Search arXivSearch

arXiv subjects

S. Mathis

Publications and source records attributed to S. Mathis.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Calibrating angular momentum transport in intermediate-mass stars from gravity-mode asteroseismology. II. Modelling 2937 BAF-type stars

Asteroseismology of gravity (g)-mode pulsators covering BAF-type stars have shown that angular momentum is redistributed during the main sequence. The efficiency of the transport, however, remains largely uncalibrated. This paper aims at exploiting a sample of 2937 characterized g-mode pulsators (the largest one to-date) to place constraints on the efficiency of angular momentum transport by assuming an effective viscosity or an Eddy-viscosity based on the Tayler-Spruit dynamo within a fully-diffusive framework. We compute grids of rotating stellar evolution models that we then use to simulate a population of stars by sampling from these grids with prior distributions on the mass, age and initial rotation rate. We then compare these simulated distributions of rotation frequencies and specific angular momentum ($J/M$) to the ones of the sample of observed stars. We find that a fully-diffusive framework for the transport of angular momentum during the main sequence is sufficient to explain the observed evolution of near-core rotation frequencies, the observed differential rotation, and the observed mass-dependence of $J/M$ when the effective viscosity (assumed constant) is $10^6\,{\rm cm^2\,{\rm s^{-1}}}$ or larger. Viscosities predicted by the Tayler-Spruit dynamo are in general far above this value and can explain the data as well. Future observational studies of main sequence g-mode pulsators are encouraged to measure core-to-surface rotation rates, particularly of B-type stars. In this work we have exploited the constraining potential of near-core rotation frequencies alone, while the contrast with the surface rotation would allow us to unravel the mechanisms driving the transport further.

astro-ph.SR

The fate of Earth during the Sun's giant phases: New constraints from ab initio tidal modelling and AGB mass loss

The long-term evolution of planetary systems around solar-type stars is governed by the interplay between stellar expansion, tidal interactions, and mass loss during the red giant branch (RGB) and asymptotic giant branch (AGB) phases. However, tidal dissipation efficiencies and AGB mass-loss rates both remain poorly constrained, leading to significant uncertainty in predicting the fate of planetary systems, in particular, that of the Earth orbiting the ageing Sun. We reassess the survival of the Earth and the inner Solar System planets during the entire evolution of the Sun, focusing on the impact of updated tidal dissipation prescriptions and varying AGB mass-loss rates. We modelled the orbital evolution of the Earth using stellar evolution tracks for a solar-mass star. We compared these results with outcomes obtained using previously published and commonly adopted tidal prescriptions, and we explored a range of AGB mass-loss rates. We find that the predicted fate of the Earth is highly sensitive to the tidal model and the assumed mass-loss rate. Based on updated tidal dissipation prescriptions, Earth survives the RGB and AGB phases of the Sun. In contrast, the use of earlier tidal dissipation prescriptions leads to engulfment during the AGB phase. Furthermore, low AGB mass-loss rates result in engulfment, and vice versa. Using the observed mass-loss rates of the AGB star L2 Pup as a proxy for the Sun's future AGB mass-loss rate results in the survival of the Earth during the AGB phase when combined with our tidal dissipation evaluation. Given the current observational uncertainties in AGB mass-loss rates, the ultimate fate of the Earth remains uncertain, highlighting the need for improved constraints on the late-stages of stellar evolution. However, considering observational proxies for the Sun during the AGB phase, it is likely that the Earth will survive the Sun's giant phases.

