Uniform characterisation of an ensemble of main-sequence benchmark stars: effect of Gaia-based data on grid search models

TL;DR

This study evaluates how Gaia-based luminosity data improves the accuracy of stellar parameter inference in main-sequence stars, highlighting the importance of precise radius measurements and mode frequencies.

Contribution

It provides a uniform characterization of main-sequence benchmark stars and assesses the impact of Gaia data on grid search models for stellar parameters.

Findings

Gaia luminosity improves mass estimates for some stars.

Inferred radii are underestimated compared to interferometric radii.

Precise interferometric radii significantly enhance mass determination accuracy.

Abstract

The inference of stellar parameters (such as radius and mass) through asteroseismic forward modelling depends on the number, accuracy, and precision of seismic and atmospheric constraints. ESA's Gaia space mission is providing precise parallaxes which yield an additional constraint to be included in the model grid search. Using a handful of main-sequence benchmark stars, we perform a uniform characterisation of these stars. We assess the accuracy and precision of stellar parameters inferred from grid-based searches when a Gaia-based luminosity is combined with different stellar constraints. We also examine the precision needed for an interferometric radius (model-independent radius) to have a significant contribution towards the determination of stellar mass in the optimisation process. Our findings show that more precise stellar masses are inferred for some stars when seismic and spectroscopic constraints are complemented with a Gaia-based luminosity, with a scatter varying from 1.9 per cent to 0.8 per cent. However, the inferred stellar radii are underestimated when compared to the interferometric radii and yield a scatter of $\sim$1.9 per cent. In addition, we demonstrate that a precisely measured interferometric radius ($\lesssim$ 1 per cent) when applied in the optimisation process yields a mass with a precision $\lesssim$ 1.5 per cent. Finally, we find that when only $l=0$ mode oscillation frequencies are available, robust masses and radii are still attainable. However, this requires precise and numerous $l=0$ mode oscillations frequencies ($>$ 8) to be coupled with atmospheric constraints.