Ensemble asteroseismology: An ensemble approach to detecting signatures of solar-like oscillations in K-dwarfs
Solar-like oscillations have to date been observed in hundreds of main-sequence and sub-giant stars. However, only a handful of detections have been made in K-type dwarfs, using ground-based extreme precision radial velocity observations and space-based photometric observations made by the NASA \emph{Kepler} and TESS missions. Whilst the upcoming ESA PLATO Mission promises to add to these individual detections, it will do so only in a similar, modest number of stars. Here, we propose a new ensemble strategy to exploit the PLATO data, in which frequency power spectra on hundreds of K-dwarfs lying in constrained ranges of effective temperature are combined in a weighted manner to significantly improve the detectability of the oscillations. Whilst this approach means it is not possible to extract usable constraints on individual oscillation frequencies, it provides a way to detect and measure the characteristics of the composite envelope of oscillation power given by the ensemble, which in turn provides diagnostics of granulation and magneto-convection and the impact of magnetic activity on the modes. We use data in the PLATO Input Catalogue (PIC) to make discrete numerical predictions of the detectability of the ensemble spectra. We also derive a simple analytical approximation of our method that obviates the need to perform numerical calculations over a discrete sample of targets, and which serves as a useful tool to make quick predictions for other future or planned missions. Our predictions indicate that PLATO has the potential to provide solid ensemble detections well into the K-dwarf regime. In summary, PLATO offers an ideal opportunity to exploit this new approach.