# The metallicity sensitivity of a surface brightness temperature scale

## TL;DR

This paper investigates how metallicity affects the V-K color surface brightness relation, revealing its significance in improving the accuracy of extragalactic distance measurements using standard candles.

## Contribution

It demonstrates that metallicity sensitivity is a crucial factor in the surface brightness calibration, impacting the precision of distance estimates like those for the Large Magellanic Cloud.

## Key findings

- Metallicity significantly influences the V-K surface brightness relation.
- Neglecting metallicity introduces notable errors in distance measurements.
- Improved calibration can enhance the accuracy of extragalactic distance scales.

## Abstract

To obtain the accuracy now sought in the extragalactic distance scale through standard candles and rulers, calibration of stellar photometry must be improved. The sensitivity of the V-K color surface brightness relation is examined here by means of model atmosphere fluxes. It has previously been neglected, but is shown here to be a significant term in the error budget of a recent high precision distance of the Large Magellanic Cloud, an anchor in galaxy distances based on Cepheids.