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Limits on detectability of mass loss from cool dwarfsRecent spectroscopic evidence supports the theoretical expectation that certain cool dwarfs may have stellar winds with M-dot values several orders of magnitude larger than the solar rate. For large enough values of M-dot, the emission from the wind is expected to have a spectrum which, at low enough frequencies, becomes a power law, S(v) about v exp alpha with alpha about 0.7. Data from IRAS and VLA suggest that such a spectrum may in fact occur in certain M dwarfs: a key test of the wind spectrum would be provided if the stars could be detected at lambda about 1 mm. We show that the M-dot required to ensure power-law emission is a few times 10 exp -10 solar mass/yr. With M-dot of this order, fluxes at lambda about 1 mm would be tens of mJy. Using the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope, we have tested this prediction on several stars: the data are suggestive but are near the limits of detection. Confirmation of our estimates will be important for evolution and for interstellar medium (ISM) physics: if even a few percent of all M dwarfs are losing mass at the above rates, the mass balance of the ISM will be dominated by M dwarfs.
Document ID
19930026452
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
External Source(s)
Authors
Mullan, D. J.
(Bartol Research Inst. Newark, DE, United States)
Doyle, J. G.
(Armagh Observatory United Kingdom)
Redman, R. O.
(National Research Council of Canada Herzberg Inst. of Astrophysics, Ottawa, United States)
Mathioudakis, M.
(Armagh Observatory United Kingdom)
Date Acquired
August 15, 2013
Publication Date
September 20, 1992
Publication Information
Publication: Astrophysical Journal, Part 1
Volume: 397
Issue: 1
ISSN: 0004-637X
Subject Category
Astrophysics
Accession Number
93A10449
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NAGW-2456
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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