Related papers: The radius discrepancy in low mass stars: single v…
Active, low-mass stars are widely observed to have radii that are larger than predicted by standard stellar models. Proposed mechanisms for this radius inflation generally involve stellar magnetism, either in the form of added pressure…
We present the characterization of 5 new short-period low-mass eclipsing binaries from the WFCAM Transit Survey. The analysis was performed by using the photometric WFCAM J-mag data and additional low- and intermediate-resolution…
Evolutionary models of pre-main sequence stars remain largely uncalibrated, especially for masses below that of the Sun, making each new dynamical mass and radius measurement a valuable test of theoretical models. Stellar mass dependent…
The radius valley, i.e., a dearth of planets with radii between 1.5 and 2 Earth radii, provides insights into planetary formation and evolution. Using homogenously revised planetary parameters from Kepler 1-minute short cadence light…
This paper presents and discusses a critical compilation of accurate, fundamental determinations of stellar masses and radii. We have identified 95 detached binary systems containing 190 stars (94 eclipsing systems, and alpha Centauri) that…
Most binaries are undetected. Astrometric reductions of a system using the assumption that the object moves like a single point mass can be biased by unresolved binary stars. The discrepancy between the centre of mass of the system (which…
Some low-mass stars appear to have larger radii than predicted by standard 1D structure models; prior work has suggested that inefficient convective heat transport, due to rotation and/or magnetism, may ultimately be responsible. We examine…
We examine the evolution of low-mass star and brown dwarf eclipsing binaries. These objects are rapid rotators and are believed to shelter large magnetic fields. We suggest that reduced convective efficiency, due to fast rotation and large…
The mass discrepancy problem, observed in high-mass stars within eclipsing binaries, highlights systematic differences between dynamical and evolutionary mass estimates, challenging the accuracy of stellar evolution models. We aim to…
In the realm of massive stars, strong binary interaction is commonplace. One extreme case are overcontact systems, which is expected to be part of the evolution of all stars evolving towards a merger, and is hypothesized to play a role in…
Stellar fundamental properties (masses, radii, effective temperatures) can be extracted from observations of eclipsing binary systems with remarkable precision, often better than 2%. Such precise measurements afford us the opportunity to…
Full tests to stellar models below 1 Msun have been hindered until now by the scarce number of precise measurements of the stars' most fundamental parameters: their masses and radii. With the current observational techniques, the required…
Based on a large number of observations carried out in the last decade it appears that the fraction of stars with protoplanetary disks declines steadily between ~1 Myr and ~10 Myr. We do, however, know that the multiplicity fraction of…
In radiative layers of rotating stars the luminosity carried by circulation currents through a surface of constant entropy (circulation luminosity) is shown to be positive. The corresponding decrease in the temperature gradient is important…
Precise measurements of stellar parameters are required in order to develop our theoretical understanding of stellar structure. These measurements enable errors and uncertainties to be quantified in theoretical models and constrain the…
Statistical assessment of stellar parameters enables validation and improvements in theoretical models. We compiled a sample of 85 transiting stellar and substellar companions, with masses ranging from $\sim$13-100 $M_\mathrm{Jup}$. We…
Observations of low-mass stars have frequently shown a disagreement between observed stellar radii and radii predicted by theoretical stellar structure models. This ``radius inflation'' problem could have an impact on both stellar and…
Stars are stretched by tidal interactions in tight binaries, and changes to their projected areas introduce photometric variations twice per orbit. Hermes et al. (2014, ApJ, 792, 39) utilized measurements of these ellipsoidal variations to…
We assess the systematic uncertainties in stellar evolutionary calculations for low- to intermediate-mass, main-sequence stars. We compare published stellar tracks from several different evolution codes with our own tracks computed using…
Several low-mass eclipsing binary stars show larger than expected radii for their measured mass, metallicity and age. One proposed mechanism for this radius inflation involves inhibited internal convection and starspots caused by strong…