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Stellar Flare Yields in the Galactic Bulge Time Domain Survey
Program ID 19084
Science Category Stellar Physics
Program Type Analysis
Category Small
Principal Investigator Guadalupe Tovar Mendoza
PI Institution Johns Hopkins University
Co-Investigators
  • Ward Howard (University of Colorado, Boulder)
  • Rishi Paudel (Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology)
  • Elisa Quintana (NASA Goddard Space Flight Center)
  • Meredith MacGregor (Johns Hopkins University)
  • Rachel Osten (Space Telescope Science Institute / STScI)
  • Laura Vega (NASA Goddard Space Flight Center)
  • Robert Wilson (NASA Goddard Space Flight Center)
  • Allison Youngblood (NASA Goddard Space Flight Center)
Abstract We propose to use the three high cadence seasons of the Galactic Bulge Time Domain Survey (GBTDS) to measure the stellar flare rates of older G-, K-, and M-type stars (GKM stars). We will (1) explore how flare rates vary as a function of stellar mass and age, and (2) measure the physical properties of the stellar flares and provide the most complete infrared flare catalog of GKM stars to date. The results will provide the baseline necessary to assess atmospheric stability of exoplanets while helping to distinguish true planetary signals from stellar activity. Specifically, they will enable microlensing surveys to filter out brief eruptions that mimic gravitational events and allow transit spectroscopy to isolate genuine atmospheric signatures from stellar contamination. The resulting code and flare catalog will be made publicly available to the wider scientific community.