretically expected to be observed, but observations do not confirm any such pattern. In this work, we assume a uniform background field, in the regime of optically thin energy losses, and we study the multi-dimensional shock evolution in the presence of perturbations, i.e. clumps in the stream and an acoustic energy flux flowing at the base of the chromosphere. We perform 3D MHD simulations using the PLUTO code, modelling locally the impact of the infalling gas onto the chromosphere. We find that the structure and dynamics of the post-shock region is strongly dependent on the plasma-beta (thermal over magnetic pressure), different values of which may give distinguishable emission signatures, relevant for observations. In particular, a strong magnetic field effectively confines the plasma inside its flux tubes and leads to the formation of quasi-independent fibrils. The fibrils may oscillate out of phase and hence the sum of their contributions in the emission results in a smooth overall profile. On the contrary, a weak magnetic field is not found to have any significant effect on the shocked plasma and the turbulent hot slab that forms is found to retain its periodic signature.

Context. Understanding stellar activity in M dwarfs is fundamental to improving our knowledge of the physics of stellar atmospheres and for planet search programmes. High levels of stellar activity (also frequently associated with flare events) can cause additional variations in the stellar emission that contaminate the signal induced by a planet and that need to be corrected. The study of activity indicators in active stars can improve our capability of modelling the signal generated by magnetic activity. Aims. In this work we present measurements of activity indicators at visible wavelength for a star with a high activity level, AD Leonis, observed with HARPS in 2006, and HARPS-N in 2018. Our aim is to understand the behaviour of stellar chromospheres of M stars, studying the more sensitive chromospheric activity indicators. We also focus on characterising their variability and on finding the correlations among these indicators to obtain information on the origin of the magnetic activity in low-mass stars. Methods. We performed a study of the main optical activity indicators (Ca II H&K, Balmer lines, Na I D1,2 doublet, He I D3, and other helium lines) measured for AD Leonis using the data provided by the HARPS-N high-resolution spectrograph at the Telescopio Nazionale Galileo in 2018, and by the HARPS instrument at La Silla observatory in 2006. Spectra were flux-calibrated in units of flux at the stellar surface. We measured excess flux of the selected activity indicators. The correlations between the different activity indicators as well as the temporal evolution of fluxes were analysed. A stellar flare was identified during the 2018 observing run and the Hα, Hβ, He I 4471 Å, and He I 5876 Å lines were analysed in detail by fitting the line profiles with two Gaussian components. Results. We found that the Ca II H&K flux excesses are strongly correlated with each other, but the Ca II H&K doublet is generally less correlated with the other indicators. Moreover, Hα is correlated with Na I doublet and helium lines. Analysing the time variability of flux of the studied lines, we found a higher level of activity of the star during the observations in 2018 than in 2006, while Ca II H&K showed more intense emission on spectra obtained during the observations in 2006. Thanks to a detailed analysis of selected line profiles, we investigated the flare evaluating the mass motion during the event. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims. Investigating the process of matter accretion onto forming stars through scaled experiments in the laboratory is important in order to better understand star and planetary system formation and evolution. Such experiments can indeed complement observations by providing access to the processes with spatial and temporal resolution. A previous investigation revealed the existence of a two-component stream: a hot shell surrounding a cooler inner stream. The shell was formed by matter laterally ejected upon impact and refocused by the local magnetic field. That laboratory investigation was limited to normal incidence impacts. However, in young stellar objects, the complex structure of magnetic fields causes variability of the incident angles of the accretion columns. This led us to undertake an investigation, using laboratory plasmas, of the consequence of having a slanted accretion impacting a young star. Methods. Here, we used high power laser interactions and strong magnetic field generation in the laboratory, complemented by numerical simulations, to study the asymmetry induced upon accretion structures when columns of matter impact the surface of young stars with an oblique angle. Results. Compared to the scenario where matter accretes perpendicularly to the star surface, we observe a strongly asymmetric plasma structure, strong lateral ejecta of matter, poor confinement of the accreted material, and reduced heating compared to the normal incidence case. Thus, slanted accretion is a configuration that seems to be capable of inducing perturbations of the chromosphere and hence possibly influencing the level of activity of the corona. