The radius and other fundamental parameters of the F9V star β Virginis
Stello, D.; Tuthill, P. G.; Lacour, S.; Davis, J.; Bruntt, H.; Ireland, M. J.; Bedding, T. R.; Tango, W. J.; Jacob, A. P.; North, J. R.; Robertson, J. G.; Owens, S. M.; O'Byrne, J. W.
Australia
Abstract
We have used the Sydney University Stellar Interferometer (SUSI) to measure the angular diameter of the F9V star β Virginis (β Vir). After correcting for limb darkening and combining with the revised Hipparcos parallax, we derive a radius of 1.703 +/- 0.022Rsolar (1.3 per cent). We have also calculated the bolometric flux from published measurements which, combined with the angular diameter, implies an effective temperature of 6059 +/- 49K (0.8 per cent). We also derived the luminosity of β Vir to be L = 3.51 +/- 0.08Lsolar (2.1 per cent). Solar-like oscillations were measured in this star by Carrier et al. and using their value for the large frequency separation yields the mean stellar density with an uncertainty of about 2 per cent. Our constraints on the fundamental parameters of β Vir will be important to test the theoretical models of this star and its oscillations.