Expanding Asteroseismic Studies in Star Clusters Using NASA's TESS and ESA's Gaia Missions

TL;DR

This study leverages NASA's TESS and ESA's Gaia data to expand asteroseismic analysis in star clusters, enhancing calibration and age estimation of stars by analyzing oscillations in multiple clusters and stars.

Contribution

It introduces a method to identify and analyze oscillating stars in star clusters using TESS and Gaia data, significantly expanding the sample for asteroseismic calibration.

Findings

Increased number of clusters with measured oscillating giants.

Enhanced cross-validation between stellar models and asteroseismic data.

Improved calibration techniques for stellar ages and properties.

Abstract

Star clusters have long been central to the study of stellar evolution due to their chemically and chronologically homogeneous populations. Asteroseismology, the analysis of stellar oscillations and pulsations, provides precise information about properties such as masses, radii, and ages of stars in the field. However, these stars lack calibration to an absolute scale, and so this project seeks to utilize the data from NASA's TESS mission and ESA's Gaia mission to identify additional cluster stars suitable for asteroseismic analysis and calibration. In this work we analyze 14 stars belonging to 3 well-populated clusters, 5 additional stars that are the only detected oscillators in their respective clusters, and 3 detected oscillators of unknown cluster membership. By significantly expanding the number of clusters with measured oscillating giants, this project increases the opportunity for cross-validation between classical stellar models and asteroseismic methods, allowing for improvements in both calibration techniques and age estimations across the galaxy.