Nucleosynthesis in stellar flares

TL;DR

This paper explores how nuclear reactions during stellar flares can produce isotopes like lithium, potentially explaining observed abundance anomalies and suggesting observational strategies for nearby active stars.

Contribution

It investigates the role of stellar flares in nucleosynthesis, linking flare activity to lithium abundance anomalies and proposing observational tests.

Findings

Stellar flares can produce detectable lithium isotopes.

Flare-induced nucleosynthesis may explain high 6-Li in metal-poor stars.

Potential for direct observation of lithium production during flares.

Abstract

Nuclear interactions of ions accelerated at the surface of flaring stars can produce fresh isotopes in stellar atmospheres. Although this nucleosynthesis is not significant for the chemical evolution of the Galaxy, it can be important for a number of measurements of "anomalously" high 6-Li and 7-Li abundances. We discuss the possible role of stellar flares to explain the recent report of high 6-Li abundances in metal-poor halo stars and the well-established correlation between Li abundance and stellar activity in young open clusters. We then study the possibility of observing directly Li production during flares of nearby and active dwarfs of spectral type M.