The limits of validity of the Frequency Ratio Method: The particular case of γ Doradus stars

This work provides a general vision of the limits of validity of the Frequency Ratio Method applied to the g‐mode pulsators in asymptotic regime, the γ Doradus stars. In particular, the work is mainly focused on the role of rotation which is found one of the most important source of uncertainty of the method. The particular case of the moderately rotating γ Doradus star HD48501 is discussed. (© 2008 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Seismic study of stellar convective regions: the base of the convective envelope in low-mass stars

The possibility of observing solar-type oscillations on other stars is of great relevance to investigating the uncertain aspects of the internal structure of stars. One of these aspects is the convective overshoot that takes place at the borders of the envelopes of stars of mass similar to, or lower than, the Sun. It affects the temperature stratification, mixing, rotation and magnetic-field generation. Asteroseismology can provide an observational test for the studies of the structure of such overshoot regions.
The seismic study of the transition in the Sun, located at the base of the convection zone, has been successful in determining the characteristics of this layer in the Sun. In this work we consider the extension of the analysis to other solar-type stars (of mass between 0.85 and 1.2 M_⊙) in order to establish a method for determining the characteristics of their convective envelopes. In particular, we hope to be able to establish seismologically that a star does indeed possess a convective envelope, to measure the size of the convective region and also to constrain the properties of an overshoot layer at the bottom of the envelope. The limitations in terms of observational uncertainties and stellar characteristics, and the detectability of an overshoot layer, are discussed.     

A procedure for modelling asymptotic g‐mode pulsators: The case of γ Doradus stars

Mode identification is one of the first and main problems we encounter in trying to develop the complete potential of asteroseismology. In the particular case of g‐mode pulsators, this is still an unsolved problem, from both the observational and theoretical points of view. Nevertheless, in recent years, some observational and theoretical efforts have been made to find a solution. In this work we use the latest theoretical and computational tools to understand asymptotic g‐mode pulsators: 1) the Frequency Ratio Method, and 2) Time Dependent Convection. With these tools, a self‐consistent procedure for mode identification and modelling of these g‐mode pulsators can be constructed. This procedure is illustrated using observational information available for the γ Doradus star 9Aurigae. (© 2008 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

The effect of turbulent mixing on the g‐mode spectrum of MS stars

Understanding transport processes inside stars is one of the main goals of asteroseismology. Chemical turbulent mixing can affect the internal distribution of μ near the energy generating core, having an effect on the evolutionary tracks similar to that of overshooting. This mixing leads to a smoother chemical composition profile near the edge of the convective core, which is reflected in the behavior of the buoyancy frequency and, therefore, in the frequencies of gravity modes. We describe the effects of convective overshooting and turbulent mixing on the frequencies of gravity modes in B‐type main sequence stars. In particular, the cases of p‐g mixed modes in β Cep stars and high‐order modes in SPBs are considered. (© 2008 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Evolution of a 3-M⊙ star from the main sequence to the ZZ Ceti stage: the role played by element diffusion

The purpose of this paper is to present new full evolutionary calculations for DA white dwarf stars with the major aim of providing a physically sound reference frame for exploring the pulsation properties of the resulting models in future communications. Here, white dwarf evolution is followed in a self-consistent way with the predictions of time-dependent element diffusion and nuclear burning. In addition, full account is taken of the evolutionary stages prior to white dwarf formation. In particular, we follow the evolution of a 3-M_⊙ model from the zero-age main sequence (the adopted metallicity is   Z =0.02)  , all the way from the stages of hydrogen and helium burning in the core up to the thermally pulsing phase. After experiencing 11 thermal pulses, the model is forced to evolve towards its white dwarf configuration by invoking strong mass loss episodes. Further evolution is followed down to the domain of the ZZ Ceti stars on the white dwarf cooling branch.
Emphasis is placed on the evolution of the chemical abundance distribution caused by diffusion processes and the role played by hydrogen burning during the white dwarf evolution. We find that discontinuities in the abundance distribution at the start of the cooling branch are considerably smoothed out by diffusion processes by the time the ZZ Ceti domain is reached. Nuclear burning during the white dwarf stage does not represent a major source of energy, as expected for a progenitor star of initially high metallicity. We also find that thermal diffusion lessens even further the importance of nuclear burning.
Furthermore, the implications of our evolutionary models for the main quantities relevant for adiabatic pulsation analysis are discussed. Interestingly, the shape of the Ledoux term is markedly smoother compared with previous detailed studies of white dwarfs. This is translated into a different behaviour of the Brunt–Väisälä frequency.     