astro-ph.EP

Characterizing six seismic solar analogs observed by Kepler, K2, and HERMES

Solar analogs, stars that closely match the fundamental properties of the Sun, provide key benchmarks for testing stellar structure and evolution across different ages and activity levels. Their detailed characterization helps place the Sun in context within the broader population of solar-like stars. This study presents the characterization of six seismic solar analogs observed by the NASA Kepler and K2 missions. Combining asteroseismic constraints from space-based photometry with high-resolution spectroscopy and \textit{Gaia} astrometry, we derived their fundamental parameters and assessed their resemblance to the Sun. Global seismic properties and individual oscillation modes were extracted from the photometric light curves, while atmospheric parameters were obtained from data collected by the HERMES spectrograph at the Mercator telescope. Stellar modeling using seven independent stellar evolution codes yielded consistent masses, radii, and ages. These stars have masses between 0.91 and 1.04~$\mathrm{M}_\odot$, radii between 0.95 and 1.08~$\mathrm{R}_\odot$, and ages from about 1.8 to 9.1~Gyr, with typical systematic uncertainties of $\pm$ 0.02~$\mathrm{M}_\odot$, $\pm$ 0.01~$\mathrm{R}_\odot$, and $\pm$ 0.7~Gyr, respectively. One star, EPIC~206064678, exhibits properties very similar to those of the Sun, with $M = 1.016 \pm 0.033\,\mathrm{M}_\odot$, $R = 0.990 \pm 0.011\,\mathrm{R}_\odot$, and an age of $5.40 \pm 0.12$\,Gyr. It can therefore be considered a close solar twin, although it is slightly older and more metal-rich ($0.25 \pm 0.07$\,dex). Four targets display binarity signatures and all exhibit very low chromospheric activity. This work broadens the sample of well-characterized seismic solar analogs towards a larger sample of metallicities and ages, providing new references for comparative stellar studies and future asteroseismic investigations.

astro-ph.SR

Competition between gravity waves excited by convection and tides in stars that host a companion

Asteroseismology has become a powerful tool in stellar astrophysics, offering unprecedented insights into the internal structures and dynamics of stars. It enables precise characterization of stellar interiors across a wide range of stellar masses and of evolutionary phases, from the main sequence to the white dwarf phase. At the same time, the number of detected close stellar and planetary companions throughout the entire stellar evolutionary phases has increased significantly, prompting key questions about the interplay between stellar evolution and binarity. We investigate the competition between gravity waves (IGW) excited by internal convection and those excited by tides in stars that host a companion. By modelling the energy and angular momentum luminosities transported by IGWs stochastically excited by convection and by tides, we seek to quantify their relative contributions and identify the key parameters that govern their efficiency. We compute the energy and angular momentum luminosities transported by both types of waves for a range of stellar masses and evolutionary stages, with a particular focus on understanding how the presence of a companion influences the angular momentum transport of the radiative layers of the host star. The competition between the two excitation mechanisms is sensitive to the mass and orbital properties of the companion, as well as the internal structure of the host star. We find that for a Jupiter-mass companion, the stochastic excitation dominates over tidal excitation during all evolutionary phases. Only for close-in stellar companions around late-type stars does the tidal excitation become more efficient. The presence of a companion is unlikely to significantly alter the internal angular momentum transport in the radiative layers of the host star, simplifying the modelling of IGW-driven angular momentum transport in stars that host a companion.

astro-ph.SR

Expanding stellar horizons with polarized light

The polarization of light is a critically under-utilized, rich source of information in astronomy. For stars in particular, surface magnetism polarization that can be detected and measured with spectro-polarimetry. Many questions about these surface fields remain unanswered due to a lack of dedicated instruments capable of probing weak and strong surface magnetic fields for the entire mass range of stars, from M-dwarfs (and even substellar objects) to massive O-type stars at different evolutionary stages and metallicities. These questions range from the origin of these fields to their true incidence rate throughout the stellar population and the dependence on metallicity. Magnetic fields, although currently often excluded from stellar evolution models, play an important role in stellar evolution. Connecting the surface fields to internal fields through asteroseismology will instigate a new era of understanding stellar evolution and the transport of angular momentum and chemical elements throughout stellar interiors, also impacting our understanding of star-planet interactions and stellar remnants. Polarimetry is also an under-utilized tool to observationally constrain the mode identification of nonradial oscillations, which lies at the basis of accurate asteroseismic parameter estimation at percentage-level for stellar radii, masses, ages, internal rotation, and magnetic field strengths. Combining strong constraints on mode identification and surface magnetic properties through the acquisition of time-resolved, high-resolution and high-signal-to-noise (S/N) spectro-polarimetry and spectroscopy promises to bring leaps forward in our understanding of stellar structure, particularly when combined with long-term space photometric data from past, current, and future missions.

