The Effect of a Strong Stellar Flare on the Atmospheric Chemistry of an Earth-like Planet Orbiting an M dwarf

TL;DR

This study models the atmospheric effects of a strong stellar flare from an M dwarf on an Earth-like planet, showing significant ozone depletion but limited direct surface hazard from UV radiation.

Contribution

It provides the first detailed simulation of both UV and proton impacts from an M dwarf flare on planetary atmospheres, using observed flare data and coupled photochemical and radiative models.

Findings

Ozone depletion reached up to 94% two years after the flare.

UV radiation during the flare exceeds Earth's levels for less than 100 seconds.

Flares may not pose a direct surface hazard for life on habitable planets around active M dwarfs.

Abstract

Main sequence M stars pose an interesting problem for astrobiology: their abundance in our galaxy makes them likely targets in the hunt for habitable planets, but their strong chromospheric activity produces high energy radiation and charged particles that may be detrimental to life. We studied the impact of the 1985 April 12 flare from the M dwarf, AD Leonis (AD Leo), simulating the effects from both UV radiation and protons on the atmospheric chemistry of a hypothetical, Earth-like planet located within its habitable zone. Based on observations of solar proton events and the Neupert effect we estimated a proton flux associated with the flare of $5.9\times 10^{8}$ protons cm$^{-2}$ sr$^{-1}$ s$^{-1}$ for particles with energies >10 MeV. Then we calculated the abundance of nitrogen oxides produced by the flare by scaling the production of these compounds during a large solar proton event called the "Carrington event". The simulations were performed using a 1-D photochemical model coupled to a 1-D radiative/convective model. Our results indicate that the ultraviolet radiation emitted during the flare does not produce a significant change in the ozone column depth of the planet. When the action of protons is included, the ozone depletion reached a maximum of 94% two years after the flare for a planet with no magnetic field. At the peak of the flare, the calculated UV fluxes that reach the surface, in the wavelength ranges that are damaging for life, exceed those received on Earth during less than 100 s. Flares may therefore not present a direct hazard for life on the surface of an orbiting habitable planet. Given that AD Leo is one of the most magnetically-active M dwarfs known, this conclusion should apply to planets around other M dwarfs with lower levels of chromospheric activity.