Pulsations and planets: The asteroseismology‐extrasolar‐planet connection

The disciplines of asteroseismology and extrasolar planet science overlap methodically in the branch of high‐precision photometric time series observations. Light curves are, amongst others, useful to measure intrinsic stellar variability due to oscillations, as well as to discover and characterize those extrasolar planets that transit in front of their host stars, periodically causing shallow dips in the observed brightness. Both fields ultimately derive fundamental parameters of stellar and planetary objects, allowing to study for example the physics of various classes of pulsating stars, or the variety of planetary systems, in the overall context of stellar and planetary system formation and evolution. Both methods typically also require extensive spectroscopic follow‐up to fully explore the dynamic characteristics of the processes under investigation. In particularly interesting cases, a combination of observed pulsations and signatures of a planet allows to characterize a system's components to a very high degree of completeness by combining complementary information. The planning of the relevant space missions has consequently converged with respect to science cases, where at the outset there was primarily a coincidence in instrumentation and techniques. Whether space‐ or ground‐based, a specific type of stellar pulsations can themselves be used in an innovative way to search for extrasolar planets. Results from this additional method at the interface of stellar pulsation studies and exoplanet hunts in a beyond‐mainstream area are presented (© 2010 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Unstable non-radial modes in radial pulsators: theory and an example

We study the possibility of the excitation of non-radial oscillations in classical pulsating stars. The stability of an RR Lyrae model is examined through non-adiabatic non-radial calculations. We also explore stability in the presence of non-linear coupling between radial and non-radial modes of nearly identical frequency.   In our model, a large number of unstable low-degree (ℓ = 1,2) modes have frequencies in the vicinity of unstable radial mode frequencies. The growth rates of such modes, however, are considerably smaller than those of the radial modes. We also recover an earlier result that at higher degrees (ℓ = 6–12) there are modes trapped in the envelope with growth rates similar to those of radial modes.   Subsequently, monomode radial pulsation of this model is considered. The destabilizing effect of the 1:1 resonance between the radial mode and nearby non-radial modes of low degrees is studied, with the assumption that the excited radial mode saturates the linear instability of all other modes. The instability depends on the radial mode amplitude, the frequency difference, the damping rate of the non-radial mode, and the strength of the non-linear coupling between the modes considered. At the pulsation amplitudes typical for RR Lyrae stars, the instability of the monomode radial pulsation and the concomitant resonant excitation of some non-radial oscillation modes is found to be very likely.     

Spot signatures of a solar‐type dynamo in close binary stars

Magnetic activity signatures in the atmosphere of active stars can be used to place constrains on the underlying processes of flux transport and dynamo operation in its convective envelope. The ‘solar paradigm’ for magnetic activity suggests that the magnetic field is amplified and stored at the base of the convection zone. Once a critical field strength is exceeded, perturbations initiate the onset of instabilities and the growth of magnetic flux loops, which rise through the convection zone, emerge at the stellar surface, and eventually lead to the formation of starspots and active regions. In close binaries, the proximity of the companion star breaks the rotational symmetry. Although the magnitude of tidal distortions is rather small, non‐linear MHD simulations have nevertheless shown in the case of main‐sequence binary components that they can cause non‐uniform surface distributions of flux tube eruptions. The present work extends the investigation to post‐mainsequence components to explore the specific influence of the stellar structure on the surface pattern of erupting flux tubes. In contrast to the case of main‐sequence components, where the consistency between simulation results and observations supports the presumption of a solar‐like dynamo mechanism, the numerical results here do not recover the starspot properties frequently observed on evolved binary components. This aspect points out an insufficiency of the applied flux tube model and leads to the conclusion that additional flux transport and possibly amplification mechanisms have to be taken into account. (© 2004 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