astro-ph.IM

Is a 1D perturbative method sufficient for asteroseismic modelling of $\beta$ Cephei pulsators? Implications for measurements of rotation and internal magnetic fields

Asymmetries in the observed rotational splittings of a multiplet contain information about the star's rotation profile and internal magnetic field. However, to exploit this information, highly accurate theoretical predictions are needed. We aim to quantify the difference in the predicted mode asymmetries between a 1D perturbative method, and a 2D method that includes a 2D stellar structure model, which takes rotation into account. We then put these differences in the context of asteroseismic measurements of internal magnetic fields. We couple the 1D pulsation codes GYRE and StORM to the 2D stellar structure code ESTER and compare the oscillation predictions with the results from the 2D TOP pulsation code. We focus on ZAMS models representative of rotating $\beta$~Cephei pulsators, going up to 20% of the critical rotation rate. We find a generally good agreement between the oscillation frequencies resulting from the 1D and 2D pulsation codes. Since the magnetic asymmetries are small compared to the differences in the rotational asymmetries resulting from the 1D and 2D predictions, accurate measurements of the magnetic field are in most cases challenging. Differences in the predicted mode asymmetries between 1D perturbative methods and 2D non-perturbative methods can greatly hinder accurate measurements of internal magnetic fields in main-sequence pulsators with low-order modes. Nevertheless, reasonably accurate measurements could be possible with $n_{pg} \ge 2$ modes if the internal rotation is roughly below 10% of the critical rotation frequency for (aligned) magnetic fields on the order of a few hundred kG. While the differences between the 1D and 2D predictions are mostly too large for internal magnetic field detections, the rotational asymmetries predicted by StORM are in general accurate enough for asteroseismic modelling of the stellar rotation in main-sequence stars.

astro-ph.SR

Co-existence of Internal Gravity Waves and Tayler-Spruit Magnetic Fields in the Radiative Core of Low-mass Stars

The Tayler-Spruit dynamo (TSD) is able to generate a small-scale magnetic field in the differentially rotating stably stratified layers of stars and was recently observed in numerical simulations. In parallel, the propagation of internal gravity waves in stars can be modified in the presence of a magnetic field. Here we first want to estimate the interaction between a magnetic field generated by the TSD and internal gravity waves in the radiative core of low-mass stars. This allows us to then characterise the effect of this interplay on the observed standing modes spectrum and on the internal transport of angular momentum by progressive waves. To do this, we use the STAREVOL evolution code to compute the structure of low-mass rotating stars along their evolution. In particular, we implement a formalism to describe the TSD and estimate the regions where the generated magnetic field is strong enough to change the identity of internal gravity waves to magneto-gravity waves. In addition, we evaluate the possible limitation of angular momentum transport by the combined action of rotation and magnetism. We show that along the pre-main sequence and main-sequence evolution, the lowest frequencies of the excited gravity wave spectrum could be converted to magneto-gravity waves by the magnetic field generated by the TSD. During the red-giant branch we find that most of the excited spectrum of progressive internal gravity waves could be converted into magneto-gravity waves in the very central region.

astro-ph.SR

Discovery of new magnetic {\delta} Scuti stars and impact of magnetism on pulsation excitation

