Chromospheric activity and ages of solar-type stars

Abstract

Observations of 15 solar-type stars in the intermediate-age open cluster NGC 752 are reported. A lower resolution analog of the Mount Wilson S index is shown to yield absolute chromospheric surface flux values for these stars with about 60 percent of the sensitivity of the Mount Wilson system. Absolute chromospheric surface fluxes of solar-type stars in eight clusters ranging from 10 million yrs to six billion or more years in age are presented. Two heuristic forms are shown to fit the data about equally well, with no indication of a discontinuity at intermediate ages. These relations can yield chromospheric ages for any G-type dwarf or subgiant with a Mount Wilson S index. The usefulness of this lower resolution approach for studies of chemical and dynamical evolution of the Galaxy as well as of the stellar birth rate is pointed out.