Radio Observations of HD80606 Near Planetary Periastron: II. LOFAR Low Band Antenna Observations at 30-78 MHz

TL;DR

This study used LOFAR to observe HD80606b near periastron at low frequencies to detect potential radio emissions from its magnetosphere, achieving high sensitivity but finding no emission, thus constraining its radio luminosity.

Contribution

First low-frequency LOFAR observations of HD80606b near periastron at 30-78 MHz, setting new constraints on its radio emission and magnetic activity.

Findings

No radio emission detected from HD80606b.

Set upper limits on the planet's radio luminosity.

Observed at frequencies closer to Jupiter's emission range.

Abstract

All the giant planets in the solar system generate radio emission via the electron cyclotron maser instability, most notably giving rise to Jupiter's decametric emissions. An interaction with the solar wind is at least partially responsible for all of these solar system electron cyclotron masers. HD80606b is a giant planet with a highly eccentric orbit, leading to predictions that its radio emission may be enhanced substantially near periastron. This paper reports observations with the Low Frequency Array (LOFAR) of HD80606b near its periastron in an effort to detect radio emissions generated by an electron cyclotron maser instability in the planet's magnetosphere. The reported observations are at frequencies between 30 MHz and 78 MHz, and they are distinguished from most previous radio observations of extrasolar planets by two factors: (i) They are at frequencies near 50 MHz, much closer to the frequencies at which Jupiter emits (< 40 MHz) and lower than most previously reported observations of extrasolar planets; and (ii) Sensitivities of approximately a few millijanskys have been achieved, an order of magnitude or more below nearly all previous extrasolar planet observations below 100 MHz. We do not detect any radio emissions from HD80606b and use these observations to place new constraints on its radio luminosity. We also revisit whether the observations were conducted at a time when it was super-Alfvenic relative to the host star's stellar wind, which experience from the solar system illustrates is a state in which an electron cyclotron maser emission can be sustained in a planet's magnetic polar regions.