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report time-resolved, high-resolution optical spectropolarimetric observations of the young double-lined spectroscopic binary V1878 Ori. Our observations were collected with the ESPaDOnS spectropolarimeter at the Canada–France–Hawaii Telescope through the BinaMIcS large programme. V1878 Ori A and B are partially convective intermediate mass weak-line T Tauri stars on an eccentric and asynchronous orbit. We also acquired X-ray observations at periastron and outside periastron. Using the least-squares deconvolution technique (LSD) to combine information from many spectral lines, we clearly detected circular polarization signals in both components throughout the orbit. We refined the orbital solution for the system and obtained disentangled spectra for the primary and secondary components. The disentangled spectra were then employed to determine atmospheric parameters of the two components using spectrum synthesis. Applying our Zeeman Doppler imaging code to composite Stokes IV LSD profiles, we reconstructed brightness maps and the global magnetic field topologies of the two components. We find that V1878 Ori A and B have strikingly different global magnetic field topologies and mean field strengths. The global magnetic field of the primary is predominantly poloidal and non-axisymmetric (with a mean field strength of 180 G). While the secondary has a mostly toroidal and axisymmetric global field (mean strength of 310 G). These findings confirm that stars with very similar parameters can exhibit radically different global magnetic field characteristics. The analysis of the X-ray data shows no sign of enhanced activity at periastron, suggesting the lack of strong magnetospheric interaction at this epoch. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context. Models and observations indicate that the impact of matter accreting onto the surface of young stars produces regions at the base of accretion columns where optically thin and thick plasma components coexist. Thus, an accurate description of these impacts is necessary to account for the effects of absorption and emission of radiation. Aims. We study the effects of radiation emerging from shock-heated plasma in impact regions on the structure of the pre-shock down-falling material. We investigate whether a significant absorption of radiation occurs and if it leads to a pre-shock heating of the accreting gas. Methods. We developed a radiation hydrodynamics model describing an accretion column impacting onto the surface of a classical T Tauri star. The model takes into account the stellar gravity, the thermal conduction, and the effects of radiative losses and of absorption of radiation by matter in the nonlocal thermodynamic equilibrium regime. Results. After the impact, a hot slab of post-shock plasma develops at the base of the accretion column. Part of the radiation emerging from the slab is absorbed by the pre-shock accreting material. As a result, the pre-shock accretion column gradually heats up to temperatures of 105 K, forming a radiative precursor of the shock. The precursor has a thermal structure with the hottest part at T ≈ 105 K, with a size comparable to that of the hot slab, above the post-shock region. At larger distances the temperature gradually decreases to T ≈ 104 K. Conclusions. Our model predicts that ≈70% of the radiation emitted by the post-shock plasma is absorbed by the pre-shock accretion column immediately above the slab and is re-emitted in the UV band. This may explain why accretion rates derived from UV observations are systematically higher than rates inferred from X-ray observations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Young stars show a variety of highly energetic phenomena, from accretion and outflow processes to hot coronal plasmas confined in their outer atmosphere, all regulated by the intense stellar magnetic fields. Many aspects on each of these phenomena are debated, but, most notably, their complex mutual interaction remains obscure. In this work, I report how these phenomena are simultaneously responsible for the high‐energy emission from young stars, with a special focus on the expected and observed variability in the X‐ray band. Investigating variations in the X‐ray emission from young stars allows us to pose constraints on flare and coronal plasma properties, coronal heating, accretion stream properties, and accretion geometries. All these results are important building blocks for constructing a comprehensive picture of the complex magnetosphere of young stars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Together with coronal mass ejection, flares are the most energetic stellar magnetic events, ignited by a sudden release of magnetic energy, which triggers a cascade of interconnected phenomena, each resulting in emission in different bands. For this reason, flares are intrinsic multiwavelength phenomena. In particular, optical and soft X‐ray emission probes two different events occurring during flares: the heating of plasma in the upper photosphere at the footpoints of the magnetic loops and the heating and cooling of the plasma confined in the loops in the corona, respectively. To characterize powerful flares observed in optical and X‐rays, constrain the energy released in both bands, the geometry of the loops, and to study flares time evolution, we studied the brightest flares occurred in the 125‐Myr‐old stars in the Pleiades observed simultaneously with x‐ray multi‐mirror mission/Newton and Kepler/K2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

