Far-ultraviolet observations of flares on the dMOe star AU Microscopii

We report on far-ultraviolet (FUV) observations of flares on the dMOe star AU Microscopii obtained on 1998 September 6 with the Space Telescope Imagin g Spectrograph onboard the Hubble Space Telescope. The data consist of medi um-resolution echelle spectra covering the wavelength region from 1170 to 1 730 Angstrom with a spectral resolution of lambda/Delta lambda = 45,800. Th e observations were obtained using the TIME-TAG observing mode in which the time and position of each detected photon is recorded. This allows a study of variability that is constrained only by counting statistics. During a t otal on-source time of 10,105 s, we observed numerous microflare bursts as well as four well-defined flare events. These flares lasted between 10 s an d 3 minutes and were most easily detected in the FUV continuum and the Si I v and C IV resonance lines. Variations in both the cooler (e.g., Ly alpha, C II, O I) and hotter (O V, N V, Fe XXI) emission lines were much less pron ounced. We examined the physical characteristics of the flare events, inclu ding the time history of the wavelength-integrated fluxes in the continuum and the various emission lines. In particular, we searched for, but did not find, evidence for increased emission in the red wing of the Ly alpha line , which would indicate the presence of moderately energetic proton beams. W e integrated the emission over the entire time of major flare activity to i nvestigate the average line and continuum properties of the time-averaged s pectrum, including flows and turbulence as a function of temperature. We al so considered the shape of the FUV continuum, which may actually be caused by the enhancement of numerous weak emission lines. Unfortunately, none of the events were strong enough to allow a detailed examination of line profi les as a function of time.