Investigating Possible Stellar Coronal Mass Ejections in M-type Dwarfs Using the CARMENES DR1 Spectra

Abstract

Stellar coronal mass ejections (CMEs) have significant impacts on surrounding exoplanets and stellar evolution. For M-type dwarf stars, hosting close-in habitable zones, frequent and intense stellar CMEs may render their potentially habitable planets uninhabitable. In this study, we used the CARMENES DR1 spectra to investigate potential stellar CMEs in M-type dwarfs by analyzing asymmetric features of the Hα profiles. Through a comprehensive visual inspection, we identified 61 distinct asymmetric features in the Hα line profiles across 33 M-type dwarfs. These asymmetries were associated with increased emissions in several chromospheric activity lines, indicating likely connections to flare events. The velocities of these features remain below the escape velocities of the investigated stars, except for one case where an asymmetric feature's maximum velocity approaches the star's escape velocity. While stellar CMEs are one potential explanation, the observed features are also consistent with other flare-related plasma motions. The estimated moving plasma masses range from 10^15 to 10^19 g, with corresponding kinetic energies of 10^29--10^32 erg. Stars with asymmetric Hα profiles are generally associated with stronger surface-average magnetic field <B> and higher normalized X-ray luminosity log(L_X/L_bol). However, we find no significant correlation between the line asymmetry rate and either <B> or log(L_X/L_bol).

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