An international team of scientists has measured the tiniest ‘starquakes’ ever recorded from an orange dwarf star named Epsilon Indi. This star is the smallest and coolest dwarf star observed with solar-like oscillations, providing important information about the interior makeup of the star. The measurements were taken using a technique called asteroseismology, which measures oscillations in stars. The team was able to record the oscillations with unprecedented precision using the ESPRESSO spectrograph at the European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope.
The lead author of the study, Tiago Campante, stated that the extreme precision of these observations is a remarkable technological achievement. The detection of starquakes in Epsilon Indi demonstrates that precise asteroseismology is possible down to cool dwarfs with much lower surface temperatures than the Sun. This discovery effectively opens up a new domain in observational astrophysics, providing valuable insights into these types of stars. Orange dwarf stars have become a focal point in the search for habitable planets and extraterrestrial life, making the detection of starquakes in Epsilon Indi a significant contribution to this field of study.
Professor Bill Chaplin, a member of the research team from the University of Birmingham, highlighted that the mismatch between predicted and observed sizes of orange dwarf stars has implications for finding planets around them. If the size of the star is not accurately determined, it can lead to inaccuracies in determining the size of any planets that may be discovered around them using the transit method. The detection of oscillations in Epsilon Indi will help to minimize these discrepancies and improve theoretical models of stars, leading to more accurate assessments of potential planets.
The discovery of starquakes in Epsilon Indi will also inform plans to use the upcoming European Space Agency’s PLATO Mission, set to launch in 2026, to detect oscillations in many more orange dwarfs. Birmingham is responsible for designing and delivering much of the asteroseismology pipeline for PLATO, which will provide valuable data for researchers around the world. The results obtained from PLATO will enhance our understanding of orange dwarf stars and contribute to the search for exoplanets around these stars.
Overall, the detection of the tiniest ‘starquakes’ in an orange dwarf star like Epsilon Indi represents a significant technological advancement and scientific achievement. The precision of these observations has provided new insights into the interior makeup of cool dwarfs, demonstrating the potential for precise asteroseismology in stars with lower surface temperatures than the Sun. This discovery will have implications for the study of habitable planets and extraterrestrial life, as well as contribute to the improvement of theoretical models of stars and the search for exoplanets using the transit method. The upcoming PLATO Mission will further enhance our understanding of orange dwarfs and their potential planetary systems, with the data obtained likely to benefit researchers worldwide.
