Interferometric radii of bright Kepler stars with the CHARA Array: θ Cygni and 16 Cygni A and B

T. R. White*, D. Huber, V. Maestro, T. R. Bedding, M. J. Ireland, F. Baron, T. S. Boyajian, X. Che, J. D. Monnier, B. J S Pope, R. M. Roettenbacher, D. Stello, P. G. Tuthill, C. D. Farrington, P. J. Goldfinger, H. A. McAlister, G. H. Schaefer, J. Sturmann, L. Sturmann, T. A. ten BrummelaarN. H. Turner

*Corresponding author for this work

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    Abstract

    We present the results of long-baseline optical interferometry observations using the Precision Astronomical Visual Observations (PAVO) beam combiner at the Center for High Angular Resolution Astronomy (CHARA) Array to measure the angular sizes of three bright Kepler stars: θ Cygni, and both components of the binary system 16 Cygni. Supporting infrared observations were made with the Michigan Infrared Combiner (MIRC) and Classic beam combiner, also at the CHARA Array. We find limb-darkened angular diameters of 0.753 ± 0.009 mas for θ Cyg, 0.539 ± 0.007 mas for 16 Cyg A and 0.490 ± 0.006 mas for 16 Cyg B. The Kepler Mission has observed these stars with outstanding photometric precision, revealing the presence of solar-like oscillations. Due to the brightness of these stars the oscillations have exceptional signal-to-noise, allowing for detailed study through asteroseismology, and are well constrained by other observations. We have combined our interferometric diameters with Hipparcos parallaxes, spectrophotometric bolometric fluxes and the asteroseismic large frequency separation to measure linear radii (θ Cyg: 1.48 ± 0.02 R, 16 Cyg A: 1.22 ± 0.02 R, 16 Cyg B: 1.12 ± 0.02 R), effective temperatures (θ Cyg: 6749 ± 44 K, 16 Cyg A: 5839 ± 42 K, 16 Cyg B: 5809 ± 39 K) and masses (θ Cyg: 1.37 ± 0.04 M, 16 Cyg A: 1.07 ± 0.05M, 16 Cyg B: 1.05 ± 0.04M) for each star with very little model dependence. The measurements presented here will provide strong constraints for future stellar modelling efforts.

    Original languageEnglish
    Article numberstt802
    Pages (from-to)1262-1270
    Number of pages9
    JournalMonthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
    Volume433
    Issue number2
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - Jul 2013

    Bibliographical note

    This article has been accepted for publication in Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. Copyright 2013 The Authors. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Royal Astronomical Society. All rights reserved.

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