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Eclipsing binary stars as tests of stellar evolutionary models and stellar ages

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 October 2008

Keivan G. Stassun ,
Leslie Hebb ,
Mercedes López-Morales  and
Andrej Prša
Keivan G. Stassun
Affiliation:
Physics & Astronomy Dept., Vanderbilt University, VU Station B 1807, Nashville, TN 37235 email: keivan.stassun@vanderbilt.edu
Leslie Hebb
Affiliation:
University of St. Andrews
Mercedes López-Morales
Affiliation:
Carnegie Institution of Washington
Andrej Prša
Affiliation:
Villanova University
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Abstract

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Eclipsing binary stars provide highly accurate measurements of the fundamental physical properties of stars. They therefore serve as stringent tests of the predictions of evolutionary models upon which most stellar age determinations are based. Models generally perform very well in predicting coeval ages for eclipsing binaries with main-sequence components more massive than ≈1.2 M⊙; relative ages are good to ~5% or better in this mass regime. Low-mass main-sequence stars (M < 0.8 M⊙) reveal large discrepancies in the model predicted ages, primarily due to magnetic activity in the observed stars that appears to inhibit convection and likely causes the radii to be 10–20% larger than predicted. In mass-radius diagrams these stars thus appear 50–90% older or younger than they really are. Aside from these activity-related effects, low-mass pre–main-sequence stars at ages ~1 Myr can also show non-coevality of ~30% due to star formation effects, however these effects are largely erased after ~10 Myr.

Keywords

binaries: eclipsingstars: activityatmospheresevolutionformationfundamental parameterslow-massbrown dwarfs
Type
Contributed Papers
Information
Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union , Volume 4 , Symposium S258: The Ages of Stars , October 2008 , pp. 161 - 170
Copyright
Copyright © International Astronomical Union 2009

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