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R.P. Olling (USRA/USNO), R.A. Gaume (USNO)
Astrometric and photometric data from space missions with designs like the Full Sky Astrometric Mapping Explorer (FAME) can be used to determine the properties of 40 million stars in the greater solar neighborhood (d \la 3 kpc) brighter than V=15--16. Parallaxes/distances can be determined to 10% accuracy out to 2 kpc. The astrometric data from a FAME-like mission will be of such quality that the interpretation of the data will be limited by the availability of accurate photometry. It has been proposed to include at least six photometric bands on FAME-like missions so as to be able to estimate the fundamental stellar parameters (Teff, log(g) and [Fe/H]) and the interstellar extinction (AV and RV). Here we report on a possible 6+-band photometric system for a FAME-like mission and also investigate the effectiveness of a 3-band FAME system that is complemented by existing data: Hipparcos BT, VT, Hp photometry; ground-based data (GSC-2, SDSS) and 2MASS near-infrared photometry. A determination of the stellar metallicity for the nearest stars with FAME-parallax errors less than about 0.5% (560,000 stars) will allow the determination of ages of individual stars. Such a sample allows for the determination of the star-formation history of the Milky Way's thin & thick disks and the stellar halo, the history of metal formation, a determination of the primordial Helium abundance, searches (in phase space) for the remnants of minor galactic merger events, and more.
If you would like more information about this abstract, please follow the link to http://ad.usno.navy.mil/~olling/FAME/rpo_fame.htm. This link was provided by the author. When you follow it, you will leave the Web site for this meeting; to return, you should use the Back comand on your browser.
The author(s) of this abstract have provided an email address for comments about the abstract: olling@usno.navy.mil
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Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, 34, #4
© 2002. The American Astronomical Soceity.