Histogram of absolute J (panel a) and K (panel b) magnitudes for red clump stars. 2MASS J and K apparent magnitudes were combined with the distance calculation using the Padova isochrone set to derive the absolute J and K magnitudes. Red clump stars are assumed to have 4500 K  < T_eff < 5000 K. So the top panel presents a histogram of M_J values in Fig. 5d between these two temperatures. The histogram representing all stars in this temperature interval is decomposed into an assummed Gaussian red clump peak and a smooth red giant branch contribution. For parameter values see text.