Mass-radius relation of low and very low-mass stars revisited with the VLTI

2009/06/02 by Brice-Olivier Demory, B. -O. Demory, D. Segransan +16 · 7 citations
Physics and Astronomy · #Astronomy #Astronomy and Astrophysical Research #Astrophysics #Astrophysics and Star Formation Studies #Galaxy #Interferometry #Low Mass #Luminosity #Magnetic field #Physics #RADIUS #Solar mass #Solar radius #Stars #Stellar, planetary, and galactic studies #astro-ph.SR

paper · pdf · doi:10.1051/0004-6361/200911976

12 pages. Accepted on 16/05/2009 (A&A)

arxiv created 2009/06/02 · openalex publication_date 2009/07/24 · arxiv updated 2015/05/13 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05

Abstract

We measured the radii of 7 low and very low-mass stars using long baseline interferometry with the VLTI interferometer and its VINCI and AMBER near-infrared recombiners. We use these new data, together with literature measurements, to examine the luminosity-radius and mass-radius relations for K and M dwarfs. The precision of the new interferometric radii now competes with what can be obtained for double-lined eclipsing binaries. Interferometry provides access to much less active stars, as well as to stars with much better measured distances and luminosities, and therefore complements the information obtained from eclipsing systems. The radii of magnetically quiet late-K to M dwarfs match the predictions of stellar evolution models very well, providing direct confirmation that magnetic activity explains the discrepancy that was recently found for magnetically active eclipsing systems. The radii of the early K dwarfs are reproduced well for a mixing length parameter that approaches the solar value, as qualitatively expected.

Citations

• The radii of the nearby K5V and K7V stars 61 Cygni A & B
• Metallicity of M dwarfs I. A photometric calibration and impact on the mass-luminosity relation at the bottom of the main sequence
• Absolute Dimensions of the M‐Type Eclipsing Binary YY Geminorum (Castor C): A Challenge to Evolutionary Models in the Lower Main Sequence
• First radius measurements of very low mass stars with the VLTI
• The empirical mass-luminosity relation for low mass stars
• Metallicity measurements using atomic lines in M and K dwarf stars
• The calibration of interferometric visibilities obtained with single-mode optical interferometers
• Vertical distribution of Galactic disk stars

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• Detecting Proxima b’s Atmosphere with JWST Targeting CO2 at 15 μm Using a High-pass Spectral Filtering Technique
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