G. A. Verner, W. J. Chaplin, S. Basu, T. M. Brown, S. Hekker, D. Huber, C. Karoff, S. Mathur, T. S. Metcalfe, B. Mosser, P.-O. Quirion, T. Appourchaux, T. R. Bedding, H. Bruntt, T. L. Campante, Y. Elsworth, R. A. García, R. Handberg, C. Régulo, I. W. Roxburgh, D. Stello, J. Christensen-Dalsgaard, R. L. Gilliland, S. D. Kawaler, H. Kjeldsen, C. Allen, B. D. Clarke, F. R. Girouard
Abstract
We calculate precise stellar radii and surface gravities from the asteroseismic analysis of over 500 solar-type pulsating stars observed by the Kepler space telescope. These physical stellar properties are compared with those given in the Kepler Input Catalog (KIC), determined from ground-based multi-color photometry. For the stars in our sample,we find general agreement butwe detect an average overestimation bias of 0.23 dex in the KIC determination of log(g) for stars with log(g)KIC > 4.0 dex, and a resultant underestimation bias of up to 50% in the KIC radii estimates for stars with RKIC < 2R☉. Part of the difference may arise from selection bias in the asteroseismic sample; nevertheless, this result implies there may be fewer stars characterized in the KIC with R ~ 1R☉ than is suggested by the physical properties in the KIC. Furthermore, if the radius estimates are taken from the KIC for these affected stars and then used to calculate the size of transiting planets, a similar underestimation bias may be applied to the planetary radii.
Keywords
stars: fundamental parameters – stars: interiors – stars: oscillations
The Astrophysical Journal Letters
Volume 738, Number 2, Page L28_1
2011 September