X-ray emission is a characteristic feature of young stellar objects (YSOs) and the result of the interplay between rotation, magnetism, and accretion. For this reason high energy phenomena are key elements to understand the process of star formation, the evolution of their circumstellar disks, and eventually the formation of planets. We investigated the X-ray characteristics of the Class I YSO Elias 29 with joint XMM-Newton and NuSTAR observations of total duration 300 ks and 450 ks, respectively. These are the first observations of a very young (<1 Myr) stellar object in a band encompassing simultaneously both soft and hard X-rays (0.3 − 10 keV in XMM-Newton and ≈3 − 80 keV in NuSTAR). The quiescent spectrum is well described by one thermal component at ∼4.2 keV absorbed by NH ∼ 5.5  ×  1022 cm−2. In addition to the hot Fe complex at 6.7 keV, we observed fluorescent emission from Fe at ∼6.4 keV, confirming the previous findings. The line at 6.4 keV is detected during quiescent and flaring states and its flux is variable. The equivalent width is found varying in the range ≈0.15 − 0.5 keV. These values make unrealistic a simple model with a centrally illuminated disk and suggest a role of the cavity containing Elias 29 and possible reverberation processes that could occur in it. We observed two flares that have durations of 20 ks and 50 ks, respectively, and we observed the first flare with both XMM-Newton and NuSTAR. For this flare, we used its peak temperature and timing as diagnostics to infer a loop size of about 1 − 2 R⊙ in length, which is about 20%–30% of the stellar radius. This implies a relatively compact structure. We systematically observed an increase in NH of a factor five during the flares. This behavior has been observed during flares previously detected in Elias 29 with XMM-Newton and ASCA. The phenomenon suggests that the flaring regions could be buried under the accretion streams and at high stellar latitudes because the X-rays from flares pass through gas denser than the gas along the line of sight of the quiescent corona. In a different scenario, a contribution from scattered soft photons to the primary coronal emission could mimic a shallower NH in the quiescent spectrum. In the spectrum of the full NuSTAR exposure, we detect hard X-ray emission in the band ≈20 − 80 keV which is in excess with respect to the thermal emission and that is significant at a level of ≥2σ. We speculate that the hard X-ray emission could be due to a population of energetic electrons accelerated by the magnetic field along the accretion streams. These particles, along with X-ray photons with E >  7.11 keV, could be responsible for pumping up the Fe fluorescence when hitting cold Fe in the circumstellar disk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context. Pre-main sequence stars are variable sources. The main mechanisms responsible for their variability are variable extinction, unsteady accretion, and rotational modulation of both hot and dark photospheric spots and X-ray-active regions. In stars with disks, this variability is related to the morphology of the inner circumstellar region (≤0.1AU) and that of the photosphere and corona, all impossible to be spatially resolved with present-day techniques. This has been the main motivation for the Coordinated Synoptic Investigation of NGC 2264, a set of simultaneous observations of NGC 2264 with 15 different telescopes. Aims. In this paper, we focus on the stars with disks. We analyze the X-ray spectral properties extracted during optical bursts and dips in order to unveil the nature of these phenomena. Stars without disks are studied in a companion paper. Methods. We analyze simultaneous CoRoT and Chandra/ACIS-I observations to search for coherent optical and X-ray flux variability in stars with disks. Then, stars are analyzed in two different samples. In stars with variable extinction, we look for a simultaneous increase of optical extinction and X-ray absorption during the optical dips; in stars with accretion bursts, we search for soft X-ray emission and increasing X-ray absorption during the bursts. Results. We find evidence for coherent optical and X-ray flux variability among the stars with variable extinction. In 9 of the 24 stars with optical dips, we observe a simultaneous increase of X-ray absorption and optical extinction. In seven dips, it is possible to calculate the NH/AVV ratio in order to infer the composition of the obscuring material. In 5 of the 20 stars with optical accretion bursts, we observe increasing soft X-ray emission during the bursts that we associate to the emission of accreting gas. It is not surprising that these properties are not observed in all the stars with dips and bursts, since favorable geometric configurations are required. Conclusions. The observed variable absorption during the dips is mainly due to dust-free material in accretion streams. In stars with accretion bursts, we observe, on average, a larger soft X-ray spectral component not observed in non-accreting stars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context. It is generally accepted that, in classical T Tauri stars, the plasma from the circumstellar disc accretes onto the stellar surface with free-fall velocity and the impact generates a shock. The impact region is expected to contribute to emission in different spectral bands; many studies have confirmed that the X-rays arise from the post-shock plasma but, otherwise, there are no studies in the literature investigating the origin of the observed UV emission which is apparently correlated to accretion. Aims. We investigated the effect of radiative heating of the infalling material by the post-shock plasma at the base of the accretion stream, with the aim to identify in which region a significant part of the UV emission originates. Methods. We developed a one-dimensional hydrodynamic model describing the impact of an accretion stream onto the stellar surface; the model takes into account the gravity, the radiative cooling of an optically thin plasma, the thermal conduction, and the heating due to