Magnetic activity is ubiquitous among solar-like stars and coronal X-rayemission is perhaps the most powerful diagnostic. Stellar X-ray emission decaysduring the first Gyr by several orders of magnitude. However, it is currentlyunknown if and how this decay continues for older stars, because observationalconstraints are sparse due to the X-ray faintness of these systems. We proposeto remedy this situation by obtaining X-ray data of old solar analogs, i.e.,stars that have essentially the same stellar properties as the Sun so that wesample only age effects on stellar activity. Our sample of 13 old solar analogswill clarify the X-ray future of the Sun.
Instrument
EMOS1, EMOS2, EPN, OM, RGS1, RGS2
Temporal Coverage
2016-05-10T22:17:48Z/2017-01-05T16:37:42Z
Version
17.56_20190403_1200
Mission Description
The European Space Agencys (ESA) X-ray Multi-Mirror Mission (XMM-Newton) was launched by an Ariane 504 on December 10th 1999. XMM-Newton is ESAs second cornerstone of the Horizon 2000 Science Programme. It carries 3 high throughput X-ray telescopes with an unprecedented effective area, and an optical monitor, the first flown on a X-ray observatory. The large collecting area and ability to make long uninterrupted exposures provide highly sensitive observations. Since Earths atmosphere blocks out all X-rays, only a telescope in space can detect and study celestial X-ray sources. The XMM-Newton mission is helping scientists to solve a number of cosmic mysteries, ranging from the enigmatic black holes to the origins of the Universe itself. Observing time on XMM-Newton is being made available to the scientific community, applying for observational periods on a competitive basis.
European Space Agency, Dr Christian Schneider, 2018, 'The future X-ray Sun', 17.56_20190403_1200, European Space Agency, https://doi.org/10.5270/esa-193j1m4
