Thomas Steindl
Thomas Steindl
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Tidally perturbed pulsations in the pre-main sequence δ Scuti binary RS Cha

To the publication:
NASA ADS       arxiv.org

Technology used:

Python, Phoebe, SMURFS, MESA

Publication abstract:

Stellar components in binaries are subject to tidal forces which influence asteroseismic properties. Tidally pertubed pulsations have been reported for different objects but none of these are in their pre-main sequence phase of evolution. This makes RS Cha, consisting of two δ Scuti stars and with pulsational characteristics influenced by tidal effects, the first such object observed. We aim to investigate the pulsational properties of the eclipsing binary RS Cha in terms of the theory of tidally perturbed pulsations. Based on photometric time series obtained from the TESS satellite, we performed binary modelling using PHOEBE to interpret the binary light curve and to allow the investigation of the pulsations of both components in RS Cha. We modelled the detrended light curve with the superposition of linear modes. The frequencies were then interpreted as self excited modes perturbed by tidal forces. We find evidence for tidally perturbed modes, which enables the identification of pulsation modes. RS Cha mainly exhibits dipole modes, while one prominent l = 2 or l = 3 mode is also inferred. The latter verifies previous results from spectroscopic time series. This work shows that RS Cha is an ideal candidate to test the theory of tidally perturbed pulsations within the framework of asteroseismic modelling. The identification of multiple pulsation modes using this theory is unprecedented and will be a keystone in the future of pre-main sequence asteroseismology. However, amplitude modulation caused by the changing light ratio during the orbital phase in an eclipsing binary also plays a significant role, which can complicate mode identification.


About me

Thomas Steindl MSc

PhD student at the Institute for Astro- and Particle physics at the University Innsbruck

Research Group of Univ. Prof. Mag. Dr. Konstanze Zwintz

Links
  • Universität Innsbruck
  • Institute for Astro- and Particle Physics
  • Konstanze Zwintz
  • TESS
  • BRITE constellation
Tools & Software
  • MESA
  • GYRE
  • SMURFS
  • Phoebe
Location

Technikerstraße 25 | 6020 Innsbruck | Room: 8/07

+43 512 507 52031

thomas.steindl@uibk.ac.at