Asteroseismic Diagnostics for Semi-Convection in B Stars in the Era of K2 [SSA]

http://arxiv.org/abs/1407.6536


Semi-convection is a slow mixing process in chemically-inhomogeneous radiative interiors of stars. In massive OB stars, it is important during the main sequence. However, the efficiency of this mixing mechanism is not properly gauged yet. Here, we argue that asteroseismology of $\beta$ Cep pulsators is capable of distinguishing between models of varying semi-convection efficiencies. We address this in the light of upcoming high-precision space photometry to be obtained with the Kepler two-wheel mission for massive stars along the ecliptic.

Read this paper on arXiv…

E. Moravveji
Fri, 25 Jul 14
26/57

Comments: Contributed paper to appear in Proc. IAU307: New windows on massive stars: asteroseismology, interferometry, and spectropolarimetry, Editors: G. Meynet, C. Georgy, J.H. Groh & Ph. Stee, 6 pages, 2 figures