| Abstract: | With the use of modern detectors stellar spectral classification libraries have been extended from the photographic regime to the near ℝ at 11000 Å. We have defined new spectral indices within this extended wavelength-range that can be used to determine the luminosity classification for G-K-M stars. An advantage of the new indices, which sample the stellar flux in and out of selected spectral features, is that they are insensitive to catalog differences. This facilitates the use of many catalogs, with varying resolution, different reddening corrections, and calibrations, hence extending the total number of stellar standards available. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the indices can be used to infer absolute magnitudes with good accuracy. The indices should prove useful for analysis of spectra from distant clusters, galaxies, and in particular for problems involving spectral synthesis of stellar populations of galaxies. |
