Planetary Evaporation and the Dynamics of Planet Wind/Stellar Wind Bow Shocks

Abstract

We present initial results of a new campaign of simulations focusing on the interaction of planetary winds with stellar environments using Adaptive Mesh Refinement methods. We have confirmed the results of Stone & Proga 2009 that an azimuthal flow structure is created in the planetary wind due to day/night temperatures differences. We show that a backflow towards the planet will occur with a strength that depends on the escape parameter. When a stellar outflow is included, we see unstable bow waves forming through the outflow's interaction with the planetary wind.

To appear in the proceedings of IAU Symposium 314 "Young Stars and Planets Near the Sun"