Context. At this time, the list of known magnetic {\delta} Scuti stars is extremely limited, with only a handful of well-studied examples. Aims. We seek to expand this list, by retrieving targets from a variety of sources and demonstrating that they present simultaneously a surface magnetic field signature and {\delta} Scuti pulsations. Methods. We obtained archival and new spectropolarimetric datasets for a variety of known {\delta} Scuti stars and analysed them using the Least Squares Deconvolution method to generate mean Stokes I and V profiles for each target, from which we can determine longitudinal magnetic field measurements. Additionally, we assessed photometric data from the TESS satellite to discern frequency peaks consistent with {\delta} Scuti pulsations in known magnetic stars, and to identify magnetic candidates via rotational modulation. Results. We present a compiled list of all the confirmed magnetic {\delta} Scuti stars discovered to date, containing 13 stars. The majority of this sample lies outside the usual {\delta} Scuti instability strip in the H-R diagram, though we do not observe any specific correlations between magnetic field strength and various stellar parameters. This indicates that strong global magnetic fields play a fundamental role in shaping interior structure and processes. Magnetic fields thus must be included in realistic stellar models in order to more accurately predict structure and evolution. Conclusions. This work constitutes the largest database to date of strongly magnetic {\delta} Scuti stars, one that will continue to grow over time with subsequent studies.

astro-ph.SR

Numerical Simulations Confirm Wave-Induced Shear Mixing in Stellar Interiors

Internal Gravity Waves (IGWs) are thought to cause mixing in stellar interiors, a process that has been widely studied both theoretically and numerically. Our aim is to determine the physical mechanism responsible for the wave-induced mixing in stellar interiors. We compare the mixing profiles obtained from two-dimensional (2D) equatorial hydrodynamical and tracer particle simulations with theoretical predictions from R. J. Garcia Lopez & H. C. Spruit (1991) and J. P. Zahn (1992) on wave mixing due to wave-induced shear turbulence. Our results show that, despite not satisfying the vertical shear instability threshold, the mixing profiles from the simulations agree remarkably well with the theoretical predictions of both prescriptions, strongly suggesting that shear from IGWs plays an important role in mixing even at low shear rates. This agreement remains robust across different stellar masses, ages, rotation and simulation parameters. This provides an important step in providing realistic parameterisations for wave mixing in stellar structure and evolution models.

astro-ph.SR

Interior rotation modelling of the $\beta$ Cep pulsator HD 192575 including multiplet asymmetries

Rotation plays an important role in stellar evolution. However, the mechanisms behind the transport of angular momentum in stars at various stages of their evolution are not well understood. To improve our understanding of these processes, it is necessary to measure and validate the internal rotation profiles of stars across different stages of evolution and mass regimes. Our aim is to constrain the internal rotation profile of the 12Msun $\beta$ Cep pulsator HD 192575 from the observed pulsational multiplets and the asymmetries of their component frequencies. We update the forward asteroseismic modelling of HD 192575 based on new TESS observations. We invert for the rotation profile from the symmetric part of the splittings, and compute the multiplet asymmetries due to the Coriolis force and stellar deformation treated perturbatively. We compare the computed asymmetries with the observed asymmetries. Our new forward asteroseismic modelling is in agreement with previous results, but with increased uncertainties, partially due to increased frequency precision, requiring us to relax certain constraints. Ambiguity in the mode identification is the main source of the uncertainty, which also affects the inferred rotation profiles. Almost all acceptable rotation profiles occur in the regime below 0.4/d and favour weak radial differential rotation, with a ratio of core and envelope rotation below two. We find that the quality of the match between the observed and theoretically predicted mode asymmetries is strongly dependent on the mode identification and the internal structure of the star. Our results offer the first detailed rotation inversion for a $\beta$ Cep pulsator. They show that the rotation profile and the mode asymmetries provide a valuable tool to further constrain the evolutionary properties of HD 192575, and in particular the details of angular momentum transport in massive stars.

astro-ph.SR

Constraining differential rotation in gamma Doradus stars from inertial dips properties

