University of
Notre Dame
College of
Science
Department of
Physics

Astrophysics Seminar

 

Going Beyond the Sun: Precise Tests of Stellar Models for Main-sequence Stars

 

Professor Donald M. Terndrup
Ohio State University

 

 

Tuesday, May 2, 2006   12:30 pm   NSH 184

 

Helioseismology has provided us with what we need for highly accurate models of the Sun and (one assumes) solar-like stars. This permits the distance scale for nearby clusters to be determined to great precision. Future astrometric satellites will generate accurate stellar parallaxes, but in order to use these effectively we also need good stellar temperatures and metal abundances. I will present a discussion of the many issues involved in using stellar parallaxes to calibrate stellar evolution models, particularly of metal-poor main-sequence stars (subdwarfs). The main problem is the inability of spectroscopists to settle on a uniform temperature scale.

 

 


All interested persons are cordially invited to attend.