The Ages of Early-type Stars: Strömgren Photometric Methods Calibrated, Validated, Tested, and Applied to Hosts and Prospective Hosts of Directly Imaged Exoplanets

doi:10.1088/0004-637X/804/2/146

The Ages of Early-type Stars: Strömgren Photometric Methods Calibrated, Validated, Tested, and Applied to Hosts and Prospective Hosts of Directly Imaged Exoplanets

Age determination is undertaken for nearby early type (BAF) stars, which constitute attractive targets for high-contrast debris disk and planet imaging surveys. Our analysis sequence consists of acquisition of uvbyβべーた photometry from catalogs, correction for the effects of extinction, interpolation of the photometry onto model atmosphere grids from which atmospheric parameters are determined, and finally, comparison to the theoretical isochrones from pre-main sequence through post-main sequence stellar evolution models, accounting for the effects of stellar rotation. We calibrate and validate our methods at the atmospheric parameter stage by comparing our results to fundamentally determined T_eff and log g values. We validate and test our methods at the evolutionary model stage by comparing our results on ages to the accepted ages of several benchmark open clusters (IC 2602, αあるふぁ Persei, Pleiades, Hyades). Finally, we apply our methods to estimate stellar ages for 3493 field stars, including several with directly imaged exoplanet candidates.

Publication:

The Astrophysical Journal

Pub Date:

May 2015

DOI:

10.1088/0004-637X/804/2/146

arXiv:

arXiv:1501.03154

Bibcode:

2015ApJ...804..146D

Keywords:

catalogs;
Hertzsprung–Russell and C–M diagrams;
planetary systems;
stars: early-type;
stars: evolution;
stars: fundamental parameters;
Astrophysics - Solar and Stellar Astrophysics

E-Print:

accepted to ApJ, 38 pages, 29 figures, 12 tables

NASA/ADS