Validation of LAMOST stellar parameters with the PASTEL catalog

Abstract

The Large Sky Area Multi-Object Fiber Spectroscopic Telescope (LAMOST) published its first data release (DR1) in 2013, which is currently the largest dataset of stellar spectra in the world. We combine the PASTEL catalog and SIMBAD radial velocities as a testing standard to validate stellar parameters (effective temperature Teff, surface gravity log g, metallicity [Fe/H] and radial velocity Vr) derived from DR1. Through cross-identification of the DR1 catalogs and the PASTEL catalog, we obtain a preliminary sample of 422 stars. After removal of stellar parameter measurements from problematic spectra and applying effective temperature constraints to the sample, we compare the stellar parameters from DR1 with those from PASTEL and SIMBAD to demonstrate that the DR1 results are reliable in restricted ranges of Teff. We derive standard deviations of 110 K, 0.19 dex and 0.11 dex for Teff, log g and [Fe/H] respectively when Teff < 8000 K, and 4.91 km s-1 for Vr when Teff < 10 000 K. Systematic errors are negligible except for those of Vr. In addition, metallicities in DR1 are systematically higher than those in PASTEL, in the range of PASTEL [Fe/H] <-1.5.