absorption of X-ray radiation. The latter term represents the heating of the infalling plasma due to the absorption of X-rays emitted from the post-shock region. Results. We found that the radiative heating of the pre-shock plasma plays a non-negligible role in the accretion phenomenon. In particular, the dense and cold plasma of the pre-shock accretion column is gradually heated up to a few 105 K due to irradiation of X-rays arising from the shocked plasma at the impact region. This heating mechanism does not affect significantly the dynamics of the post-shock plasma. On the other hand, a region of radiatively heated gas (that we consider a precursor) forms in the unshocked accretion column and contributes significantly to UV emission. Our model naturally reproduces the luminosity of UV emission lines correlated to accretion and shows that most of the UV emission originates from the precursor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context. The accretion process in classical T Tauri stars (CTTSs) can be studied through the analysis of some UV and X-ray emission lines which trace hot gas flows and act as diagnostics of the post-shock downfalling plasma. In the UV-band, where higher spectral resolution is available, these lines are characterized by rather complex profiles whose origin is still not clear. Aims. We investigate the origin of UV and X-ray emission at impact regions of density structured (fragmented) accretion streams. We study if and how the stream fragmentation and the resulting structure of the post-shock region determine the observed profiles of UV and X-ray emission lines. Methods. We modeled the impact of an accretion stream consisting of a series of dense blobs onto the chromosphere of a CTTS through two-dimensional (2D) magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulations. We explored different levels of stream fragmentation and accretion rates. From the model results, we synthesize C IV (1550 Å) and O VIII (18.97 Å) line profiles. Results. The impacts of accreting blobs onto the stellar chromosphere produce reverse shocks propagating through the blobs and shocked upflows. These upflows, in turn, hit and shock the subsequent downfalling fragments. As a result, several plasma components differing for the downfalling velocity, density, and temperature are present altoghether. The profiles of C IV doublet are characterized by two main components: one narrow and redshifted to speed ≈ 50 km s-1 and the other broader and consisting of subcomponents with redshift to speed in the range 200−400 km s-1. The profiles of O VIII lines appear more symmetric than C IV and are redshifted to speed ≈ 150 km s-1. Conclusions. Our model predicts profiles of C IV line remarkably similar to those observed and explains their origin in a natural way as due to stream fragmentation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context. According to the magnetospheric accretion model, hot spots form on the surface of classical T Tauri stars (CTTSs) in regions where accreting disk material impacts the stellar surface at supersonic velocity, generating a shock. Aims. We investigate the dynamics and stability of postshock plasma that streams along nonuniform stellar magnetic fields at the impact region of accretion columns. We study how the magnetic field configuration and strength determine the structure, geometry, and location of the shock-heated plasma. Methods. We model the impact of an accretion stream onto the chromosphere of a CTTS by 2D axisymmetric magnetohydrodynamic simulations. Our model considers the gravity, the radiative cooling, and the magnetic-field-oriented thermal conduction (including the effects of heat flux saturation). We explore different configurations and strengths of the magnetic field. Results. The structure, stability, and location of the shocked plasma strongly depend on the configuration and strength of the magnetic field. In the case of weak magnetic fields (plasma β ≳ 1 in the postshock region), a large component of B may develop perpendicular to the stream at the base of the accretion column, which limits the sinking of the shocked plasma into the chromosphere and perturbs the overstable shock oscillations induced by radiative cooling. An envelope of dense and cold chromospheric material may also develop around the shocked column. For strong magnetic fields (β < 1 in the postshock region close to the chromosphere), the field configuration determines the position of the shock and its stand-off height. If the field is strongly tapered close to the chromosphere, an oblique shock may form well above the stellar surface at the height where the plasma β ≈ 1. In general, we find that a nonuniform magnetic field makes the distribution of emission measure vs. temperature of the postshock plasma at T > 106 K lower than when there is uniform magnetic field. Conclusions. The initial magnetic field strength and configuration in the region of impact of the stream are expected to influence the chromospheric absorption and, therefore, the observability of the shock-heated plasma in the X-ray band. In addition, the field strength and configuration also influence the energy balance of the shocked plasma with its emission measure at T > 106 K, which is lower than expected for a uniform field. The above effects contribute to underestimating the mass accretion rates derived in the X-ray band. