Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astrophysics
Scientific paper
2006-10-19
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astrophysics
accepted for publication in A&A Letters
Scientific paper
10.1051/0004-6361:20066488
Cool stars are known to produce flares probably as a result of magnetic reconnection in their outer atmospheres. We present simultaneous XMM-Newton optical V band and X-ray observations of the M8 dwarf LP412-31. During the observation a giant flare occurred, with an optical amplitude of 6 mag and total energy of 3 10^(32) erg in each the V band and soft X-rays. Both flare onset and flare decay were completely covered in both wavebands with a temporal resolution of 20 s, allowing for a determination of the flare time scales as well as a study of the temperature evolution of the flaring plasma. The data are consistent with an impulsive energy release followed by radiative cooling without further energy release during the decay phase. Our analysis suggests that the optical flare originates from a small fraction of the surface of LP412-31, while the characteristic scale size of the flaring X-ray plasma is of the order of the stellar radius or larger. The absence of any small-scale variability in the light curve suggests a non-standard flare number energy distribution.
Liefke Carolin
Micela Giuseppina
Schmitt Juergen H. M. M.
Stelzer Beate
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