An asteroseismic study of the β Cephei star θ Ophiuchi: photometric results

We have carried out a three-site photometric campaign for the β Cephei star θ Oph from 2003 April to August. 245 h of differential photoelectric u v y photometry were obtained during 77 clear nights. The frequency analysis of our measurements has resulted in the detection of seven pulsation modes within a narrow frequency interval between 7.116 and 7.973 c d⁻¹. No combination or harmonic frequencies have been found. We have performed a mode identification of the individual pulsations from our colour photometry that shows the presence of one radial mode, one rotationally split  ℓ= 1  triplet and possibly three components of a rotationally split  ℓ= 2  quintuplet. We discuss the implications of our findings and point out the similarity of the pulsation spectrum of θ Oph to that of another β Cephei star, V836 Cen.     

The β Cephei instability strip

We carried out a series of linear stability analyses of the radial and low-degree non-radial p modes for stellar models with initial masses of     . The stellar models were computed by using convective overshoot distance     , 0.25 and 0.40  H _P. Our numerical results show that the β Cephei instability strip forms a horn-shaped region pointing upwards near the main sequence on the Hertzsprung–Russell diagram (HRD). The lower part of the instability strip for the radial modes join the zero-age main-sequence (ZAMS) at     , while the top of the instability strip extends up to     . The instability strip for the non-radial modes is even wider. The overall instability strip is dominated by the radial and non-radial fundamental modes. The first overtone (the radial-order index     is also pulsationally unstable. We have shown that the β Cephei stability is almost independent of the overshoot parameter d _over used for the stellar models, while it depends critically on the metal abundance. With decreasing metal abundance, the instability region shrinks and eventually disappears for     .     

Photometric properties of the δ Scuti star BR Cancri

We present the results of a three-year Johnson V and Strömgren uvby H β photometric study of the δ Scuti star BR Cancri (BR Cnc). Our data sets consist of 1293 discrete differential magnitudes in Johnson V and yellow y filters, 883 in Strömgren v and 239 in ub filters. The Fourier analysis of the data suggests four pulsation frequencies for the variable: f ₁=24.978, f ₂=11.358, f ₃=11.808 and f ₄=27.914 cycle d⁻¹. During the three observing years, the main frequency f ₁ kept its V ( y ) amplitude constant at about 6 mmag but its v amplitude seems to be changing. Amplitude variations for all the three other frequencies are also claimed. The pulsation modes of the frequencies are discussed based on the colour data. Using uvbyβ data and calibrations in the literature, we derive the physical parameters for BR Cnc.     

The long-term behaviour of the pulsation periods and amplitudes of the β Cephei star 16 (EN) Lacertae

The blue-light observations of this pulsating and eclipsing variable (BCEP+EA) cover an interval from 1950 to 1992. The out-of-eclipse (that is, pulsational) variation contains three sinusoidal terms with variable amplitudes. In our 1996 paper (JP96), based on the 1950–1983 data, we showed that for the first two terms, having frequencies equal to about 5.9112 and 5.8551 d⁻¹, the amplitudes varied with time-scales of the order of 50 yr. The remaining term formed a doublet with constant amplitudes and frequencies close to 5.5033 d⁻¹, resulting in a beat-period of 1.85 yr. In the present paper we confirm this picture using additional data, derive improved values of the time-scales and refine the parameters of the doublet. In addition, we determine the year-to-year variation of the epochs of maximum light of the first two terms. This allows us to account for (1) the ground-based blue-filter observations that were not extensive enough to be used in the analysis, and (2) the Hp magnitudes from the Hipparcos mission. In particular, we demonstrate that the period of 0.171 203 d, given in the Hipparcos Variability Annex , is spurious.     

The pulsational behaviour of the rapidly oscillating Ap star HD 122970 during two photometric multisite campaigns

We undertook two time-series photometric multisite campaigns for the rapidly oscillating Ap star HD 122970. The first one, conducted in 1998, resulted in 119 h of data and in the detection of three pulsation frequencies. The presence of possible further modes which held the promise of deriving a mode identification motivated a second worldwide campaign in the year 2001. This second campaign resulted in 203 h of measurement, but did not reveal further modes. Rather, one of the previously detected signals disappeared. The two modes common to both data sets have different spherical degree. They also showed slight frequency modulation, and one of them varied in amplitude as well. Possible causes of the latter behaviour include intrinsic instability of the pulsation spectrum or precession of the pulsational axis and orbital motion in a binary system. Frequency analysis of the Hipparcos observations of the star did not allow us to determine the stellar rotation period. The amplitude and phase behaviour of the two modes of HD 122970 in the Strömgren uvby bands is quite similar to that observed for other roAp stars.     

Constraints on opacities from complex asteroseismology of B-type pulsators: the β Cephei star θ Ophiuchi

We present results of a comprehensive asteroseismic modelling of the β Cephei variable θ Ophiuchi. We call these studies complex asteroseismology because our goal is to reproduce both pulsational frequencies and corresponding values of a complex, non-adiabatic parameter, f , defined by the radiative flux perturbation. To this end, we apply the method of simultaneous determination of the spherical harmonic degree, ℓ, of excited pulsational mode and the corresponding non-adiabatic f parameter from combined multicolour photometry and radial velocity data. Using both the OP and OPAL opacity data, we find a family of seismic models which reproduce the radial and dipole centroid mode frequencies, as well as the f parameter associated with the radial mode. Adding the non-adiabatic parameter to seismic modelling of the B-type main-sequence pulsators yields very strong constraints on stellar opacities. In particular, only with one source of opacities it is possible to agree the empirical values of f with their theoretical counterparts. Our results for θ Oph point substantially to preference for the OPAL data.     

β Cephei type variability in the ultraviolet spectrum and radial velocity of PHL 346

International Ultraviolet Explorer low-resolution and optical moderate-resolution spectra are presented for the high galactic latitude β Cephei type star, PHL 346. Variability is identified in both the ultraviolet flux and the radial velocity with periods and phases consistent with those previously deduced from optical photometry. The similarity of both the flux and the radial velocity amplitude to those previously reported for the β Cephei variable, γ Pegasus, is striking and provides evidence for PHL 346 being a young core hydrogen burning star. A distance estimate for PHL 346 of approximately 7 kpc (corresponding to a z -distance of approximately 6 kpc) is obtained by scaling the distance of γ Pegasus obtained from Hipparcos observations.