The Sun as a fundamental calibrator of stellar evolution

TL;DR

The Sun's precisely known properties serve as a fundamental benchmark for testing and improving stellar evolution models and asteroseismic age determination techniques.

Contribution

This paper highlights the Sun's role as a key calibrator in stellar evolution and discusses how solar modelling informs asteroseismic methods for age estimation.

Findings

Solar properties are known with high precision, providing a unique calibration point.

Helioseismology offers detailed insights into the Sun's internal structure.

Solar modelling enhances the accuracy of stellar age determination techniques.

Abstract

The Sun is unique amongst stars in having a precisely determined age which does not depend on the modelling of stellar evolution. Furthermore, other global properties of the Sun are known to much higher accuracy than for any other star. Also, helioseismology has provided detailed determination of the solar internal structure and rotation. As a result, the Sun plays a central role in the development and test of stellar modelling. Here I discuss solar modelling and its application to tests of asteroseismic techniques for stellar age determination.