The presence of dips in the gravity modes period spacing versus period diagram of gamma Doradus stars is now well established by recent asteroseismic studies. Such Lorentzian-shaped inertial dips arise from the interaction of gravito-inertial modes in the radiative envelope of intermediate-mass main sequence stars with pure inertial modes in their convective core. They allow to study stellar internal properties. This window on stellar internal dynamics is extremely valuable in the context of the understanding of angular momentum transport inside stars, since it allows us to probe rotation in their core. We investigate the signature and the detectability of a differential rotation between the convective core and the near-core region inside gamma Doradus stars from the inertial dip properties. We study the coupling between gravito-inertial modes in the radiative zone and pure inertial modes in the convective core in the sub-inertial regime, allowing for a two-zones differential rotation from the two sides of the boundary. Taking a bi-layer rotation profile, we derive the wave equations in the convective core and the radiative envelope. We solve the coupling equation numerically and match the result to an analytical derivation of the Lorentzian dip. We then use typical values of measured near-core rotation and buoyancy travel time to infer ranges of parameters for which differential core to near-core rotation would be detectable in current Kepler data. We show that increasing the convective core rotation with respect to the near-core rotation leads to a shift of the period of the observed dip to lower periods. In addition, the dip gets deeper and thinner as the convective core rotation increases. We demonstrate that such a signature is detectable in Kepler data, given appropriate dip parameter ranges and near-core structural properties.

astro-ph.SR

Tidal Dissipation in Evolved Low and Intermediate Mass Stars

As the observed occurrence for planets or stellar companions orbiting low and intermediate-mass evolved stars is increasing, so does the importance of understanding and evaluating the strength of their interactions. One of the fundamental mechanisms to understand this interaction is the tidal dissipation in these stars, as it is one of the engines of orbital/rotational evolution of star-planet/star-star systems. This article builds on previous works studying the evolution of the tidal dissipation along the pre-MS and the MS, which have shown the strong link between the structural and rotational evolution of stars and tidal dissipation. This article provides for the first time a complete picture of tidal dissipation along the entire evolution of low and intermediate-mass stars, including the advanced phases of evolution. Using stellar evolutionary models, the internal structure of the star is computed from the pre-MS all the way up to the white dwarf phase, for stars with initial mass between 1 and 4 Msun. Tidal dissipation is separated into two components: the dissipation of the equilibrium (non-wavelike) tide and the dissipation of the dynamical (wavelike) tide. For evolved stars the dynamical tide is constituted by progressive internal gravity waves. The significance of both the equilibrium and dynamical tide dissipation becomes apparent within distinct domains of the parameter space. The dissipation of the equilibrium tide is dominant when the star is large in size or the companion is far away from the star. Conversely the dissipation of the dynamical tide is important when the star is small in size or the companion is close to the star. Both the equilibrium and the dynamical tides are important in evolved stars, and therefore both need to be taken into account when studying the tidal dissipation in evolved stars and the evolution of planetary or/and stellar companions orbiting them.

astro-ph.SR

Effect of Rotation on Wave Mixing in Intermediate Mass Stars

Internal gravity waves (IGWs) are likely to cause mixing in stellar interiors. Studies show that the mixing by these waves changes drastically across age and mass (Varghese et al. 2023, arXiv:2211.06432). Here, we study the effect of rotation on this wave mixing by considering a 7 M$_{\odot}$ model at ZAMS and midMS. We compare the mixing profiles at a range of rotation rates ($1\times 10^{-5}$, $2\times 10^{-5}$, $3\times 10^{-5}$, $4\times 10^{-5}$ and $1\times 10^{-4}$ rad.s$^{-1}$) and observe that the mixing decreases with decreasing Rossby number. This can be attributed to the effect of rotation on convection which influences the amplitude with which the waves are excited near the convective-radiative interface.

astro-ph.SR

Stellar spectral-type (mass) dependence of the dearth of close-in planets around fast-rotating stars. Architecture of Kepler confirmed single-exoplanet systems compared to star-planet evolution models

