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Comparison of Limb-Darkening Laws from Plane-Parallel and Spherically-Symmetric Model Stellar Atmospheres

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 April 2012

Hilding R. Neilson*
Affiliation:
Argelander-Institut für Astronomie, Bonn Universität, Auf Dem Hügel 71, Bonn, D-53121, Germany email: hneilson@astro.uni-bonn.de
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Abstract

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Limb-darkening is a fundamental constraint for modeling eclipsing binary and planetary transit light curves. As observations, for example from Kepler, CoRot, and Most, become more precise then a greater understanding of limb-darkening is necessary. However, limb-darkening is typically modeled as simple parameterizations fit to plane-parallel model stellar atmospheres that ignores stellar atmospheric extension. In this work, I compute linear, quadratic and four-parameter limb-darkening laws from grids of plane-parallel and spherically-symmetric model stellar atmospheres in a temperature and gravity range representing stars evolving on the Red Giant branch. The limb-darkening relations for each geometry are compared and are found to fit plane-parallel models much better than the spherically-symmetric models. Assuming that limb-darkening from spherically-symmetry model atmospheres are more physically representative of actual stellar limb-darkening than plane-parallel models, then these limb-darkening laws will not fit the limb of a stellar disk leading to errors in a light curve fit. This error will increase with a star's atmospheric extension.

Type
Contributed Papers
Copyright
Copyright © International Astronomical Union 2012

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