Volume-limited samples indicate that red dwarfs are the most abundant stars in the Milky Way and account for most of its mass, despite their low individual masses. However, because of their low luminosity, they are extremely underdetected in magnitude-limited surveys. Complicating the task of identification is the fact that they have the same temperature as red giants and thus are in the same spectral class. We must therefore look for certain spectral features to differentiate between dwarfs and giants. Intermediate-to-broad-band photometry is one method that allows us to perform this task quantitatively. The 2MASS point source catalog contains data for -0.5 billion objects, including photometry in three broadband infrared filters. This paper discusses the manner in which these data can be analyzed to find red dwarfs and the success rate of such analysis. / Department of Physics and Astronomy
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:BSU/oai:cardinalscholar.bsu.edu:handle/187697 |
| Date | January 2004 |
| Creators | Snyder, Lucas A. |
| Contributors | Robertson, Thomas H. (Thomas Herbert) |
| Source Sets | Ball State University |
| Detected Language | English |
| Format | 25, [2] leaves : col. ill. ; 28 cm. |
| Source | Virtual Press |
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