3D Realistic Modeling of Solar-Type Stars to Characterize the Stellar Jitter

Abstract

AbstractDetection of Earth-mass planets with the radial velocity method requires a precision of about 10cm/s to identify a signal caused by such a planet. At the same time, noise originating in the photospheric and subphotospheric layers of the parent star is of the order of meters per second. Understanding the physical nature of the photospheric noise (so-called stellar jitter) and characterizing it are critical for developing techniques to filter out these unwanted signals. We take advantage of current computational and technological capabilities to create 3D realistic models of stellar subsurface convection and atmospheres to characterize the photospheric jitter. We present 3D radiative hydrodynamic models of several solar-type target stars of various masses and metallicities, discuss how the turbulent surface dynamics and spectral line characteristics depend on stellar properties, and provide stellar jitter estimates for these stars.