In 2013 a dearth of close-in planets around fast-rotating host stars was found using statistical tests on Kepler data. The addition of more Kepler and Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) systems in 2022 filled this region of the diagram of stellar rotation period (Prot) versus the planet orbital period (Porb). We revisited the Prot extraction of Kepler planet-host stars, we classify the stars by their spectral type, and we studied their Prot-Porb relations. We only used confirmed exoplanet systems to minimize biases. In order to learn about the physical processes at work, we used the star-planet evolution code ESPEM (French acronym for Evolution of Planetary Systems and Magnetism) to compute a realistic population synthesis of exoplanet systems and compared them with observations. Because ESPEM works with a single planet orbiting around a single main-sequence star, we limit our study to this population of Kepler observed systems filtering out binaries, evolved stars, and multi-planets. We find in both, observations and simulations, the existence of a dearth in close-in planets orbiting around fast-rotating stars, with a dependence on the stellar spectral type (F, G, and K), which is a proxy of the mass in our sample of stars. There is a change in the edge of the dearth as a function of the spectral type (and mass). It moves towards shorter Prot as temperature (and mass) increases, making the dearth look smaller. Realistic formation hypotheses included in the model and the proper treatment of tidal and magnetic migration are enough to qualitatively explain the dearth of hot planets around fast-rotating stars and the uncovered trend with spectral type.

astro-ph.EP

Constraining stellar and orbital co-evolution through ensemble seismology of solar-like oscillators in binary systems -- A census of oscillating red-giants and main-sequence stars in Gaia DR3 binaries

Binary systems constitute a valuable astrophysics tool for testing our understanding of stellar structure and evolution. Systems containing a oscillating component are interesting as asteroseismology offers independent parameters for the oscillating component that aid the analysis. About 150 of such systems are known in the literature. To enlarge the sample of these benchmark objects, we crossmatch the Two-Body-Orbit Catalogue (TBO) of Gaia DR3, with catalogs of confirmed solar-like oscillators on the main-sequence and red-giant phase from NASA Kepler and TESS. We obtain 954 new binary system candidates hosting solar-like oscillators, of which 45 and 909 stars are on the main sequence and red-giant, resp., including 2 new red giants in eclipsing systems. 918 oscillators in potentially long-periodic systems are reported. We increase the sample size of known solar-like oscillators in binary systems by an order of magnitude. We present the seismic properties of the full sample and conclude that the grand majority of the orbital elements in the TBO is physically reasonable. 82% of all TBO binary candidates with multiple times with APOGEE are confirmed from radial-velocity measurement. However, we suggest that due to instrumental noise of the TESS satellite the seismically inferred masses and radii of stars with $\nu_\textrm{max}$$\lesssim$30$\mu$Hz could be significantly overestimated. For 146 giants the seismically inferred evolutionary state has been determined and shows clear differences in their distribution in the orbital parameters, which are accounted the accumulative effect of the equilibrium tide acting in these evolved binary systems. For other 146 systems hosting oscillating stars values for the orbital inclination were found in the TBO. From testing the TBO on the SB9 catalogue, we obtain a completeness factor of 1/3.

astro-ph.SR

TOI-1416: A system with a super-Earth planet with a 1.07d period

TOI 1416 (BD+42 2504, HIP 70705) is a V=10 late G or early K-type dwarf star with transits detected by TESS. Radial velocities verify the presence of the transiting planet TOI-1416 b, with a period of 1.07d, a mass of $3.48 M_{Earth}$ and a radius of $1.62 R_{Earth}$, implying a slightly sub-Earth density of $4.50$ g cm$^{-3}$. The RV data also further indicate a tentative planet c with a period of 27.4 or 29.5 days, whose nature cannot be verified due to strong suspicions about contamination by a signal related to the Moon's synodic period of 29.53 days. The near-USP (Ultra Short Period) planet TOI-1416 b is a typical representative of a short-period and hot ($T_{eq} \approx$ 1570 K) super-Earth like planet. A planet model of an interior of molten magma containing a significant fraction of dissolved water provides a plausible explanation for its composition, and its atmosphere could be suitable for transmission spectroscopy with JWST. The position of TOI-1416 b within the radius-period distribution corroborates that USPs with periods of less than one day do not form any special group of planets. Rather, this implies that USPs belong to a continuous distribution of super-Earth like planets with periods ranging from the shortest known ones up to ~ 30 days, whose period-radius distribution is delimitated against larger radii by the Neptune desert and by the period-radius valley that separates super-Earths from sub-Neptune planets. In the abundance of small-short periodic planets against period, a plateau between periods of 0.6 to 1.4 days has however become notable that is compatible with the low-eccentricity formation channel. For the Neptune desert, its lower limits required a revision due to the increasing population of short period planets and new limits are provided. These limits are also given in terms of the planets' insolation and effective temperatures.

