This paper summarizes the main results of our recent study of the non-Blazhko RR Lyrae stars observed with the Kepler space telescope. These stars offer the opportunity for studying the stability of the pulsations of RR Lyrae stars and for providing
a reference against which the Blazhko RR Lyrae stars can be compared. Of particular interest is the stability of the low-dispersion (sigma < 1mmag) light curves constructed from ~18,000 long-cadence (30-min) and (for FN Lyr and AW Dra) the ~150,000 short-cadence (1-min) photometric data points. Fourier-based [Fe/H] values and other physical characteristics are also derived. When the observed periods are compared with periods computed with the Warsaw non-linear convective pulsation code better agreement is achieved assuming pulsational L and M values rather than the (higher) evolutionary L and M values.
We present some recent findings concerning the use of RR Lyrae as distance indicators and stellar tracers. We outline pros and cons of field and cluster RR Lyrae stars and discuss recent theoretical findings concerning the use of the Bailey (amplitud
e vs pulsation period) diagram to constrain the possible occurrence of Helium enhanced RR Lyrae stars. Nonlinear, convective RR Lyrae models indicate that the pulsation properties of RR Lyrae stars are minimally affected by the helium content. The main difference between canonical and He enhanced models is due to the increase in luminosity predicted by evolutionary models. Moreover, we focus our attention on the near-infrared Period-Luminosity (PL) relation of RR Lyrae and summarize observational evidence concerning the slope of the K-band PL relation in a few globulars (M92, Reticulum, M5, Omega Cen) covering a range in metallicity of ~1 dex. Current findings suggest that the slope has a mild dependence on the metal content when moving from the metal-poor to the metal-intermediate regime. Finally, we also discuss the use of RR Lyrae stars either to estimate (helium indicator: A-parameter) or to measure (absorption and emission lines) the helium content.
The serendipitous discovery by Preston and colleagues of the neutron-capture-enhanced RR Lyrae variable star TY Gru (a.k.a. CS 22881-071 in the HK survey of very metal-poor halo stars) has resulted in a growing set of initiatives on the chemical comp
ositions of RR Lyrae stars and their application to broader topics in Galactic halo structure. Here we summarize the main aspects of our work on TY Gru, including a new discussion of our search for possible orbital motion of this star around a putative unseen companion. Then we describe a few of the results of a newly-completed intensive spectroscopic investigation of 10 additional field RR Lyr stars. We finish by outlining current projects that seek to contrast the atmospheres and chemical compositions of RRc stars with those of the RRab stars, and that employ a much larger RRab sample in a chemo-dynamical study of Galactic halo RR Lyr.
With increasingly accurate data on RR Lyrae stars we find that the Blazhko effect may be a rule rather than an exception. However, we still do not know what is the cause of this mysterious amplitude and phase modulation. In my talk, I intended to giv
e a glimpse of the properties of Blazhko stars, presenting recent findings concerning what makes Blazhko stars different from their non-modulated counterparts. Recent observations of Blazhko stars obtained from space give some important clues that deserve further exploration.
