Understanding Space Weather in Exoplanetary Systems: Learning from the Sun through Solar Flare and Coronal Mass Ejection Studies

Eruptive events such as stellar flares and coronal mass ejections (CMEs; energetic and highly magnetized plasma) affect the evolution, chemistry, and habitability of planets, especially of tightly-orbiting planets. Consequently, the particle environment of the Sun, a.k.a. space weather, is continuously monitored. However, data on other stars remains limited, with no conclusively detected stellar CMEs. Our work aims to bridge this gap by correlating solar X-ray and UV flare fluxes with the mass of corresponding CMEs, observed over more than two solar cycles (23 years). We uncover a log-linear correlation between flare peak flux and CME mass, which could extend to Sun-like stars, aiding in predicting CME plasma mass. These predictions are vital for models assessing the impact of energetic particles on planetary atmospheres, thus contributing to a better understanding of planet habitability in different stellar environments.