NOAO > Observing Info > Approved Programs > 2003A-0269
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NOAO > Observing Info > Approved Programs > 2003A-0269 |
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PI: Leslie Hebb, Johns Hopkins University, leslieh@pha.jhu.edu
Address: Physics Department, 3400 N. Charles St, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
CoI: Rosemary Wyse, Johns Hopkins University
CoI: Gerard Gilmore, IoA, University of Cambridge
Title: Eclipsing Binary M dwarfs and the Low Mass Stellar M/L Ratio
Abstract:
We propose to complete our on-going survey with the KPNO-4m of a
well selected sample of open clusters to identify candidate eclipsing M-
dwarfs through their relative light variations. These clusters are of
known distance, age, and metallicity from their higher luminosity turn-
off members. The candidate eclipsing M-dwarfs will, with follow-up
spectroscopy, be used to calibrate the Mass-Luminosity-Radius relation
at low masses, as a function of age and metallicity. This is a
fundamental, but poorly constrained quantity for low mass stars. Side
benefits of our survey will include an improved knowledge of the binary
fraction at low masses. Further, we will obtain a high-quality set of
CMDs, as a function of location within a given cluster, to allow
investigation of mass segregation and dynamical evolution within open
clusters.
National Optical Astronomy Observatory, 950 North Cherry Avenue, P.O. Box 26732, Tucson, Arizona 85726, Phone: (520) 318-8000, Fax: (520) 318-8360
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NOAO > Observing Info > Approved Programs > 2003A-0269 |
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