A new two dimensional non-perturbative code to compute accurate oscillation modes of rapidly rotating stars is presented. The 2D calculations fully take into account the centrifugal distorsion of the star while the non perturbative method includes the full influence of the Coriolis acceleration. This 2D non-perturbative code is used to study pulsational spectra of highly distorted evolved models of stars. 2D models of stars are obtained by a self consistent method which distorts spherically averaged stellar models a posteriori. We are also able to compute gravito-acoustic modes for the first time in rapidly rotating stars. We present the dynamics of pulsation modes in such models, and show regularities in their frequency spectra.
Recent observations of rapidly rotating stars have revealed the presence of regular patterns in their pulsation spectra. This has raised the question as to their physical origin, and in particular, whether they can be explained by an asymptotic frequency formula for low-degree acoustic modes, as recently discovered through numerical calculations and theoretical considerations. In this context, a key question is whether compositional/density gradients can adversely affect such patterns to the point of hindering their identification. To answer this question, we calculate frequency spectra using two-dimensional ESTER stellar models. These models use a multi-domain spectral approach, allowing us to easily insert a compositional discontinuity while retaining a high numerical accuracy. We analyse the effects of such discontinuities on both the frequencies and eigenfunctions of pulsation modes in the asymptotic regime. We find that although there is more scatter around the asymptotic frequency formula, the semi-large frequency separation can still be clearly identified in a spectrum of low-degree acoustic modes.
Rapidly rotating giant stars are relatively rare and may represent important stages of stellar evolution, resulting from stellar coalescence of close binary systems or accretion of sub-stellar companions by their hosting stars. In the present letter we report 17 giant stars observed in the scope of the Kepler space mission exhibiting rapid rotation behavior. For the first time the abnormal rotational behavior for this puzzling family of stars is revealed by direct measurements of rotation, namely from photometric rotation period, exhibiting very short rotation period with values ranging from 13 to 55 days. This finding points for remarkable surface rotation rates, up to 18 times the Sun rotation. These giants are combined with 6 other recently listed in the literature for mid-IR diagnostic based on WISE information, from which a trend for an infrared excess is revealed for at least a half of the stars, but at a level far lower than the dust excess emission shown by planet-bearing main-sequence stars.
We examine high-cadence space photometry taken by the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) of a sample of evolved massive stars (26 Wolf-Rayet stars and 8 Luminous Blue Variables or candidate LBVs). To avoid confusion problems, only stars without bright Gaia neighbours and without evidence of bound companions are considered. This leads to a clean sample, whose variability properties should truly reflect the properties of the WR and LBV classes. Red noise is detected in all cases and its fitting reveals characteristics very similar to those found for OB-stars. Coherent variability is also detected for 20% of the WR sample. Most detections occur at moderately high frequency (3--14/d), hence are most probably linked to pulsational activity. This work doubles the number of WRs known to exhibit high-frequency signals.
We continue our studies on stellar latitudinal differential rotation. The presented work is a sequel of the work of Reiners et al. who studied the spectral line broadening profile of hundreds of stars of spectral types A through G at high rotational speed (vsini > 12 km/s). While most stars were found to be rigid rotators, only a few tens show the signatures of differential rotation. The present work comprises the rotational study of some 180 additional stars. The overall broadening profile is derived according to Reiners et al. from hundreds of spectral lines by least-squares deconvolution, reducing spectral noise to a minimum. Projected rotational velocities vsini are measured for about 120 of the sample stars. Differential rotation produces a cuspy line shape which is best measured in inverse wavelength space by the first two zeros of its Fourier transform. Rigid and differential rotation can be distinguished for more than 50 rapid rotators (vsini > 12 km/s) among the sample stars from the available spectra. Ten stars with significant differential rotation rates of 10-54 % are identified, which add to the few known rapid differential rotators. Differential rotation measurements of 6 % and less for four of our targets are probably spurious and below the detection limit. Including these objects, the line shapes of more than 40 stars are consistent with rigid rotation.
Apart from recent progress in Gamma Dor stars, identifying modes in rapidly rotating stars is a formidable challenge due to the lack of simple, easily identifiable frequency patterns. As a result, it is necessary to look to observational methods for identifying modes. Two popular techniques are spectroscopic mode identification based on line profile variations (LPVs) and photometric mode identification based on amplitude ratios and phase differences between multiple photometric bands. In this respect, the BRITE constellation is particularly interesting as it provides space-based multi-colour photometry. The present contribution describes the latest developments in obtaining theoretical predictions for amplitude ratios and phase differences for pulsation modes in rapidly rotating stars. These developments are based on full 2D non-adiabatic pulsation calculations, using models from the ESTER code, the only code to treat in a self-consistent way the thermal equilibrium of rapidly rotating stars. These predictions are then specifically applied to the BRITE photometric bands to explore the prospects of identifying modes based on BRITE observations.