astro-ph.EP

99 oscillating red-giant stars in binary systems with NASA TESS and NASA Kepler identified from the SB9-Catalogue

Oscillating red-giant stars in binary systems are an ideal testbed for investigating the structure and evolution of stars in the advanced phases of evolution. With 83 known red giants in binary systems, of which only ~40 have determined global seismic parameters and orbital parameters, the sample is small compared to the numerous known oscillating stars. The detection of red-giant binary systems is typically obtained from the signature of stellar binarity in space photometry. The time base of such data biases the detection towards systems with shorter periods and orbits of insufficient size to allow a red giant to fully extend as it evolves up the red-giant branch. Consequently, the sample shows an excess of H-shell burning giants while containing very few stars in the He-core burning phase. From the ninth catalogue of spectroscopic binary orbits (SB9), we identified candidate systems hosting a red-giant primary component. Searching space photometry from the NASA missions Kepler, K2, and TESS (Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite) as well as the BRITE (BRIght Target Explorer) constellation mission, we find 99 systems, which were previously unknown to host an oscillating giant component. The revised search strategy allowed us to extend the range of orbital periods of systems hosting oscillating giants up to 26000days. Such wide orbits allow a rich population of He-core burning primaries, which are required for a complete view of stellar evolution from binary studies. Tripling the size of the sample of known oscillating red-giant stars in binary systems is an important step towards an ensemble approach for seismology and tidal studies. While for non-eclipsing binaries the inclination is unknown, such a seismically well-characterized sample will be a treasure trove in combination with Gaia astrometric orbits for binary~systems.

astro-ph.SR

Rossby numbers and stiffness values inferred from gravity-mode asteroseismology of rotating F- and B-type dwarfs: consequences for mixing, transport, magnetism, and convective penetration

Multi-dimensional (magneto-)hydrodynamical simulations of physical processes in stellar interiors depend on a multitude of uncalibrated free parameters, which set the spatial and time scales of their computations. We aim to provide an asteroseismic calibration of the wave and convective Rossby numbers, and of the stiffness at the interface between the convective core and radiative envelope of intermediate-mass stars. We deduce these quantities for rotating dwarfs from the observed properties of their identified gravity and gravito-inertial modes. We rely on near-core rotation rates and asteroseismic models of 26 B- and 37 F-type dwarf pulsators derived from 4-year Kepler space photometry, high-resolution spectroscopy and Gaia astrometry in the literature to deduce their convective and wave Rossby numbers. We compute the stiffness at the convection/radiation interface from the inferred maximum buoyancy frequency at the interface and the convective turnover frequency in the core. We use those asteroseismically inferred quantities to make predictions of convective penetration levels, local flux levels of gravito-inertial waves triggered by the convective core, and of the cores' potential rotational and magnetic states. Our sample of 63 gravito-inertial mode pulsators covers near-core rotation rates from almost zero up to the critical rate. The frequencies of their identified modes lead to models with stiffness values between $10^{2.69}$ and $10^{3.60}$ for the B-type pulsators, while those of F-type stars cover the range from $10^{3.47}$ to $10^{4.52}$. The convective Rossby numbers derived from the maximum convective diffusion coefficient in the convective core, based on mixing length theory and a value of the mixing length coefficient relevant for these pulsators, vary between $10^{-2.3}$ and $10^{-0.8}$ for B-type stars and $10^{-3}$ and $10^{-1.5}$ for F-type stars. (abridged)

astro-ph.SR