Theoretical expectations for clump red giants as distance indicators

2000/10/10 by Leo Girardi, L. Girardi, Girardi, Leo
Engineering · Physics and Astronomy · #Astronomical Observations and Instrumentation #Astronomy and Astrophysical Research #Stellar, planetary, and galactic studies #astro-ph

paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.astro-ph/0010184

4 pages, invited review at IAU G.A. 24, JD13: Hipparcos and the luminosity calibration of the nearer stars

arxiv created 2000/10/10 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01

Abstract

Variations of ~0.4 mag are expected in the I-band absolute magnitude of red clump giants, M_I^RC, as a function of both stellar age and metallicity. This regardless of some potential theoretical uncertainties. Due to the quite large differences in mean ages and metallicities of clump stars among galaxies, systematic changes (also amounting up to ~0.4 mag) come out in their M_I^RC. These numbers also indicate a distance to the LMC that is not necessarily ``short''.

Related

• Optical Gravitational Lensing Experiment. Population Effects on the Mean Brightness of the Red Clump Stars
• The Araucaria Project: Dependence of mean K, J, and I absolute magnitudes of red clump stars on metallicity and age
• The "Tip" of the Red Giant Branch as a distance indicator: theoretical calibration and the value of H₀
• The Intrinsic I-Band Magnitude Dispersion of the Galactic Bulge Red Clump
• Metallicity of Red Clump Giants in Baade's Window