A direct imaging search for close stellar and sub‐stellar companions to young nearby stars

A total of 28 young nearby stars (ages ≤60 Myr) have been observed in the K_s‐band with the adaptive optics imager Naos‐Conica of the Very Large Telescope at the Paranal Observatory in Chile. Among the targets are ten visual binaries and one triple system at distances between 10 and 130 pc, all previously known. During a first observing epoch a total of 20 faint stellar or sub‐stellar companion‐candidates were detected around seven of the targets. These fields, as well as most of the stellar binaries, were re‐observed with the same instrument during a second epoch, about one year later. We present the astrometric observations of all binaries. Their analysis revealed that all stellar binaries are co‐moving. In two cases (HD 119022 AB and FG Aqr B/C) indications for significant orbital motions were found. However, all sub‐stellar companion candidates turned out to be non‐moving background objects except PZ Tel which is part of this project but whose results were published elsewhere. Detection limits were determined for all targets, and limiting masses were derived adopting three different age values; they turn out to be less than 10 Jupiter masses in most cases, well below the brown dwarf mass range. The fraction of stellar multiplicity and of the sub‐stellar companion occurrence in the star forming regions in Chamaeleon are compared to the statistics of our search, and possible reasons for the observed differences are discussed. (© 2015 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Abundance analysis of the γ Doradus–δ Scuti hybrid metallic line (Am) star HD 8801

Low frequency oscillation, typical for γ Doradus g‐mode type stellar core sensitive pulsation, as well as higher frequency δ Scuti type pulsation typical for p ‐modes, sensitive to the envelope, make HD 8801 a remarkable hybrid pulsator with the potential to probe a stellar structure over a wide range of radius. In addition HD 8801 is a rare pulsating metallic line (Am) star. We determined the astro‐physical fundamental parameters to locate HD 8801 in the H‐R diagram. We analyzed the element abundances, paying close attention to the errors involved, and confirm the nature of HD 8801 as a metallic line (Am) star. We also determined an upper limit on the magnetic field strength. Our abundance analysis is based on classical techniques, but uses for the final step a model atmosphere calculated with the abundances determined by us. We also discuss spectropolarimetric observations obtained for HD 8801. This object is remarkable in several respects. It is a nonmagnetic metallic line (Am) star, pulsating simultaneously in p‐ and g‐modes, but also shows oscillations with periods in between these two domains, whose excitation requires explanation. Overall, the pulsational incidence in unevolved classical Am stars is believed to be quite low; HD 8801 does not conform to this picture. Finally, about 75 % of Am stars are located in short‐period binaries, but there is no evidence that HD 8801 has a companion. (© 2013 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Bulk viscosity of mixed nucleon–hyperon–quark matter in neutron stars

We calculate the coefficient of bulk viscosity by considering the non-leptonic weak interactions in the cores of hybrid stars with both hyperons and quarks. We first determine the dependence of the production rate of neutrons on the reaction rate of quarks in the non-leptonic processes, that is,  Γ _n = K _s Γ _s +Γ_Λ+ 2Γ_Σ−  . The conversion rate,   K _s   , in our scenario is a complicated function of baryon number density. We also consider the medium effect of quark matter on bulk viscosity. Using these results, we estimate the limiting rotation of the hybrid stars, which may suppress the r-mode instability more effectively. Hybrid stars should be the candidates for the extremely rapid rotators.