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2022-03-08 Robert Kavanagh (Leiden University)

Tuning in to star-planet interactions at radio wavelengths

Abstract: Thanks to the increasing sensitivity of telescopes such as LOFAR, low-mass stars are beginning to light up the sky in the radio at low frequencies. Based on our understanding of radio emission processes in the solar system, some of these recent detections are indicative of magnetic interactions between the star and an orbiting planet. Here, I will give an overview of the different scenarios where radio emission could arise in exoplanetary systems through these star-planet interactions. I will then discuss our recent work on predicting and interpreting radio emission from M dwarfs, which can be induced by orbiting planets. Using cutting-edge models, we can we can learn much about the stellar wind environment and exoplanetary magnetosphere. These models also show great potential as a new discovery tool for exoplanets.