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context. Theoretical arguments and numerical simulations of radiative shocks produced by the impact of the accreting gas onto young stars predict quasi-periodic oscillations in the emitted radiation. However, observational data do not show evidence of such periodicity. Aims. We investigate whether physically plausible perturbations in the accretion column or in the chromosphere could disrupt the shock structure influencing the observability of the oscillatory behavior. Methods. We performed local 2D magneto-hydrodynamical simulations of an accretion shock impacting a chromosphere, taking optically thin radiation losses and thermal conduction into account. We investigated the effects of several perturbation types, such as clumps in the accretion stream or chromospheric fluctuations, and also explored a wide range of plasma-β values. Results. In the case of a weak magnetic field, the post-shock region shows chaotic motion and mixing, smoothing out the perturbations and retaining a global periodic signature. On the other hand, a strong magnetic field confines the plasma in flux tubes, which leads to the formation of fibrils that oscillate independently. Realistic values for the amplitude, length, and time scales of the perturbation are capable of bringing the fibril oscillations out of phase, suppressing the periodicity of the emission. Conclusions. The strength of a locally uniform magnetic field in YSO accretion shocks determines the structure of the post-shock region, namely, whether it will be somewhat homogeneous or if it will split up to form a collection of fibrils. In the second case, the size and shape of the fibrils is found to depend strongly on the plasma-β value but not on the perturbation type. Therefore, the actual value of the protostellar magnetic field is expected to play a critical role in the time dependence of the observable emission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study the rotation-activity relationship for low-mass members of the young cluster h Persei, a ~13 Myr old cluster. h Per, thanks to its age, allows us to link the rotation-activity relation observed for main-sequence stars to the still unexplained activity levels of very young clusters.We constrained the activity levels of h Per members by analyzing a deep Chandra/ACIS-I observation pointed to the central field of h Per. We combined this X-ray catalog with the catalog of h Per members with measured rotational period, presented by Moraux et al. (2013). We obtained a final catalog of 202 h Per members with measured X-ray luminosity and rotational period. We investigate the rotation-activity relation of h Per members considering different mass ranges. We find that stars with 1.3 M⊙ > M 1.4 M⊙ show significant evidence of supersaturation for short periods. This phenomenon is instead not observed for lower mass stars. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The structure and dynamics of young stellar object (YSO) accretion shocks depend strongly on the local magnetic field strength and configuration, as well as on the radiative transfer effects responsible for the energy losses. We present the first 3D YSO shock simulations of the interior of the stream, assuming a uniform background magnetic field, a clumpy infalling gas, and an acoustic energy flux flowing at the base of the chromosphere. We study the dynamical evolution and the post-shock structure as a function of the plasma-beta (thermal pressure over magnetic pressure). We find that a strong magnetic field (~hundreds of Gauss) leads to the formation of fibrils in the shocked gas due to the plasma confinement within flux tubes. The corresponding emission is smooth and fully distinguishable from the case of a weak magnetic field (~tenths of Gauss) where the hot slab demonstrates chaotic motion and oscillates periodically. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

ABSTRACT We report here the first results of a multi-wavelength campaign focusing on magnetospheric accretion processes within the close binary system V4046 Sgr, hosting two partly convective classical T Tauri stars of masses ≃0.9 M⊙ and age ≃12 Myr. In this paper, we present time-resolved spectropolarimetric observations collected in 2009 September with ESPaDOnS at the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope (CFHT) and covering a full span of 7 d or ≃2.5 orbital/rotational cycles of V4046 Sgr. Small circularly polarized Zeeman signatures are detected in the photospheric absorption lines but not in the accretion-powered emission lines of V4046 Sgr, thereby demonstrating that both system components host large-scale magnetic fields weaker and more complex than those of younger, fully convective classical T Tauri stars (cTTSs) of only a few Myr and similar masses. Applying our tomographic imaging tools to the collected data set, we reconstruct maps of the large-scale magnetic field, photospheric brightness and accretion-powered emission at the surfaces of both stars of V4046 Sgr. We find that these fields include significant toroidal components, and that their poloidal components are mostly non-axisymmetric with a dipolar component of 50-100 G strongly tilted with respect to the rotation axis; given the similarity with fields of partly convective main-sequence stars of similar masses and rotation periods, we conclude that these fields are most likely generated by dynamo processes. We also find that both stars in the system show cool spots close to the pole and extended regions of low-contrast, accretion-powered emission; it suggests that mass accretion is likely distributed rather than confined in well-defined high-contrast accretion spots, in agreement with the derived magnetic field complexity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report here the first results of a multiwavelength campaign focussing on magnetospheric accretion processes of the classical T Tauri