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PLATO as it is : A legacy mission for Galactic archaeology

Miglio, A. ; Chiappini, C. ; Mosser, B. ; Davies, G. R. ; Freeman, K. ; Girardi, L. ; Jofré, P. ; Kawata, D. ; Rendle, B. M. and Valentini, M , et al. (2017) In Astronomical Notes - Astronomische Nachrichten 338(6). p.644-661
Abstract

Deciphering the assembly history of the Milky Way is a formidable task, which becomes possible only if one can produce high-resolution chrono-chemo-kinematical maps of the Galaxy. Data from large-scale astrometric and spectroscopic surveys will soon provide us with a well-defined view of the current chemo-kinematical structure of the Milky Way, but it will only enable a blurred view on the temporal sequence that led to the present-day Galaxy. As demonstrated by the (ongoing) exploitation of data from the pioneering photometric missions CoRoT, Kepler, and K2, asteroseismology provides the way forward: solar-like oscillating giants are excellent evolutionary clocks thanks to the availability of seismic constraints on their mass and to the... (More)

Deciphering the assembly history of the Milky Way is a formidable task, which becomes possible only if one can produce high-resolution chrono-chemo-kinematical maps of the Galaxy. Data from large-scale astrometric and spectroscopic surveys will soon provide us with a well-defined view of the current chemo-kinematical structure of the Milky Way, but it will only enable a blurred view on the temporal sequence that led to the present-day Galaxy. As demonstrated by the (ongoing) exploitation of data from the pioneering photometric missions CoRoT, Kepler, and K2, asteroseismology provides the way forward: solar-like oscillating giants are excellent evolutionary clocks thanks to the availability of seismic constraints on their mass and to the tight age–initial mass relation they adhere to. In this paper we identify five key outstanding questions relating to the formation and evolution of the Milky Way that will need precise and accurate ages for large samples of stars to be addressed, and we identify the requirements in terms of number of targets and the precision on the stellar properties that are needed to tackle such questions. By quantifying the asteroseismic yields expected from PLATO for red giant stars, we demonstrate that these requirements are within the capabilities of the current instrument design, provided that observations are sufficiently long to identify the evolutionary state and allow robust and precise determination of acoustic-mode frequencies. This will allow us to harvest data of sufficient quality to reach a 10% precision in age. This is a fundamental prerequisite to then reach the more ambitious goal of a similar level of accuracy, which will be possible only if we have at hand a careful appraisal of systematic uncertainties on age deriving from our limited understanding of stellar physics, a goal that conveniently falls within the main aims of PLATO's core science. We therefore strongly endorse PLATO's current design and proposed observational strategy, and conclude that PLATO, as it is, will be a legacy mission for Galactic archaeology.

