Article
Uncertainty in the Extinction-to-Reddening Ratio Due to Uncertainty in the Main-Sequence Spectral Type of a Background Star
Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific
(2014)
Abstract
Accurate and precise knowledge of extinction by foreground dust is necessary in many fields of astronomy. This study uses photometric models of main-sequence background stars to investigate the uncertainty in the measured extinction-to-reddening ratio, RV. When RV is calculated from reddening ratios, the uncertainty in RV due to possible error in the assumed background spectral type is not symmetric and depends strongly on spectral type itself. The true uncertainty in RVcalculated from reddening ratios must include the effect of uncertainty in the background star spectral type, but this study also shows that in all but the lowest extinction lines of sight and lines of sight to very late-type stars, values of RV that deviate significantly from the Galactic average are likely real, not caused by uncertainty in background spectral type.
Keywords
- Foreground dust,
- Extinction-to-Reddening ratio,
- Background star
Disciplines
Publication Date
January 1, 2014
DOI
10.1086/675071
Publisher Statement
Copyright IOP Publishing
Citation Information
Kristen A. Larson. "Uncertainty in the Extinction-to-Reddening Ratio Due to Uncertainty in the Main-Sequence Spectral Type of a Background Star" Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific Vol. 126 Iss. 935 (2014) p. 27 - 33 Available at: http://works.bepress.com/kristen_larson/3/