Main-Sequence Effective Temperatures From a Revised Mass–luminosity Relation Based on Accurate Properties

The mass–luminosity ( ), mass–radius ( ), and mass–effective temperature ( ) diagrams for a subset of galactic nearby main-sequence stars with masses and radii accurate to and luminosities accurate to (268 stars) has led to a putative discovery. Four distinct mass domains have been identified, which we have tentatively associated with low, intermediate, high, and very high mass main-sequence stars, but which nevertheless are clearly separated by three distinct break points at 1.05, 2.4, and 7 within the studied mass range of 0.38–32 . Further, a revised mass–luminosity relation (MLR) is found based on linear fits for each of the mass domains identified. The revised, mass-domain based MLRs, which are classical ( ), are shown to be preferable to a single linear, quadratic, or cubic equation representing an alternative MLR. Stellar radius evolution within the main sequence for stars with is clearly evident on the diagram, but it is not clear on the diagram based on published temperatures. Effective temperatures can be calculated directly using the well known Stephan–Boltzmann law by employing the accurately known values of M and R with the newly defined MLRs. With the calculated temperatures, stellar temperature evolution within the main sequence for stars with is clearly visible on the diagram. Our study asserts that it is now possible to compute the effective temperature of a main-sequence star with an accuracy of ∼6%, as long as its observed radius error is adequately small ( ) and its observed mass error is reasonably small ( ).