In a classic case of still waters running deep (and magnetic), astronomers have discovered that a dim and cool dwarf star called TVLM 513-46546 is emanating a very powerful magnetic field. In fact, its field is right up there with the most magnetic regions of our sun, researchers said in their recent report.
They learned this about the star using the Atacama Large Millimeter /submillimeter Array (ALMA), a powerful telescope in Chile that aims to study particularly cold objects in the universe, according to a release.
It's possible that the magnetic field has to do with the star's regularly occurring eruptions that are like solar flares. The hypothesis, based on what scientists believe happens to our Sun, is that the flares would follow lines of magnetic fields behaving like particle accelerators of the cosmos: They turn awry electrons' paths and make the latter send off radio signals. These can be picked up by ALMA, noted the release.
Not only would these flares affect the star itself, but they would assault nearby planets with particles that hold a charge. "If we lived around a star like this one, we wouldn't have any satellite communications. In fact, it might be extremely difficult for life to evolve at all in such a stormy environment," Peter Williams of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics (CfA), said in a release.
This star is located approximately 35 light-years from Earth. It is in the constellation Boötes. It is one of the galaxy's most common star types, the red dwarf-these are often targeted for planet searches in their general vicinity. noted the release.
Next, astronomers will study similar stars to learn whether this star represents an entire class of tempestuous stars or is a freak of nature, confirmed the release.
The report was published in The Astrophysical Journal.
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