Overview
- A coordinated campaign on EK Draconis recorded 100,000 K plasma racing out at 300–550 km/s, followed roughly 10 minutes later by ~10,000 K gas at ~70 km/s.
- Ultraviolet spectra from Hubble traced the hot component, while simultaneous Hα observations from telescopes in Japan and Korea captured the cooler material.
- The study, published Oct. 27 in Nature Astronomy, provides the first direct, multi-wavelength evidence of a multi-temperature stellar coronal mass ejection.
- Researchers report the hot component carries far more energy, underscoring the potential for young-star CMEs to drive shocks, particle storms, and atmospheric chemistry relevant to prebiotic molecules.
- Complementary five-year optical surveys (arXiv) set lower limits on CME links to superflares (~27%) and on EK Draconis’s CME-driven mass loss, and teams plan X-ray, radio, and next-generation UV follow-ups to refine rates and impacts.