Stellar Seismology, Stellar Ages and the Cosmological Constant

George R. Isaak, Kate G. Isaak

Published 2001-09-25Version 1

Solar seismology has allowed precision measurements of both the static and dynamic structure of our local star, the Sun. In the near future, seismology of solar-like stars of different ages and masses, necessarily restricted by angular resolution to low l-modes, will allow studies of the internal structure of stars at various stages of evolution. Such studies will test not only the theory of stellar evolution, but also allow the determination of ages of stars from the helium content in their cores. Such observations can be made photometrically from space, but also spectroscopically from the ground. We outline ground-based schemes. By correlating the external properties of nearby stars with their internal properties, it will be possible to extend local studies to distant open and globular clusters, and thereby to obtain an age of the Universe, based on many stars. The combination of the age, the density parameter Omega and Hubble's constant will allow strong limits to be placed on the cosmological constant.