arXiv subjects

Desmond H. Grossmann

Publications and source records attributed to Desmond H. Grossmann.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Asteroseismology and interferometry of the F7V spectroscopic binary $χ$ Draconis A in the TESS CVZ

We present a detailed analysis of the asteroseismic main-sequence benchmark star $χ$ Dra A in the TESS northern CVZ. We aim to derive stellar mass and radius from asteroseismic modelling of individual mode frequencies and test the asteroseismic mass and radius against an independent dynamical mass and interferometric radius measurement. We determined the dynamical mass of $χ$ Dra using 618 radial velocity measurements obtained with the SONG telescope at Tenerife, and 53 relative astrometric measurements. With the PAVO beam combiner at CHARA, we obtained the interferometric radius of $χ$ Dra A. We determined asteroseismic parameters from 16 sectors of 20-sec cadence TESS photometry. We determined $T_{\rm eff}=6277\pm30$ K, $\rm [Fe/H] =-0.51\pm0.03$ dex, and $[α/\rm Fe]=0.08\pm0.03$ dex from the spectroscopic analysis. For the dynamical fit we obtained a mass of $M_{\rm A}=1.028 \pm 0.004$ $\rm M_{\odot}$ for $χ$ Dra A, and $M_{\rm B}=0.735 \pm 0.003$ $\rm M_{\odot}$ for $χ$ Dra B. Combining the derived interferometric angular diameter with dynamical parallax yields an interferometric radius of $R_{\rm A} = 1.159^{+0.029}_{-0.028}$ $\rm R_{\odot}$. In the TESS power spectrum, we identified 38 individual oscillating modes. Using these modes, we modelled the star with nine independent pipelines to test the resulting model mass and radius against our independently calculated mass and radius. All models yielded masses slightly lower than the dynamical mass. Using asteroseismic scaling relations, we found that scaling masses from corrected scaling relations best reproduce the dynamical mass. The combination of spectroscopy, interferometry, and asteroseismology has yielded precise results for the main component of the $χ$ Dra system, making it one of the best-characterised main-sequence solar-like oscillators.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2026

Hints of enhanced magnetic activity after the intermediate rotation period gap as traced by the chromospheric Ca ii infrared triplet

For low-mass stars (M < 1.4 Msun), the connection between stellar rotation and magnetic activity governs stellar spin-down, shapes the environments of their exoplanets, and provides an age-diagnostic via magneto-gyro-chronology. Recently, unexpected phenomena known as the intermediate rotation period gap and the rotational stalling have been discovered. These are likely due to internal angular momentum redistribution, and mark departures from a smooth spin-down evolution. These features have been shown to cause enhanced magnetic activity on the photosphere, as measured by the photometric index from light curves (Sph), in both cluster and field stars. However, their influence on other magnetic activity proxies, and particularly in field stars, remains poorly understood. In this work, we study the impact of the intermediate-period gap on chromospheric magnetic activity as traced by the Ca ii infrared triplet (IRT) index. We target the stars observed by the Kepler mission, as this is the largest and most reliable sample of field stars with measured rotation periods sensitive to the gap. We calculate the Ca ii IRT index for the Kepler stars using the spectroscopic information from the Gaia mission data release three (DR3). We study the rotation-activity relation as a function of spectral type, finding that K dwarfs are more active than G dwarfs, which in turn are more active than F dwarfs. For main-sequence stars, we find that chromospheric magnetic activity is also enhanced after the intermediate-period gap, mirroring its effect on the photospheric Sph index. Our work reveals that the intermediate-period gap marks a genuine transition in stellar magnetic behavior, not only at the photosphere but also at the chromosphere. This highlights the need to account for its signatures across activity proxies, as well as its impact on exoplanet habitability and the age-rotation-activity relation.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2026

Mining the Kepler Field: Atmospheric Parameters, Bolometric Corrections, and Luminosities

The ~ 200,000 stars observed by the Kepler mission have provided unprecedented constraints across astrophysics. With the advent of modern spectroscopic and photometric surveys, new limits in stellar characterizations are within reach. In this work, we report a compilation of atmospheric parameters (Teff, logg, and [M/H]) for the Kepler stars by crossmatching with several spectroscopic and spectro-photometric surveys. We use these to calculate bolometric corrections, which combined with color-magnitude diagram (CMD) information from Gaia yield self-consistent luminosities on a survey-by-survey basis. These properties will aid in future explorations of Kepler data towards new astrophysical insights. We make our catalog publicly available online in Zenodo (doi:10.5281/zenodo.18620911).

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2026

Testing Red Clump Models with the Asteroseismic Binary KIC 10841730

Binaries in which both stars are pulsating are rare but extremely valuable. We present the first study of an asteroseismic binary system consisting of a core helium-burning red clump (RC) star and a red giant branch (RGB) star. The Kepler target KIC 10841730 is a wide binary (period $2917 \pm 8$ d) that provides ideal conditions to test the accuracy of RC models. While prior studies of RC stars have revealed discrepancies in modelling the period spacings of mixed modes, other model parameters remain largely untested. We perform a detailed modelling analysis using individual mode frequencies and cover a large parameter space in mass, metallicity, He-abundance, mixing length, overshooting, and mass-loss, and we also explore different methods to correct for surface effects. We find two possible results for the red clump models. One solution requires introducing an unexpected offset of the phase shift in the red clump model, yielding an age consistent with the companion star and current masses of $1.01 \pm 0.06$ and $1.08 \pm 0.06$ M$_\odot$ for the RC and RGB star, respectively. Alternatively, we find that excluding the identification of two questionable radial modes resolves the phase-shift offset issue but results in a higher mass and thus a much younger age for the red clump star, contradicting the age obtained from its companion. We conclude that uncertainties in red clump models affect not only the g-mode period spacings but also the properties of the p modes. We show the power of asteroseismic binaries in validating and constraining stellar models and highlight the need for refining red-clump models.

astro-ph.SR↗