Why in News?
- Astronomers, using the LOFAR (Low-Frequency Array) telescope network, have detected a coronal mass ejection (CME) on a star other than the Sun for the first time.
- The CME originated from red dwarf StKM 1-1262, located ~133 light years away.
- Published in Nature, the discovery marks a breakthrough in studying stellar space weather and exoplanet habitability.
Relevance:
GS 3 – Science & Tech
- Space weather, exoplanet habitability, stellar magnetic activity.
- Significance of LOFAR radio network, astronomy breakthroughs.
- Impact of CMEs on atmospheres, satellites, communication systems.
What Is a Coronal Mass Ejection (CME)?
- Massive bursts of plasma and magnetic fields ejected from a star’s corona.
- On the Sun:
- Can disrupt satellites, GPS, radio communications.
- Trigger auroras; recent Nov 12 auroras reached as far south as Tennessee and New Zealand.
- Traditionally observed only on the Sun due to difficulty detecting faint radio signatures from distant stars.
The Breakthrough Discovery
- LOFAR has been continuously collecting low-frequency radio data since 2016.
- While originally built to study black holes and other high-energy cosmic phenomena, its wide field of view also captures background stars.
- Researchers reprocessed archived data and detected a one-minute-long explosive burst from 2016.
- Confirmed to be a CME — the first-ever radio detection of such an event on a non-Sun star.
- The CME was 10,000 times more powerful than typical solar CMEs.
About the Host Star: StKM 1-1262
- A red dwarf star, mass 10–50% of the Sun.
- Most common host star type for Earth-sized exoplanets in the galaxy.
- Known for high magnetic activity and violent stellar flares.
Scientific Significance
Breakthrough for Stellar Space Weather
- Opens the field of extra-solar space weather—understanding how other stars affect their planetary systems.
- Allows study of stellar magnetic activity through continuous radio monitoring.
New Methodology
- Demonstrates that archival low-frequency radio data can detect extreme stellar events.
- Provides a new tool to study stellar magnetic cycles similar to the Sun’s 11-year cycle.
Implications for Planetary Habitability
Atmospheric Erosion
- Red dwarf CMEs can strip atmospheres of planets in close orbits (common around red dwarfs).
- Without an atmosphere, planets lose:
- Surface water stability
- UV protection
- Climate stability
- Such CMEs severely weaken chances for life near red dwarfs.
Reassessing Exoplanet Habitability Models
- Many “habitable zone” planets (e.g., TRAPPIST-1 system) orbit red dwarfs.
- New evidence suggests:
- High stellar activity may make these environments far less habitable than earlier believed.
- Need for stronger planetary magnetic fields to retain atmospheres.
Astronomy & Astrophysics Relevance
- First direct confirmation that stellar CMEs occur beyond the Sun.
- Helps refine models of:
- Star–planet interactions
- Atmospheric retention
- Magnetic shielding
- Evolution of exoplanetary climates
Why This Matters for the Future of Exoplanet Research
- Radio detection is scalable → enables studying thousands of nearby stars.
- Helps prioritise exoplanets with stable stellar environments for biosignature searches.
- Supports missions like JWST, PLATO, ARIEL that study exoplanet atmospheres.
