Published September 1, 2017 | Version v1
Journal article

The Ages and Masses of a Million Galactic-disk Main-sequence Turnoff and Subgiant Stars from the LAMOST Galactic Spectroscopic Surveys

  • 1. Key Laboratory of Optical Astronomy, National Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100012 (China)
  • 2. Department of Astronomy, Peking University, Beijing 100871 (China)
  • 3. Department of Astronomy, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875 (China)

Description

We present estimates of stellar age and mass for 0.93 million Galactic-disk main-sequence turnoff and subgiant stars from the LAMOST Galactic Spectroscopic Surveys. The ages and masses are determined by matching with stellar isochrones using a Bayesian algorithm, utilizing effective temperature T e f f , absolute magnitude M V , metallicity [Fe/H], and α-element to iron abundance ratio [α/Fe] deduced from the LAMOST spectra. Extensive examinations suggest the age and mass estimates are robust. Overall, the sample stars have a median error of 34% for the age estimates, and half of the stars older than 2 Gyr have age uncertainties of only 20%–30%. The median error for the mass estimates of the whole sample of stars is ∼8%. The huge data set demonstrates good correlations among stellar age, [Fe/H] ([α/H]), and [α/Fe]. Particularly, double-sequence features are revealed in both the age–[α/Fe] and age–[Fe/H]([α/H]) spaces. In the [Fe/H]–[α/Fe] space, stars of 8–10 Gyr exhibit both the thin and thick disk sequences, while younger (older) stars show only the thin (thick) disk sequence, indicating that the thin disk became prominent 8–10 Gyr ago, while the thick disk formed earlier and was almost quenched 8 Gyr ago. Stellar ages exhibit positive vertical and negative radial gradients across the disk, and the outer disk of R ≳ 9 kpc exhibits a strong flare in stellar age distribution.

Availability note (English)

Available from http://dx.doi.org/10.3847/1538-4365/aa80e4

Additional details

Identifiers

Publishing Information

Journal Title
Astrophysical Journal, Supplement Series
Journal Volume
232
Journal Issue
1
Journal Page Range
[20 p.]
ISSN
0067-0049
CODEN
APJSA2

INIS

Country of Publication
United States
Country of Input or Organization
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
INIS RN
51034630
Subject category
S79: ASTROPHYSICS, COSMOLOGY AND ASTRONOMY;
Descriptors DEI
AGE ESTIMATION; CATALOGS; GALAXIES; IRON; MASS; METALLICITY; SPECTROSCOPY; STARS; STATISTICS
Descriptors DEC
DOCUMENT TYPES; ELEMENTS; MATHEMATICS; METALS; TRANSITION ELEMENTS