| |
 |
| Paper: |
ISAAC: Interferometric Survey to Determine A-Star Ages using CHARA |
| Volume: |
487, Resolving The Future Of Astronomy With Long-Baseline Interferometry |
| Page: |
297 |
| Authors: |
Jones, J.; White, R.; Boyajian, T.; Schaefer, G.; Baines, E.; Ireland, M.; Patience, J.; McAlister, H.; ten Brummelaar, T. |
| Abstract: |
Observational studies of A-type stars continue to shape our basic understanding of circumstellar disks and extrasolar planets.
The first directly imaged circumstellar disks and extrasolar planets were discovered around A-type stars, and they still harbor
the best-studied of these systems. Nevertheless, our understanding of the temporal evolution of disks and planets is in many ways
limited by the poorly known ages of A-stars; most are known only to 50–200%. The CHARA Array has the unique ability to overcome
this limitation by measuring the sizes of A-stars. A-stars evolve significantly in size while on the main sequence, so this straightforward
measurement can constrain the age to within less than 20%! We plan to use CHARA to determine such ages for all single, northern A-stars within
50 pc. Extrasolar disk and planet studies will undoubtedly continue to focus on the A-type stars over the next decade, so determining
the precise size and ages of the nearest of these will help ensure the long-term legacy of long-baseline interferometry. |
|
|
|
|
|