star V2129 Oph. In this paper, we present spectropolarimetric observations collected in 2009 July with ESPaDOnS at the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope and contemporaneous photometry secured with the SMARTS facility. Circularly polarized Zeeman signatures are clearly detected, both in photospheric absorption and accretion-powered emission lines, from time-series of which we reconstruct new maps of the magnetic field, photospheric brightness and accretion-powered emission at the surface of V2129 Oph using our newest tomographic imaging tool - to be compared with those derived from our old 2005 June data set, re-analysed in the exact same way. We find that in 2009 July, V2129 Oph hosts octupolar and dipolar field components of about 2.1 and 0.9 kG, respectively, both tilted by about 20° with respect to the rotation axis; we conclude that the large-scale magnetic topology changed significantly since 2005 June (when the octupole and dipole components were about 1.5 and three times weaker, respectively), demonstrating that the field of V2129 Oph is generated by a non-stationary dynamo. We also show that V2129 Oph features a dark photospheric spot and a localized area of accretion-powered emission, both close to the main surface magnetic region (hosting fields of up to about 4 kG in 2009 July). We finally obtain that the surface shear of V2129 Oph is about half as strong as solar. From the fluxes of accretion-powered emission lines, we estimate that the observed average logarithmic accretion rate (in yr) at the surface of V2129 Oph is at both epochs, peaking at −9.0 at magnetic maximum. It implies in particular that the radius at which the magnetic field of V2129 Oph truncates the inner accretion disc is 0.93 and 0.50 times the corotation radius (where the Keplerian period equals the stellar rotation period) in 2009 July and 2005 June, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

FU Tau belongs to a rare class of young, wide brown dwarf binaries. We have resolved the system in a Chandra X-ray observation and detected only the primary, FU Tau A. Hard X-ray emission, presumably from a corona, is present but, unexpectedly, we also detect a strong and unusually soft component from FU Tau A. Its X-ray properties, so far unique among brown dwarfs, are very similar to those of the T Tauri star TW Hya. The analogy with TW Hya suggests that the dominating soft X-ray component can be explained by emission from accretion shocks. However, the typical free-fall velocities of a brown dwarf are too low for an interpretation of the observed X-ray temperature as a post-shock region. On the other hand, velocities in excess of the free-fall speed are derived from archival optical spectroscopy, and independent pieces of evidence for strong accretion in FU Tau A are found in optical photometry. The high X-ray luminosity of FU Tau A coincides with a high bolometric luminosity confirming an unexplained trend among young brown dwarfs. In fact, FU Tau A is overluminous with respect to evolutionary models while FU Tau B is on the 1-Myr isochrone suggesting non-contemporaneous formation of the two components in the binary. The extreme youth of FU Tau A could be responsible for its peculiar X-ray properties, in terms of atypical magnetic activity or accretion. Alternatively, rotation and magnetic field effects may reduce the efficiency of convection which in turn affects the effective temperature and radius of FU Tau A, shifting its position in the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram. Although there is no direct proof of this latter scenario so far, we present arguments for its plausibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In classical T Tauri stars (CTTS) strong shocks are formed where the accretion funnel impacts with the denser stellar chromosphere. Although current models of accretion provide a plausible global picture of this process, some fundamental aspects are still unclear: the observed X-ray luminosity in accretion shocks is order of magnitudes lower than predicted; the observed density and temperature structures of the hot post-shock region are puzzling and still unexplained by models.To address these issues we performed 2D MHD simulations describing an accretion stream impacting onto the chromosphere of a CTTS, exploring different configurations and strengths of the magnetic field. From the model results we then synthesized the X-ray emission emerging from the hot post-shock, taking into account the local absorption due to the pre-shock stream and surrounding atmosphere.We find that the different configurations and strengths of the magnetic field profoundly affect the hot post-shock properties. Moreover the emerging X-ray emission strongly depends also on the viewing angle under which accretion is observed. Some of the explored configuration are able to reproduce the observed features of X-ray spectra of CTTS. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

We present results of the X-ray monitoring of V4046 Sgr, a close classical T Tauri star binary, with both components accreting material. The 360 ks long XMM observation allowed us to measure the plasma densities at different temperatures, and to check whether and how the density varies with time. We find that plasma at temperatures of 1–4 MK has high densities, and we observe correlated and simultaneous density variations of plasma, probed by O VII and Ne IX triplets. These results strongly indicate that all the inspected He-like triplets are produced by high-density plasma heated in accretion shocks, and located at the base of accretion flows. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]