On ageing star clusters using red supergiants independent of the fraction of interacting binary stars. (20th April 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Eldridge, J J; Beasor, Emma R; Britavskiy, N
• Is Part Of: Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. Volume 495:Number 1(2020)
• Page Start: L102
• Page End: L107
• Publication Date: 2020-04-20
• Subjects: binaries: general -- stars: massive -- supergiants -- galaxies: star clusters: general; Astronomy -- Research -- Periodicals; Periodicals; 520.5
• DOI: 10.1093/mnrasl/slaa067
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1745-3933

Abstract

ABSTRACT: We use the Binary Population and Spectral Synthesis models to test the recent suggestion that red supergiants can provide an accurate age estimate of a coeval stellar population that is unaffected by interacting binary stars. Ages are estimated by using both the minimum luminosity of red supergiants and the mean luminosity of red supergiants in a cluster. We test these methods on a number of observed star clusters and find our results in agreement with previous estimates. Importantly, we find the difference between the ages derived from stellar population models with and without a realistic population of interacting binary stars is only a few hundred thousand years at most. We find that the mean luminosity of red supergiants in a cluster is the best method to determine the age of a cluster because it is based on the entire red supergiant population rather than using only the least luminous red supergiant.