Pulsating Hot Subdwarfs in Omega Centauri

Randall, S. K.; Calamida, A.; Fontaine, G.; Monelli, M.; Bono, G.; Alonso, M. L.; Van Grootel, V.; Brassard, P.; Chayer, P.; Catelan, M.; Littlefair, S.; Dhillon, V. S.; Marsh, T. R.
Bibliographical reference

The Messenger, vol. 164, p. 23-26

Advertised on:
6
2016
Number of authors
13
IAC number of authors
2
Citations
0
Refereed citations
0
Description
We recently discovered the first globular cluster hot subdwarf pulsators in Omega Centauri (ω Cen). These stars were initially thought to belong to the class of rapidly pulsating subdwarf B stars, which are well established among the field star population and have become showcases for asteroseismology. However, our spectroscopic analysis revealed the ω Cen variables to be significantly hotter than expected, indicating that they form a new class of subdwarf O pulsators clustered around 50 000 K, not known among the field star population. Non-adiabatic pulsation modelling suggests that the driver for the pulsations occurs via the same iron opacity mechanism that is at work in the rapidly pulsating subdwarf B stars.