Two Kepler red-giant eclipsing binaries as lower red-giant branch benchmarks for asteroseismic scaling relations. Dynamical masses and radii from JKTEBOP and PHOEBE-2 modeling

arXiv:2609.17737 · astro-ph.SR · Submitted 2026-09-15 · Read on arXiv

astro-ph.SR

Submitted: 2026-09-15

Updated: 2026-09-17

Comments: 24 pages, 20 figures

DOI: 10.1051/0004-6361/202661292

License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

The gist: Space-based photometry has detected solar-like oscillations in thousands of stars, whose global seismic parameters yield stellar properties via the asteroseismic scaling relations.

Terminology

Abstract

Space-based photometry has detected solar-like oscillations in thousands of stars, whose global seismic parameters yield stellar properties via the asteroseismic scaling relations. Because these relations systematically overestimate red-giant masses and radii empirical calibration is required. Double-lined eclipsing binaries hosting oscillating red giants provide precise dynamical masses and radii without external calibration, making them ideal benchmarks. We present KIC 8129189 and KIC 10920813, two Kepler eclipsing binaries containing less-evolved oscillating red giants, as new benchmarks that extend the calibration sample toward smaller radii. We measured radial velocities from high-resolution spectra, extracted global asteroseismic parameters from Kepler light curves, and modeled the binaries with JKTEBOP and PHOEBE-2 using both full light curves and selected eclipse sets, adopting benchmark masses and radii from the envelope of tested model/data configurations. We then fit correction factors f Δν and f ν max to the underlying Δν-density and ν max-surface-gravity relations. We obtain M RG=1.413 plus or minus 0.037 M and R RG=4.296 plus or minus 0.061 R for KIC 8129189, and M RG=1.383 plus or minus 0.022 M and R RG=5.914 plus or minus 0.043 R for KIC 10920813. The adopted 15-star calibration gives f Δν=0.9777 plus or minus 0.0048 and f ν max=1.024 plus or minus 0.008, corresponding to C M=0.850 plus or minus 0.020 and C R=0.9333 plus or minus 0.0090. Neither correction factor depends significantly on radius, nor does f ν max depend on metallicity; model-based f Δν values are systematically lower than the dynamically derived ones. Both systems agree with the correction from previous benchmarks, showing that continued expansion of the eclipsing-binary sample is essential for testing the scaling relations across evolutionary stage.

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