Gyrochronology of Wide Binaries in the Kepler K2
Abstract
Gyrochronology is the method of determining a stars age based on its rotation period and mass. A stars rotation rate slows down as it ages. This leads to the theory that knowing a stars rotation period and mass, we can determine that stars age. Gyronchronology has been tested on star clusters in previous studies and now we are using the theory to look at binary stars. Binary pairs of stars should be the same age, so Gyrochronology should return the same age for both stars in binary systems. We examined the rotation periods for 290 wide binary main sequence stars in the K2 fields. These observations are part of a continuing investigation on Gyrochronology. Using the determined rotation periods and an estimation of mass using color index, we aged ~20 binary pairs Presented here is a status report on our analysis of data from the K2 and the calculated ages of the studied binaries.
- Publication:
-
American Astronomical Society Meeting Abstracts #231
- Pub Date:
- January 2018
- Bibcode:
- 2018AAS...23145008S