Fundamentals of Stars II: Revisiting Bolometric Corrections

Zeki Eker; Volkan Bakış

doi:10.26650/PAR.2025.00005

Fundamentals of Stars II: Revisiting Bolometric Corrections

Abstract

Luminous efficiency and heat index were two previously suggested auxiliary tools for calibrating stellar temperature scales before the term “bolometric correction” (BC) introduced for the same purpose by Kuiper in 1938, as 𝐵𝐶 = 𝑀bol−𝑀V = 𝑚bol−𝑉. Despite its ill-posed nature imposing no zero-point constant (𝐶2 = 0) for the BC scale and 𝐿V = 𝐿×10𝐵𝐶/2.5, if 𝐵𝐶 > 0, 𝐿V is unphysical, for the luminosity of a star from which “BC of a star must always be negative,” “the bolometric magnitude of a star ought to be brighter than its 𝑉-magnitude,” and “the zero point of bolometric corrections are arbitrary” (paradigms) were extracted. The most recent of the first three definitions of BC was accepted and used throughout the century. Therefore, the phase in the development of BC prior to Kuiper may be considered pre-science period in the Kuhnian philosopy of science. The rest is the normal science period in which astrophysicists work under the three paradigms. The rise of BC as a concept, how the ill-posed definition BC emerged/used, how inconsistencies (paradigms) of BC developed, and how the Resolution B2 of the General Assembly of the International Astronomical Union imposing 𝐶bol = 71.197425 . . . mag, and 𝐶2 > 0, for the zero-point constants of the 𝑀Bol and BCscales resolve the long-lasting problems were discussed. Generalized new definition of BC implying 𝐿V = 𝐿 × 10(BC−𝐶2) 2.5 were given to replace 𝐿V = 𝐿 × 10𝐵𝐶/2.5.

Keywords

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Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Classical Physics (Other)

Journal Section

Review

Authors

Zeki Eker
0000-0003-1883-6255
Türkiye

Volkan Bakış ^* This is me
Türkiye

Publication Date

June 24, 2025

Submission Date

February 21, 2025

Acceptance Date

March 19, 2025

Published in Issue

Year 2025 Volume: 3 Number: 1

DOI

https://doi.org/10.26650/PAR.2025.00005

IZ

https://izlik.org/JA87AN27YA

Cite

RIS / Bibtex

APA

Eker, Z., & Bakış, V. (2025). Fundamentals of Stars II: Revisiting Bolometric Corrections. Physics and Astronomy Reports, 3(1), 43-61. https://doi.org/10.26650/PAR.2025.00005

AMA

1.Eker Z, Bakış V. Fundamentals of Stars II: Revisiting Bolometric Corrections. Physics and Astronomy Reports. 2025;3(1):43-61. doi:10.26650/PAR.2025.00005

Chicago

Eker, Zeki, and Volkan Bakış. 2025. “Fundamentals of Stars II: Revisiting Bolometric Corrections”. Physics and Astronomy Reports 3 (1): 43-61. https://doi.org/10.26650/PAR.2025.00005.

EndNote

Eker Z, Bakış V (June 1, 2025) Fundamentals of Stars II: Revisiting Bolometric Corrections. Physics and Astronomy Reports 3 1 43–61.

IEEE

[1]Z. Eker and V. Bakış, “Fundamentals of Stars II: Revisiting Bolometric Corrections”, Physics and Astronomy Reports, vol. 3, no. 1, pp. 43–61, June 2025, doi: 10.26650/PAR.2025.00005.

ISNAD

Eker, Zeki - Bakış, Volkan. “Fundamentals of Stars II: Revisiting Bolometric Corrections”. Physics and Astronomy Reports 3/1 (June 1, 2025): 43-61. https://doi.org/10.26650/PAR.2025.00005.

JAMA

1.Eker Z, Bakış V. Fundamentals of Stars II: Revisiting Bolometric Corrections. Physics and Astronomy Reports. 2025;3:43–61.

MLA

Eker, Zeki, and Volkan Bakış. “Fundamentals of Stars II: Revisiting Bolometric Corrections”. Physics and Astronomy Reports, vol. 3, no. 1, June 2025, pp. 43-61, doi:10.26650/PAR.2025.00005.

Vancouver

1.Zeki Eker, Volkan Bakış. Fundamentals of Stars II: Revisiting Bolometric Corrections. Physics and Astronomy Reports. 2025 Jun. 1;3(1):43-61. doi:10.26650/PAR.2025.00005