95 research outputs found
Asteroseismic Signatures of Helium gradients in Main-Sequence A Stars ; Application to the roAp Star HD60435
Asteroseismology is found to be a excellent tool for detecting
diffusion-induced helium gradients inside main-sequence A stars. Models have
been computed for 1.6 and 2.0 M stars with pure helium diffusion, at
different ages, so that the helium gradient lies at different depths inside the
star. The adiabatic oscillation frequencies have been analysed and compared
with those of a model without diffusion. Clear signatures of the
diffusion-induced helium gradient are found in the so-called ``second
differences" : these frequency differences present modulations due to the
partial reflexion of the sound waves on the layer where the helium gradient
takes place. A tentative application to the roAp star HD60435, which presents
enough detected oscillation frequencies for the test to be possible, is very
encouraging. The results suggest the presence of a helium gradient inside the
star, which is consistent with the idea that the triggering of the oscillations
is due to the hydrogen -mechanism.Comment: to be published in A&A ; 17 pages ; 8 figure
Comparisons for Esta-Task3: Cles and Cesam
We present the results of comparing three different implementations of the
microscopic diffusion process in the stellar evolution codes CESAM and CLES.
For each of these implementations we computed models of 1.0, 1.2 and 1.3
M. We analyse the differences in their internal structure at three
selected evolutionary stages, as well as the variations of helium abundance and
depth of the stellar convective envelope. The origin of these differences and
their effects on the seismic properties of the models are also considered.Comment: 10 pages, 8 figures, Joint HELAS and CoRoT/ESTA Workshop on
Solar/Stellar Models and Seismic Analysis Tools, Novembre, Porto 2007 To be
published in EAS Publications Serie
Asteroseismic signatures of helium gradients in late F-type stars
Element diffusion is expected to occur in all kinds of stars : according to
the relative effect of gravitation and radiative acceleration, they can fall or
be pushed up in the atmospheres. Helium sinks in all cases, thereby creating a
gradient at the bottom of the convective zones. This can have important
consequences for the sound velocity, as has been proved in the sun with
helioseismology.
We investigate signatures of helium diffusion in late F-type stars by
asteroseismology.
Stellar models were computed with different physical inputs (with or without
element diffusion) and iterated in order to fit close-by evolutionary tracks
for each mass. The theoretical oscillation frequencies were computed and
compared for pairs of models along the tracks. Various asteroseismic tests
(large separations, small separations, second differences) were used and
studied for the comparisons.
The results show that element diffusion leads to changes in the frequencies
for masses larger than 1.2 Msun. In particular the helium gradient below the
convective zone should be detectable through the second differences.Comment: 8 pages, 11 figures, 2 tables Accepted for publication in Astronomy
and Astrophysics. The official date of acceptance is 03/05/200
Precise Modeling of the Exoplanet Host Star and CoRoT Main Target HD 52265
This paper presents a detailed and precise study of the characteristics of
the Exoplanet Host Star and CoRoT main target HD 52265, as derived from
asteroseismic studies. The results are compared with previous estimates, with a
comprehensive summary and discussion. The basic method is similar to that
previously used by the Toulouse group for solar-type stars. Models are computed
with various initial chemical compositions and the computed p-mode frequencies
are compared with the observed ones. All models include atomic diffusion and
the importance of radiative accelerations is discussed. Several tests are used,
including the usual frequency combinations and the fits of the \'echelle
diagrams. The possible surface effects are introduced and discussed. Automatic
codes are also used to find the best model for this star (SEEK, AMP) and their
results are compared with that obtained with the detailed method. We find
precise results for the mass, radius and age of this star, as well as its
effective temperature and luminosity. We also give an estimate of the initial
helium abundance. These results are important for the characterization of the
star-planet system.Comment: 9 pages, 6 figures, 7 tables, to be published in Astronomy and
Astrophysic
Low abundances of heavy elements in the solar outer layers: comparisons of solar models with helioseismic inversions
Recent solar photospheric abundance analyses have led to a significant
reduction of the metal abundances compared to the previous determinations. The
solar models computed with standard opacities and diffusion processes using
these new abundances give poor agreement with helioseismic inversions for the
sound-speed profile, the surface helium abundance, and the convective zone
depth.
We attempt to obtain a good agreement between helioseismic inversions and
solar models which present the "old" mixture in the interior and new chemical
composition in the convective zone. To reach this result, we assume an
undermetallic accretion at the beginning of the main sequence.
