Modeling star-planet interactions in far-out planetary and exoplanetary systems

Abstract

The outflowing magnetized wind from a host star shapes planetary and exoplanetary magnetospheres dictating the extent of its impact. We carry out three-dimensional (3D) compressible magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulations of the interactions between magnetized stellar winds and planetary magnetospheres corresponding to a far-out star-planet system, with and without planetary dipole obliquity. We identify the pathways that lead to the formation of a dynamical steady-state magnetosphere and find that magnetic reconnection plays a fundamental role in the process. The magnetic energy density is found to be greater on the night-side than that on the day-side and the magnetotail is comparatively more dynamic. Magnetotail reconnection events are seen to associated with stellar wind plasma injection into the inner magnetosphere. We further study magnetospheres with extreme tilt angles keeping in perspective the examples of Uranus and Neptune. High dipole obliquities may also manifest due to polarity excursions during planetary field reversals. We find that global magnetospheric reconnection sites change for large planetary dipole obliquity and more complex current sheet structures are generated. We discuss the implications of these findings for injection of interplanetary species and energetic particles into the inner magnetosphere, auroral activity and magnetospheric radio emission. This study is relevant for exploring star planet interactions in the solar and extra-solar systems.

arXiv comment17 pages, 12 figures, 1 table

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