On the use of empirical bolometric corrections for stars

TL;DR

This paper emphasizes the importance of consistent bolometric magnitude zero points when using empirical bolometric corrections for stars, highlighting potential errors and correcting misprints in popular polynomial fits.

Contribution

It clarifies the relationship between bolometric corrections and the Sun's bolometric magnitude, and provides corrected polynomial coefficients from Flower (1996).

Findings

Inconsistent Mbol_Sun values cause errors in stellar luminosity calculations.

Reprinted and corrected polynomial fits for BC_V from Flower (1996).

Highlights the need for consistency in bolometric correction applications.

Abstract

When making use of tabulations of empirical bolometric corrections for stars (BC_V), a commonly overlooked fact is that while the zero point is arbitrary, the bolometric magnitude of the Sun (Mbol_Sun) that is used in combination with such tables cannot be chosen arbitrarily. It must be consistent with the zero point of BC_V so that the apparent brightness of the Sun is reproduced. The latter is a measured quantity, for which we adopt the value V_Sun = -26.76 +/- 0.03. Inconsistent values of Mbol_Sun are listed in many of the most popular sources of BC_V. We quantify errors that are introduced by not paying attention to this detail. We also take the opportunity to reprint the BC_V coefficients of the often used polynomial fits by Flower (1996), which were misprinted in the original publication.