Signatures of internal rotation discovered in the Kepler data of five slowly pulsating B stars

Context. Massive stars are important building blocks of the Universe, and their stellar structure and evolution models are fundamental cornerstones of various fields in modern astrophysics. The precision of these models is strongly limited by our lack of understanding of various internal mixing processes that significantly influence the lifetime of these objects, such as core overshoot, chemical mixing, or the internal differential rotation. Aims. Our goal is to calibrate models by extending the sample of available seismic studies of slowly pulsating B (SPB) stars, providing input for theoretical modelling efforts that will deliver precise constraints on the parameters describing the internal mixing processes in these objects. Methods. We used spectral synthesis and disentangling techniques to derive fundamental parameters and to determine precise orbital parameters from high-resolution spectra. We employed custom masks to construct light curves from the virtually uninterrupted four year long Kepler pixel data and used standard time-series analysis tools to construct a set of significant frequencies for each target. These sets were first filtered from combination frequencies, and then screened for period spacing patterns. Results. We detect gravity mode period series of modes, of the same degree ℓ with consecutive radial order n, in four new and one revisited SPB star. These series (covering typically 10 to 40 radial orders) are clearly influenced by moderate to fast rotation and carry signatures of chemical mixing processes. Furthermore, they are predominantly prograde dipole series. Our spectroscopic analysis, in addition to placing each object inside the SPB instability strip and identifying KIC 4930889 as an SB2 binary, reveals that KIC 11971405 is a fast rotator that shows very weak Be signatures. Together with the observed photometric outbursts this illustrates that this Be star is a fast rotating SPB star. We hypothesise that the outbursts might be connected to its very densely compressed oscillation spectrum

The shape of convective core overshooting from gravity-mode period spacings

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Combined asteroseismology, spectroscopy, and astrometry of the CoRoT B2V target HD 170580

© ESO 2019. Context. Space asteroseismology reveals that stellar structure and evolution models of intermediate- and high-mass stars are in need of improvement in terms of angular momentum and chemical element transport. Aims. We aim to probe the interior structure of a hot, massive star in the core-hydrogen-burning phase of its evolution. Methods. We analysed CoRoT space photometry, Gaia DR2 space astrometry, and high-resolution high signal-to-noise HERMES and HARPS time-series spectroscopy of the slowly rotating B2V star HD 170580. Results. From the time-series spectroscopy, we derive v sin i? =? 4? ±? 2 km s -1 , where the uncertainty results from the complex pulsational line-profile variability that has been so far ignored in the literature. We detect 42 frequencies with amplitudes above five times the local noise level. Amongst these we identify five rotationally split triplets and one quintuplet. Asteroseismic modelling based on CoRoT, Gaia DR2, and spectroscopic data leads to a star of M? ∼? 8? M ? near core-hydrogen exhaustion and an extended overshoot zone. The detected low-order pressure-mode frequencies cannot be fit within the uncertainties of the CoRoT data by models without atomic diffusion. Irrespective of this limitation, the low-order gravity modes reveal HD 170580 to be a slow rotator with an average rotation period between 73 and 98 d and a hint of small differential rotation. Conclusions. Future Gaia DR3 data taking into account the multiplicity of the star, along with long-term TESS photometry would allow us to put better observational constraints on the asteroseismic models of this blue evolved massive star. Improved modelling with atomic diffusion, including radiative levitation, is needed to achieve compliance with the low helium surface abundance of the star. This poses immense computational challenges but is required to derive the interior rotation and mixing profiles of this star.status: publishe

Wandering near the red edge: photometric observations of three cool ZZ Ceti stars

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HD 96446: a long-period binary with a strongly magnetic He-rich primary with beta Cephei pulsations

status: publishe