Observation of a possible superflare on Proxima Centauri

Abstract

We report the observation on UT 2017.07.01 of an unusually powerful flare detected in near-infrared continuum photometry of Proxima Centauri. During a campaign monitoring the star for possible exoplanet transits, we identified an increase in Sloan i' flux leading to an observed peak at BJD 2457935.996 that was at least 10\% over pre-flare flux in this band. It was followed by a 2-component rapid decline in the first 100 seconds that became a slower exponential decay with time constant of 1350 seconds. A smaller flare event 1300 seconds after the first added an incremental peak flux increase of 1% of pre-flare flux. Since the onset of the flare was not fully time-resolved at a cadence of 62 seconds, its actual peak value is unknown but greater than the time-average over a single exposure of 20 seconds. The i' band is representative of broad optical and near-IR continuum flux over which the integrated energy of the flare is 100 times the stellar luminosity. This meets the criteria that established the concept of superflares on similar stars. The resulting implied ultraviolet flux and space weather could have had an extreme effect on the atmospheres of planets within the star's otherwise-habitable zone.

arXiv comment5 pages, 2 figures

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• EvryFlare I: Long-term Evryscope Monitoring of Flares from the Cool Stars Across Half the Southern Sky
• Flaring activity of Proxima Centauri from TESS observations: quasi-periodic oscillations during flare decay and inferences on the habitability of Proxima b
• High-resolution spectroscopy of flares and CMES on AD Leo*
• Analytic Estimates of the Achievable Precision on the Physical Properties of Transiting Planets Using Purely Empirical Measurements