We compute solar models with the Toulouse-Geneva Evolution Code, in which we
simulate an undermetallic accretion in the early stages of the main sequence,
in order to obtain new mixture in the outer convective zone. We compare the
sound-speed profile, the convective zone depth, and the surface helium
abundance with those deduced from helioseismology.
The model with accretion but without any mixing process inside is in better
agreement with helioseismology than the solar model with the new abundances
throughout. There is, however, a spike under the convective zone which reaches
3.4%. Furthermore, the convective zone depth and the surface helium abundance
are too low. Introducing undershooting below the convective zone allows us to
recover the good convective zone radius and the addition of rotation-induced
mixing and tachocline allows us to reconcile the surface helium abundance. But
in any case the agreement of the sound-speed profile with helioseismic
inference is worse than obtained with the old abundances.Comment: 5 pages, 2 figure
On the possible existence of a self-regulating hydrodynamical process in slowly rotating stars II. Lithium Plateau in Halo Stars and Primordial Abundance
The lithium plateau observed in halo stars has long appeared as a paradox in
the general context of the lithium abundance behavior in stellar outer layers.
First, the plateau is flat, second, the lithium abundance dispersion is
extremely small. This seems in contradiction with the large lithium variations
observed in younger stars. It is also difficult to understand theoretically as
lithium nuclei are easily destroyed by nuclear reactions, and subject to
microscopic diffusion which, in the case of halo stars, should also lead to
depletion. Several ideas have been proposed to account for the lithium behavior
in halo stars. The most promising possibilities were rotational-induced mixing,
which could reduce lithium in the same way for all the stars, and mass-loss,
which could oppose the lithium settling. In both cases however, the parameters
should be tightly adjusted to prevent any dispersion in the final results.
Vauclair 1999 (paper I) pointed out that the mu-gradient terms which appear in
the computations of the meridional circulation velocity were not introduced in
previous computations of rotationally-induced mixing. This can lead to a
self-regulating process which reduces the efficiency of the meridional
circulation as well as the microscopic diffusion. Here we present numerical
computations of this process and its influence on the lithium abundance
variations in halo stars. We show that in slowly rotating stars, under some
conditions, lithium can be depleted by a factor of up to two with a dispersion
smaller than 0.1 dex in the middle part of the lithium plateau. We derive a
primordial lithium abundance of 2.5 +/- 0.1, consistent with the recent
determinations of D/H and 4He/H.Comment: 15 pages, 10 figures. to be published in A&
First Kepler results on compact pulsators VIII: Mode identifications via period spacings in mode pulsating Subdwarf B stars
We investigate the possibility of nearly-equally spaced periods in 13 hot
subdwarf B (sdB) stars observed with the Kepler spacecraft and one observed
with CoRoT. Asymptotic limits for gravity (g-)mode pulsations provide
relationships between equal period spacings of modes with differing degrees and
relationships between periods of the same radial order but differing degrees.
Period transforms, Kolmogorov-Smirnov tests, and linear least-squares fits have
been used to detect and determine the significance of equal period spacings. We
have also used Monte Carlo simulations to estimate the likelihood that the
detected spacings could be produced randomly.
Period transforms for nine of the Kepler stars indicate ell=1 period
spacings, with five also showing peaks for ell=2 modes. 12 stars indicate ell=1
modes using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test while another shows solely ell=2 modes.
Monte Carlo results indicate that equal period spacings are significant in 10
stars above 99% confidence and 13 of the 14 are above 94% confidence. For 12
stars, the various methods find consistent regular period spacing values to
within the errors, two others show some inconsistencies, likely caused by
binarity, and the last has significant detections but the mode assignment
disagrees between methods.
We find a common ell=1 period spacing spanning a range from 231 to 272 s
allowing us to correlate pulsation modes with 222 periodicities and that the
ell=2 period spacings are related to the ell=1 spacings by the asymptotic
relationship . We briefly discuss the impact of equal period
spacings which indicate low-degree modes with a lack of significant mode
trappings.Comment: 27 pages, 4 figures, 17 tables. Accepted for publication in Monthly
Notices of the Royal Astronomical Societ
A dominant magnetic dipole for the evolved Ap star candidate EK Eridani
EK Eri is one of the most slowly rotating active giants known, and has been
proposed to be the descendant of a strongly magnetic Ap star. We have performed
a spectropolarimetric study of EK Eri over 4 photometric periods with the aim
of inferring the topology of its magnetic field. We used the NARVAL
spectropolarimeter at the Bernard Lyot telescope at the Pic du Midi
Observatory, along with the least-squares deconvolution method, to extract high
signal-to-noise ratio Stokes V profiles from a timeseries of 28 polarisation
spectra. We have derived the surface-averaged longitudinal magnetic field Bl.
