Planetary Evaporation and the Dynamics of Planet Wind/Stellar Wind Bow Shocks

TL;DR

This paper investigates how planetary winds interact with stellar environments, revealing azimuthal flow structures, backflows, and unstable bow waves through adaptive mesh simulations, advancing understanding of planetary and stellar wind dynamics.

Contribution

The study introduces new simulation results on planetary wind interactions, including azimuthal flows, backflows, and bow wave instabilities, using adaptive mesh refinement techniques.

Findings

Azimuthal flow structures caused by day/night temperature differences.

Backflow strength depends on the escape parameter.

Unstable bow waves form during stellar wind interactions.

Abstract

We present initial results of a new campaign of simulations focusing on the interaction of planetary winds with stellar environments using Adaptive Mesh Refinement methods. We have confirmed the results of Stone & Proga 2009 that an azimuthal flow structure is created in the planetary wind due to day/night temperatures differences. We show that a backflow towards the planet will occur with a strength that depends on the escape parameter. When a stellar outflow is included, we see unstable bow waves forming through the outflow's interaction with the planetary wind.