Ivey Davis

A system for multi-wavelength monitoring of space weather from young, sun-like stars

Space weather involves studying both the radiation from events like flares as well as the particles accelerated by the flare in the form of stellar energetic particle (SEP) events and coronal mass ejections (CMEs). While there is observational evidence supporting the idea that the stellar radiation environment plays a significant role in the habitability and atmospheric content of exoplanets, we know from solar system bodies that the stellar particle flux should also be important. A part of understanding stellar space weather requires dedicated monitoring of individual stars across a variety of wavelengths to guarantee observing both a flare and the related particle acceleration. However, coordinating long-term, simultaneous, multi-wavelength observations is notoriously difficult. Here, I present the start of a pan-chromatic system dedicated to nightly monitoring of a sample of solar-type stars in order to detect flares and associated SEP and CME signatures. This system currently includes Flarescope operating at 400-550nm to look for flares and the Owens Valley Radio Observatory Long Wavelength Array (OVRO-LWA) operating at 13-86MHz to look for radio signatures of CMEs and SEPs. This work includes a recently completed 200-hr campaign by Flarescope and the OVRO-LWA on the young G-dwarf EK Dra.