We fit the Stokes V profiles with a model of the large-scale magnetic field and
obtained Zeeman Doppler images of the surface magnetic strength and geometry.
Bl variations of up to about 80 G are observed without any reversal of its
sign, and which are in phase with photometric ephemeris. The activity
indicators are shown to vary smoothly on a timescale compatible with the
rotational period inferred from photometry (308.8 d.), however large deviations
can occur from one rotation to another. The surface magnetic field variations
of EK Eri appear to be dominated by a strong magnetic spot (of negative
polarity) which is phased with the dark (cool) photometric spot. Our modeling
shows that the large-scale magnetic field of EK Eri is strongly poloidal. For a
rotational axis inclination of i = 60{\deg}, we obtain a model that is almost
purely dipolar. In the dipolar model, the strong magnetic/photometric spot
corresponds to the negative pole of the dipole, which could be the remnant of
that of an Ap star progenitor of EK Eri. Our observations and modeling
conceptually support this hypothesis, suggesting an explanation of the
outstanding magnetic properties of EK Eri as the result of interaction between
deep convection and the remnant of an Ap star magnetic dipole.Comment: 8 pages, 6 figures, accepted for publication in Astronomy &
Astrophysic
Age and mass of solar twins constrained by lithium abundance
We analyze the non-standard mixing history of the solar twins HIP 55459, HIP
79672, HIP 56948, HIP 73815, and HIP 100963, to determine as precisely as
possible their mass and age. We computed a grid of evolutionary models with
non-standard mixing at several metallicities with the Toulouse-Geneva code for
a range of stellar masses assuming an error bar of +-50K in Teff. We choose the
evolutionary model that reproduces accurately the observed low lithium
abundances observed in the solar twins. Our best-fit model for each solar twin
provides a mass and age solution constrained by their Li content and Teff
determination. HIP 56948 is the most likely solar-twin candidate at the present
time and our analysis infers a mass of 0.994 +- 0.004 Msun and an age of 4.71
+-1.39 Gyr. Non-standard mixing is required to explain the low Li abundances
observed in solar twins. Li depletion due to additional mixing in solar twins
is strongly mass dependent. An accurate lithium abundance measurement and
non-standard models provide more precise information about the age and mass
more robustly than determined by classical methods alone.Comment: 10 pages, 5 figures, Accepted for publication in Astronomy and
Astrophysic
The first evidence for multiple pulsation axes: a new roAp star in the Kepler field, KIC 10195926
We have discovered a new rapidly oscillating Ap star among the Kepler Mission
target stars, KIC 10195926. This star shows two pulsation modes with periods
that are amongst the longest known for roAp stars at 17.1 min and 18.1 min,
indicating that the star is near the terminal age main sequence. The principal
pulsation mode is an oblique dipole mode that shows a rotationally split
frequency septuplet that provides information on the geometry of the mode. The
secondary mode also appears to be a dipole mode with a rotationally split
triplet, but we are able to show within the improved oblique pulsator model
that these two modes cannot have the same axis of pulsation. This is the first
time for any pulsating star that evidence has been found for separate pulsation
axes for different modes. The two modes are separated in frequency by 55
microHz, which we model as the large separation. The star is an alpha^2 CVn
spotted magnetic variable that shows a complex rotational light variation with
a period of Prot = 5.68459 d. For the first time for any spotted magnetic star
of the upper main sequence, we find clear evidence of light variation with a
period of twice the rotation period; i.e. a subharmonic frequency of . We propose that this and other subharmonics are the first observed
manifestation of torsional modes in an roAp star. From high resolution spectra
we determine Teff = 7400 K, log g = 3.6 and v sin i = 21 km/s. We have found a
magnetic pulsation model with fundamental parameters close to these values that
reproduces the rotational variations of the two obliquely pulsating modes with
different pulsation axes. The star shows overabundances of the rare earth
elements, but these are not as extreme as most other roAp stars. The spectrum
is variable with rotation, indicating surface abundance patches.Comment: 17 pages; 16 figures; MNRA
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