Coronal Structure of Pre-Main Sequence Stars

The study of pre-main sequence stellar coronae is undertaken in many different wavelength regimes, with apparently conflicting results. X-ray studies of T Tauri stars suggest the presence of loops with a range of sizes ranging from less than a stellar radius to 10 stellar radii. Some of these stars show a clear rotational modulation in X-rays, but many do not and indeed the nature of this emission and its dependence on stellar mass and rotation rate is still a matter of debate. Some component of it may come from the accretion shock, but the location and extent of the accretion funnels (inferred from optical and UV observations) is as much of a puzzle as the mass accretion rate that they carry. Mass and angular momentum are not only gained by the star in the process of accretion, but also lost in either jets or winds. Linking all these different features is the magnetic field. Recent observations suggest the presence of structure on many scales, with a complex, multipolar field on small scales near the surface co-existing with a much simpler field structure on the larger scales at which the stellar field may be linking onto a surrounding disk. Some recent models suggest that the open field lines which are responsible for carrying gas escaping in winds and jets may also be responsible for much of the infalling accretion flow. The aim of this splinter session was to bring together the most recent results from these different wavelength regimes to see if a consistent picture emerged which can shed light on the structure of the coronae of these young objects.