Investigation of exoplanetary magnetic fields and their role in evolution of planetary systems forms a new and fast developing branch. This topic is closely connected with the study of the whole complex of stellar - planetary interactions, including consideration of influences of stellar radiation and plasma flows, e.g., stellar wind, coronal mass ejections (CMEs), on the planetary environments, and, therefore, represents an important aspect of modern exoplanetology. Magnetic fields, those connected with the planetary intrinsic magnetic dipole, as well as the magnetic fields associated with the electric current systems induced in the close planetary plasma surroundings, form the planetary magnetosphere. Magnetosphere acts as an obstacle (magnetospheric obstacle), which interacts with the stellar wind, declining it, and protecting planetary ionosphere, upper atmosphere against the direct impact of stellar plasmas and energetic particles (e.g., cosmic rays). The stellar X-ray/EUV (XUV) radiation and the stellar wind result in ionization, heating, chemical modification, and slow erosion of the planetary upper atmospheres throughout their lifetime. The closer the planet is to the star, the more efficient are these processes, and therefore, the more important becomes the magnetospheric protection of a planet.
The major goal of SP6 sub-project of the National Key Program “Pathways to habitability” (NFN S116) consists in the investigation of key factors and physical mechanisms which determine the structure, topology and dynamics of an exoplanetary magnetosphere. A set of modelling approaches and concepts will be developed within SP06 and offered to the NFN participants, as well as to the broad scientific community for further applications in the study of planetary magnetospheric protection and interaction of planetary ionospheric/atmospheric environments with the stellar winds. In course of the development of a general model of an exoplanetary magnetosphere the specifics of an exoplanetary conditions, such as intensive escape of the planetary atmospheric material heated and ionized by the stellar X-ray/EUV (XUV) radiation and formation of an equatorial current-carrying plasma disk will be consequently taken into account. Altogether, the work within SP06 will be based on the knowledge regarding the stellar (including the Sun analogue stars) activity, radiation and wind conditions delivered by the subprojects SP04 and SP05. The resulting exoplanetary magnetosphere models will be used in the SP07 for the modelling of exoplanetary ENA coronas and related observational implications for the diagnostics of stellar winds and planetary magnetic dynamos.