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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Galaxy: structure – stars: abundances – stars: fundamental parameters – stars: oscillations – surveys
in
Astronomical Notes - Astronomische Nachrichten
volume
338
issue
6
pages
18 pages
publisher
John Wiley & Sons Inc.
external identifiers
  • scopus:85028042711
  • wos:000408308300001
ISSN
0004-6337
DOI
10.1002/asna.201713385
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
9a13d187-5eda-4c29-a5b2-1cece1bcb1a8
date added to LUP
2017-09-08 07:45:52
date last changed
2024-04-14 18:24:16
@article{9a13d187-5eda-4c29-a5b2-1cece1bcb1a8,
  abstract     = {{<p>Deciphering the assembly history of the Milky Way is a formidable task, which becomes possible only if one can produce high-resolution chrono-chemo-kinematical maps of the Galaxy. Data from large-scale astrometric and spectroscopic surveys will soon provide us with a well-defined view of the current chemo-kinematical structure of the Milky Way, but it will only enable a blurred view on the temporal sequence that led to the present-day Galaxy. As demonstrated by the (ongoing) exploitation of data from the pioneering photometric missions CoRoT, Kepler, and K2, asteroseismology provides the way forward: solar-like oscillating giants are excellent evolutionary clocks thanks to the availability of seismic constraints on their mass and to the tight age–initial mass relation they adhere to. In this paper we identify five key outstanding questions relating to the formation and evolution of the Milky Way that will need precise and accurate ages for large samples of stars to be addressed, and we identify the requirements in terms of number of targets and the precision on the stellar properties that are needed to tackle such questions. By quantifying the asteroseismic yields expected from PLATO for red giant stars, we demonstrate that these requirements are within the capabilities of the current instrument design, provided that observations are sufficiently long to identify the evolutionary state and allow robust and precise determination of acoustic-mode frequencies. This will allow us to harvest data of sufficient quality to reach a 10% precision in age. This is a fundamental prerequisite to then reach the more ambitious goal of a similar level of accuracy, which will be possible only if we have at hand a careful appraisal of systematic uncertainties on age deriving from our limited understanding of stellar physics, a goal that conveniently falls within the main aims of PLATO's core science. We therefore strongly endorse PLATO's current design and proposed observational strategy, and conclude that PLATO, as it is, will be a legacy mission for Galactic archaeology.</p>}},
  author       = {{Miglio, A. and Chiappini, C. and Mosser, B. and Davies, G. R. and Freeman, K. and Girardi, L. and Jofré, P. and Kawata, D. and Rendle, B. M. and Valentini, M and Casagrande, L. and Chaplin, W. J. and Gilmore, G. and Hawkins, K. and Holl, B. and Appourchaux, T. and Belkacem, K. and Bossini, D. and Brogaard, K. and Goupil, M. -J. and Montalbán, J. and Grotsch-Noels, A. and Anders, F and Rodrigues, T. S. and Piotto, G. and Pollacco, D. and Rauer, H. and Prieto, C. Allende and Avelino, P. P. and Babusiaux, C. and Barban, C. and Barbuy, B and Basu, S and Baudin, F. and Benomar, O. and Bienaymé, O. and Binney, J. and Bland-Hawthorn, J. and Bressan, A. and Cacciari, C. and Campante, T. L. and Cassisi, S. and Christensen-Dalsgaard, J. and Combes, F. and Creevey, O. and Da Cunha Sargedas De Sousa, M. and de Jong, R. S. and De Laverny, P. and Degl'Innocenti, S. and Deheuvels, S. and Depagne, E and de Ridder, J. and De Matteo, R.P. and Mauro, M. P.Di and Dupret, M. A. and Eggenberger, P. and Elsworth, Y. P. and Famaey, B. and Feltzing, S. and García, R. A. and Gerhard, O. and Gibson, B. K. and Gizon, L. and Haywood, M. and Handberg, R. and Heiter, U and Hekker, S. and Huber, D. and Ibata, R. and Katz, D. and Kawaler, S. D. and Kjeldsen, Hans and Kurtz, D. W. and Lagarde, N. and Lebreton, Y. and Lund, M. N. and Majewski, S. R. and Marigo, P. and Martig, M. and Mathur, S. and Minchev, I. and Morel, T. and Ortolani, S. and Pinsonneault, M. H. and Plez, B and Moroni, P. G.Prada and Pricopi, D. and Recio-Blanco, A. and Reylé, C. and Robin, A. C. and Roxburgh, I. W. and Salaris, M. and Santiago, B. X. and Schiavon, R. and Serenelli, A. and Sharma, S. and Aguirre, V. Silva and Soubiran, C. and Steinmetz, M. and Stello, D. and Strassmeier, K. G. and Ventura, P. and Ventura Santos, R and Walton, N. A. and Worley, C. C.}},
  issn         = {{0004-6337}},
  keywords     = {{Galaxy: structure – stars: abundances – stars: fundamental parameters – stars: oscillations – surveys}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{07}},
  number       = {{6}},
  pages        = {{644--661}},
  publisher    = {{John Wiley & Sons Inc.}},
  series       = {{Astronomical Notes - Astronomische Nachrichten}},
  title        = {{PLATO as it is : A legacy mission for Galactic archaeology}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/asna.201713385}},
  doi          = {{10.1002/asna.201713385}},
  volume       = {{338}},
  year         = {{2017}},
}