Interferometry and asteroseismology: The radius of τ Cet

F. P. Pijpers; T. C. Teixeira; P. J. Garcia; M. S. Cunha; M. J. P. F. G. Monteiro; J. Christensen-Dalsgaard

doi:10.1051/0004-6361:20030837

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Volume 406 / No 1 (July IV 2003)

A&A, 406 1 (2003) L15-L18

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Issue		A&A Volume 406, Number 1, July IV 2003


Page(s)		L15 - L18
Section		Letters
DOI		https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361:20030837
Published online		17 November 2003

A&A 406, L15-L18 (2003)

Letter to the Editor

Interferometry and asteroseismology: The radius of τ Cet^*

F. P. Pijpers¹, T. C. Teixeira²^,3, P. J. Garcia²^,4, M. S. Cunha², M. J. P. F. G. Monteiro²^,5 and J. Christensen-Dalsgaard¹^,3

¹ Theoretical Astrophysics Center (TAC), Department of Physics and Astronomy, Aarhus University, Ny Munkegade, 8000 Århus C, Denmark e-mail: fpp@phys.au.dk;jcd@phys.au.dk
² Centro de Astrofísica da Universidade do Porto, Rua das Estrelas, 4150-762 Porto, Portugal e-mail: pgarcia@astro.up.pt;tct@phys.au.dk;mcunha@astro.up.pt;mjm@astro.up.pt
³ Department of Physics and Astronomy, Aarhus University, Denmark
⁴ Faculdade de Engenharia da Universidade do Porto, Portugal
⁵ Dept. de Matemática Aplicada da Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade do Porto, Portugal

Corresponding author: F. P. Pijpers, fpp@phys.au.dk

Received: 17 April 2003
Accepted: 4 June 2003

Abstract

We have determined from interferometry the radius of the nearby star τ Cet, using recent observations with the VINCI instrument on VLTI using the siderostats. The limb-darkened disk diameter is determined, with an unprecedented internal precision of $0.5\%$ , to be $1.971 \pm 0.009_{\rm (int.)}\pm 0.05_{\rm (ext.)}\,$ mas, corresponding to a physical radius of $0.773 \pm 0.004_{\rm (int.)}\pm 0.02_{\rm (ext.)}~{R}_\odot$ . With this determination τ Cet becomes a prime target for asteroseismic campaigns to determine its internal structure, and thereby test stellar evolution theory. We discuss implications for asteroseismology and present predictions for oscillation properties. 

Key words: stars: fundamental parameters / stars: oscillations / stars: evolution / stars: individual: τ Cet

^*

Based on observations collected at the European Southern Observatory, Chile.

© ESO, 2003

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Interferometry and asteroseismology: The radius of τ Cet*

Interferometry and asteroseismology: The radius of τ Cet^*