Stellar Age Estimation from ~3 Myr to ~3 Gyr

Abstract

We present recent progress on quantitative estimation of stellar ages using ind icators such as theoretical evolutionary tracks, rotation, rotation-driven chrom ospheric and coronal activity, and lithium depletion. Our focus is on roughly so lar-mass and solar-metallicity stars younger than the Sun. We attempt to charac terize the systematic and random error sources and then derive "best" ages alo ng with the dispersion in age arising among the various age estimation methods. Our main application of these techniques is to the evolution of debris disks.

4 pages; to appear in "Cool Stars XV" published by AIP Conference Series (online only)