Physics
Scientific paper
Feb 2001
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2001noao.prop..267v&link_type=abstract
NOAO Proposal ID #2001A-0267
Physics
Scientific paper
A persistent problem in modern cosmology is the discrepancy between the expansion age of the Universe and the ages of globular clusters. This disagreement may mean that the ages derived from stellar evolutionary models are in error. Photometric age determinations demand correct predictions for quantities which are particularly hard to calculate in these models. We propose to use the RC Spectrograph at the CTIO 4m telescope to study newly-discovered eclipsing binaries around the main-sequence turnoff in the globular cluster NGC 3201. Our goal is to place a lower limit on the turnoff mass - and hence an upper limit on the age - of this cluster. This limit, based on a very simple description of binary evolution (see section on Scientific Justification), sidesteps many of the uncertainties inherent in the stellar models, and, in addition, is largely independent of the distance to as well as the reddening of the cluster. This procedure is possible because a) we have obtained photometric light curves of 6 binary candidates of which 2 are very likely detached systems; precise orbital inclinations can be derived from these binary candidates, b) the uncertainty for the cluster turnoff mass will be approximately +/- 0.04 M&sun;M, or about +/- 2 Gyr, and c) all of the binaries are likely double-lined eclipsing systems for which all the relevant masses and mass ratios can be derived independently of the stellar models. Observations at KPNO show this is feasible.
Mateo Mario
von Braun Kaspar
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