Keele Research Repository

A discussion on the determination of effective temperature (Teff) and surface gravity (log g) is presented. The observational requirements for model-independent fundamental parameters are summarized, including an assessment of the accuracy of these values for the Sun and Vega. The use of various model-dependent techniques for determining Teff and log g are outlined, including photometry, flux fitting, and spectral line ratios. A combination of several of these techniques allows for the assessment of the quality of our parameter determinations. While some techniques can give precise parameter determinations, the overall accuracy of the values is significantly less and sometimes difficult to quantify.