Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astronomy
Scientific paper
Jan 2010
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2010aas...21542508b&link_type=abstract
American Astronomical Society, AAS Meeting #215, #425.08; Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, Vol. 42, p.337
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astronomy
Scientific paper
40 Eridani (omicron-2 Eri) is a bright nearby (d=5.04+/-0.02 pc) triple star system. 40 Eri A is a 4.4-mag K1 V star and its two more distant ( 400 AU) companion stars, 40 Eri B and 40 Eri C (which form an astrometric binary system), are a 9th mag DA4 white dwarf & an 11th mag M4.5 star. 40 Eri A is well known (in science fiction circles) as the probable host star to the planet Vulcan; however, 40 Eri is also well known in astronomy as containing the first identified white dwarf , only a handful of which have well-determine dynamical masses. Utilizing archival X-ray, ultraviolet (IUE) data, and Ca II HK emission measures, we determined (or improved) the properties of the system members. Using calibrated age-rotation-activity relations developed by us and others, we determine an age of 5.2+/-1.2 Gyr for 40 Eri A (and thus the system). It appears that 40 Eri A has similar activity levels (and thus age) to Alpha Centauri B - a middle-age ( 5.5+/-0.5 Gyr) K1 V star. This age is in good agreement with the age estimated from white dwarf component of 5.0+/-1 Gyr [main-sequence + cooling time (0.1Gyr)].
The accurate age, evolution, and mass of the hot white dwarf star provide a firm benchmark for calibrating ages/cooling times of lower mass white dwarfs. The implications of this new age determination on the evolution & cooling times of low mass white dwarfs (like 40 Eri B) and cosmochronology are discussed. Furthermore, we are carrying out high precision photometry of 40 Eri A with the aim of determining its rotation period (from star spot modulations) and thus its age using rotation-age relations for dK stars.
This work is partially supported with grants from NSF/RUI & NASA/FUSE programs.
Ballouz Ronald-Louis
Engle Scott G.
Guinan Edward F.
Wasatonic Richard
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