Solar-like pulsating stars as distance indicators: G-K giants in the CoRoT and Kepler fields

TL;DR

This paper discusses how solar-like oscillations in G-K giants observed by CoRoT and Kepler enable precise, largely model-independent distance and mass measurements, advancing stellar population studies.

Contribution

It demonstrates the use of seismic data from CoRoT and Kepler to determine stellar distances and masses for thousands of G-K giants.

Findings

Seismic constraints allow accurate stellar radii and distances.

Thousands of G-K giants' distances have been determined.

The method improves understanding of stellar populations in the Galaxy.

Abstract

The detection of radial and non-radial solar-like oscillations in thousands of G-K giants with CoRoT and Kepler is paving the road for detailed studies of stellar populations in the Galaxy. The available average seismic constraints allow a precise and largely model-independent determination of stellar radii (hence distances) and masses. We here briefly report on the distance determination of thousands of giants in the CoRoT and Kepler fields of view.