New methods for determining the ages of PMS stars
Naylor, T; Mayne, NJ; Jeffries, RD; et al.Littlefair, SP; Saunders, ES
Date: 1 October 2008
Journal
Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union
Publisher
Cambridge University Press (CUP) for International Astronomical Union (IAU)
Publisher DOI
Abstract
We present three new methods for determining the age of groups of pre-main-sequence stars. The first, creating empirical isochrones allows us to create a robust age ordering, but not to derive actual ages. The second, using the width of the gap in colour-magnitude space between the pre-main-sequence and main-sequence (the radiative ...
We present three new methods for determining the age of groups of pre-main-sequence stars. The first, creating empirical isochrones allows us to create a robust age ordering, but not to derive actual ages. The second, using the width of the gap in colour-magnitude space between the pre-main-sequence and main-sequence (the radiative convective gap) has promise as a distance and extinction independent measure of age, but is as yet uncalibrated. Finally we discuss tau-squared fitting of the main sequence as the stars approach the terminus of the main sequence. This method suggests that there is a factor two difference between these "nuclear" ages, and more conventional pre-main-sequence contraction ages.
Physics and Astronomy
Faculty of Environment, Science and Economy
Item views 0
Full item downloads 0