No Arabic abstract
The determination of the size of the convective core of main-sequence stars is usually dependent on the construction of models of stars. Here we introduce a method to estimate the radius of the convective core of main-sequence stars with masses between about 1.1 and 1.5 $M_{odot}$ from observed frequencies of low-degree p-modes. A formula is proposed to achieve the estimation. The values of the radius of the convective core of four known stars are successfully estimated by the formula. The radius of the convective core of KIC 9812850 estimated by the formula is $mathbf{0.140pm0.028}$ $R_{odot}$. In order to confirm this prediction, a grid of evolutionary models were computed. The value of the convective-core radius of the best-fit model of KIC 9812850 is $0.149$ $R_{odot}$, which is in good agreement with that estimated by the formula from observed frequencies. The formula aids in understanding the interior structure of stars directly from observed frequencies. The understanding is not dependent on the construction of models.
Solar-like oscillations have been observed by {{it Kepler}} and CoRoT in several solar-type stars. We study the variations of stellar p-mode linewidth as a function of effective temperature. Time series of 9 months of Kepler data have been used. The power spectra of 42 cool main-sequence stars and subgiants have been analysed using both Maximum Likelihood Estimators and Bayesian estimators, providing individual mode characteristics such as frequencies, linewidths and mode heights. Here we report on the mode linewidth at maximum power and at maximum mode height for these 42 stars as a function of effective temperature. We show that the mode linewidth at either maximum mode height or maximum amplitude follows a scaling relation with effective temperature, which is a combination of a power law plus a lower bound. The typical power law index is about 13 for the linewidth derived from the maximum mode height, and about 16 for the linewidth derived from the maximum amplitude while the lower bound is about 0.3 microHz and 0.7 microHz, respectively. We stress that this scaling relation is only valid for the cool main-sequence stars and subgiants, and does not have predictive power outside the temperature range of these stars.
Solar-like oscillations have been observed by Kepler and CoRoT in many solar-type stars, thereby providing a way to probe the stars using asteroseismology. We provide the mode linewidths and mode heights of the oscillations of various stars as a function of frequency and of effective temperature. We used a time series of nearly two years of data for each star. The 23 stars observed belong to the simple or F-like category. The power spectra of the 23 main-sequence stars were analysed using both maximum likelihood estimators and Bayesian estimators, providing individual mode characteristics such as frequencies, linewidths, and mode heights. We study the source of systematic errors in the mode linewidths and mode heights, and we present a way to correct these errors with respect to a common reference fit. Using the correction, we could explain all sources of systematic errors, which could be reduced to less than $pm$15% for mode linewidths and heights, and less than $pm$5% for amplitude, when compared to the reference fit. The effect of a different estimated stellar background and a different estimated splitting will provide frequency-dependent systematic errors that might affect the comparison with theoretical mode linewidth and mode height, therefore affecting the understanding of the physical nature of these parameters. All other sources of relative systematic errors are less dependent upon frequency. We also provide the dependence of the so-called linewidth dip, in the middle of the observed frequency range, as a function of effective temperature. We show that the depth of the dip decreases with increasing effective temperature. The dependence of the dip on effective temperature may imply that the mixing length parameter $alpha$ or the convective flux may increase with effective temperature.
3D hydrodynamics models of deep stellar convection exhibit turbulent entrainment at the convective-radiative boundary which follows the entrainment law, varying with boundary penetrability. We implement the entrainment law in the 1D Geneva stellar evolution code. We then calculate models between 1.5 and 60 M$_{odot}$ at solar metallicity ($Z=0.014$) and compare them to previous generations of models and observations on the main sequence. The boundary penetrability, quantified by the bulk Richardson number, $Ri_{mathrm{B}}$, varies with mass and to a smaller extent with time. The variation of $Ri_{mathrm{B}}$ with mass is due to the mass dependence of typical convective velocities in the core and hence the luminosity of the star. The chemical gradient above the convective core dominates the variation of $Ri_{mathrm{B}}$ with time. An entrainment law method can therefore explain the apparent mass dependence of convective boundary mixing through $Ri_{mathrm{B}}$. New models including entrainment can better reproduce the mass dependence of the main sequence width using entrainment law parameters $A sim 2 times 10^{-4}$ and $n=1$. We compare these empirically constrained values to the results of 3D hydrodynamics simulations and discuss implications.
For the very best and brightest asteroseismic solar-type targets observed by Kepler, the frequency precision is sufficient to determine the acoustic depths of the surface convective layer and the helium ionization zone. Such sharp features inside the acoustic cavity of the star, which we call acoustic glitches, create small oscillatory deviations from the uniform spacing of frequencies in a sequence of oscillation modes with the same spherical harmonic degree. We use these oscillatory signals to determine the acoustic locations of such features in 19 solar-type stars observed by the Kepler mission. Four independent groups of researchers utilized the oscillation frequencies themselves, the second differences of the frequencies and the ratio of the small and large separation to locate the base of the convection zone and the second helium ionization zone. Despite the significantly different methods of analysis, good agreement was found between the results of these four groups, barring a few cases. These results also agree reasonably well with the locations of these layers in representative models of the stars. These results firmly establish the presence of the oscillatory signals in the asteroseismic data and the viability of several techniques to determine the location of acoustic glitches inside stars.
Recent investigations have shown that the extended main-sequence turnoffs (eMSTOs) are a common feature of intermediate-age star clusters in the Magellanic Clouds. The eMSTOs are also found in the color-magnitude diagram (CMD) of young-age star clusters. The origin of the eMSTOs is still an open question. Moreover, asteroseismology shows that the value of the overshooting parameter $delta_{rm ov}$ of the convective core is not fixed for the stars with an approximatelly equal mass. Thus the MSTO of star clusters may be affected by the overshooting of the convective core (OVCC). We calculated the effects of the OVCC with different $delta_{rm ov}$ on the MSTO of young- and intermediate-age star clusters. textbf{If $delta_{rm ov}$ varies between stars in a cluster,} the observed eMSTOs of young- and intermediate-age star clusters can be explained well by the effects. The equivalent age spreads of MSTO caused by the OVCC are related to the age of star clusters and are in good agreement with observed results of many clusters. Moreover, the observed eMSTOs of NGC 1856 are reproduced by the coeval populations with different $delta_{rm ov}$. The eMSTOs of star clusters may be relevant to the effects of the OVCC. The effects of the OVCC textbf{are similar to that of rotation in some respects. But the effects cannot result in a significant split of main sequence of young star clusters at $m_{U}lesssim 21$.} The presence of a rapid rotation can make the split of main sequence of young star clusters more significant.