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Register a new userDeciphering the Surprising Variability of A-type Stars Revealed by Kepler
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A recent analysis of high precision photometry obtained using the Kepler spacecraft has revealed two surprising discoveries: (1) over 860 main sequence A-type stars -- approximately 40% of those identified in the Kepler field -- exhibit periodic variability that may be attributable to rotational modulation by spots and (2) many of their light curves indicate the presence of a mysterious and characteristic power spectral feature. We have been carrying out an ongoing analysis designed to expand upon these discoveries and to provide a possible explanation for the unusual power spectral features. In the following, we will put these recent discoveries into context as well as discuss the preliminary findings yielded by our analysis of the Kepler light curves.
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Recent re-determination of stellar atmospheric parameters for a sample of stars observed during the {it Kepler} mission allowed to enlarge the number of {it Kepler} B-type stars. We present the detailed frequency analysis for all these objects. All stars exhibit pulsational variability with maximum amplitudes at frequencies corresponding to high-order g modes. Peaks that could be identified with low-order p/g modes are also extracted for a few stars. We identified some patters in the oscillation spectra that can be associated with the period spacings that can result from the asymptotic nature of the detected pulsational modes. We also tentatively confront the observed oscillation characteristics with predictions from linear nonadiabatic computations of stellar pulsations. For high-order g modes the traditional approximation was employed to include the effects of rotation on the frequency values and mode instability.
The analysis of the light curves of 48 B-type stars observed by Kepler is presented. Among these are 15 pulsating stars, all of which show low frequencies characteristic of SPB stars. Seven of these stars also show a few weak, isolated high frequencies and they could be considered as SPB/beta Cep hybrids. In all cases the frequency spectra are quite different from what is seen from ground-based observations. We suggest that this is because most of the low frequencies are modes of high degree which are predicted to be unstable in models of mid-B stars. We find that there are non-pulsating stars within the beta Cep and SPB instability strips. Apart from the pulsating stars, we can identify stars with frequency groupings similar to what is seen in Be stars but which are not Be stars. The origin of the groupings is not clear, but may be related to rotation. We find periodic variations in other stars which we attribute to proximity effects in binary systems or possibly rotational modulation. We find no evidence for pulsating stars between the cool edge of the SPB and the hot edge of the delta Sct instability strips. None of the stars show the broad features which can be attributed to stochastically-excited modes as recently proposed. Among our sample of B stars are two chemically peculiar stars, one of which is a HgMn star showing rotational modulation in the light curve.
The Kepler spacecraft is providing photometric time series with micro-magnitude precision for thousands of variable stars. The continuous time-series of unprecedented time span open up opportunities to study the pulsational variability in much more detail than was previously possible from the ground. We present a first general characterization of the variability of A-F type stars as observed in the Kepler light curves of a sample of 750 candidate A-F type stars, and investigate the relation between gamma Doradus, delta Scuti, and hybrid stars. Our results imply an investigation of pulsation mechanisms to supplement the kappa mechanism and convective blocking effect to drive hybrid pulsations and suggest a revision of the current observational instability strips of delta Scuti and gamma Doradus stars if the currently available values of effective temperature and surface gravity will be confirmed.
The Kepler spacecraft is providing time series of photometric data with micromagnitude precision for hundreds of A-F type stars. We present a first general characterization of the pulsational behaviour of A-F type stars as observed in the Kepler light curves of a sample of 750 candidate A-F type stars. We propose three main groups to describe the observed variety in pulsating A-F type stars: gamma Dor, delta Sct, and hybrid stars. We assign 63% of our sample to one of the three groups, and identify the remaining part as rotationally modulated/active stars, binaries, stars of different spectral type, or stars that show no clear periodic variability. 23% of the stars (171 stars) are hybrid stars, which is a much larger fraction than what has been observed before. We characterize for the first time a large number of A-F type stars (475 stars) in terms of number of detected frequencies, frequency range, and typical pulsation amplitudes. The majority of hybrid stars show frequencies with all kinds of periodicities within the gamma Dor and delta Sct range, also between 5 and 10 c/d, which is a challenge for the current models. We find indications for the existence of delta Sct and gamma Dor stars beyond the edges of the current observational instability strips. The hybrid stars occupy the entire region within the delta Sct and gamma Dor instability strips, and beyond. Non-variable stars seem to exist within the instability strips. The location of gamma Dor and delta Sct classes in the (Teff,logg)-diagram has been extended. We investigate two newly constructed variables efficiency and energy as a means to explore the relation between gamma Dor and delta Sct stars. Our results suggest a revision of the current observational instability strips, and imply an investigation of other pulsation mechanisms to supplement the kappa mechanism and convective blocking effect to drive hybrid pulsations.
The advent of new time domain surveys and the imminent increase in astronomical data expose the shortcomings in traditional time series analysis (such as power spectra analysis) in characterising the abundantly varied, complex and stochastic light curves of Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN). Recent applications of novel methods from non-linear dynamics have shown promise in characterising higher modes of variability and time-scales in AGN. Recurrence analysis in particular can provide complementary information about characteristic time-scales revealed by other methods, as well as probe the nature of the underlying physics in these objects. Recurrence analysis was developed to study the recurrences of dynamical trajectories in phase space, which can be constructed from one-dimensional time series such as light curves. We apply the methods of recurrence analysis to two optical light curves of Kepler-monitored AGN. We confirm the detection and period of an optical quasi-periodic oscillation in one AGN, and confirm multiple other time-scales recovered from other methods ranging from 5 days to 60 days in both objects. We detect regions in the light curves that deviate from regularity, provide evidence of determinism and non-linearity in the mechanisms underlying one light curve (KIC 9650712), and determine a linear stochastic process recovers the dominant variability in the other light curve (Zwicky 229--015). We discuss possible underlying processes driving the dynamics of the light curves and their diverse classes of variability.
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