arXiv subjects

A. H. Córsico

Publications and source records attributed to A. H. Córsico.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Asteroseismology of the ZZ Ceti star WD 1310+583 using the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite

Aims. By analysing the light curves of the ZZ Ceti star WD 1310+583, we aim to determine its pulsational frequencies and to give constraints on the main stellar parameters using the tools of asteroseismology. Methods. We performed the Fourier analysis of the TESS light curves of WD 1310+583 and selected the possible pulsational modes. We also used spectroscopic data collected with the Cosmic Origins Spectrograph of the Hubble Space Telescope to give constraints for the asteroseismic analysis. We perform the latter with period-to-period fits using fully evolutionary white dwarf models. Results. The star presented in this paper shows a particularly large number (41) of pulsational frequencies, which provides a potential opportunity for detailed asteroseismic investigations. We found a mean period spacing of ~40.5 seconds, which allows us to state that the stellar mass of WD 1310+583 would be larger than ~0.57 M_Sun. We also attempted an asteroseismological analysis by performing period-to-period fits, but we were unable to find a single statistically significant asteroseismological solution. We adopted a tentative solution consisting of a white dwarf model with M* = 0.632 M_Sun, Teff = 11 702 K, and an asteroseismic distance d = 27.75 +0.17/-0.15 pc, which is significantly smaller than the one predicted by Gaia (d = 30.79 +/- 0.2 pc). We also determined that the rotational period of our target is 1.18 d.

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arXiv2025

Local mixing length theory with compositional effects:\ First application to asymptotic giant branch evolution

During the evolution of stars on the asymptotic giant branch (AGB), thermal pulses lead to the formation of strongly stratified layers in the outer regions of the CO core, which might lead to inversions in the chemical gradient. Such inversions would produce instabilities beyond the ones predicted by the Schwarzschild criterion and the standard use of mixing length theory (MLT). We used a set of MLT equations that consider the impact of the background chemical gradients. This extension of MLT is referred to in this work as MLT$\sharp$, to make a distinction between both prescriptions. We applied MLT$\sharp$ in tandem with the more general Ledoux instability criterion. We computed the evolution in the AGB phase and compared the chemical profiles resulting from MLT, MLT$\sharp$ and the double diffusive GNA theory. We continued the evolution through a post-AGB thermal pulse and performed a pulsational analysis of the resultant GW Vir models to asses $g$-mode pulsation periods. Finally, we tested our results with pulsation properties of known GW Vir stars derived from recent observations. We find that the much simpler MLT$\sharp$ set of equations closely reproduces the results from the GNA theory. As such, MLT$\sharp$ offers a simple way to include chemically driven convection in stellar evolution computations. Stellar evolution simulations show that Rayleigh-Taylor and thermohaline instabilities can play an important role during the TP-AGB. We obtained significantly different chemical profiles using a standard MLT approach compared to those resulting from our MLT$\sharp$ and GNA computations. Our adiabatic pulsational analysis shows that these differences in the chemical stratification leave clear mode-trapping signatures in the pulsation spectrum of the GW Vir models.

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arXiv2022

White-dwarf asteroseismology with the {\sl TESS} space telescope

As white-dwarf (WD) stars cool, they go through one or more stages of $g$(gravity)-mode pulsational instability, becoming multiperiodic variable stars. Stars passing through these instability domains allow astronomers to study their interiors through asteroseismological techniques, as if they could "look" at their interiors by analyzing the spectra of pulsation periods. WD asteroseismology has experienced extraordinary advances in recent years thanks to photometric observations of unprecedented quality delivered by space missions such as Kepler and TESS. These advances in the monitoring of variable WDs have been accompanied by the development of new stellar models and techniques for modeling their pulsations. In this article, we review the most outstanding findings -- up to early 2022 -- about these fascinating pulsating stars made possible with the high-sensitivity and continuous observations of the ongoing TESS mission, bearing in mind that there will possibly be many more new results in the immediate future derived from this unique space telescope.

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arXiv2021

White dwarf-main sequence binaries from Gaia EDR3: the unresolved 100pc volume-limited sample

We use the data provided by the Gaia Early Data Release 3 to search for a highly-complete volume-limited sample of unresolved binaries consisting of a white dwarf and a main sequence companion (i.e. WDMS binaries) within 100pc. We select 112 objects based on their location within the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram, of which 97 are new identifications. We fit their spectral energy distributions (SED) with a two-body fitting algorithm implemented in VOSA (Virtual Observatory SED Analyser) to derive the effective temperatures, luminosities and radii (hence surface gravities and masses) of both components. The stellar parameters are compared to those from the currently largest catalogue of close WDMS binaries, from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). We find important differences between the properties of the Gaia and SDSS samples. In particular, the Gaia sample contains WDMS binaries with considerably cooler white dwarfs and main sequence companions (some expected to be brown dwarfs). The Gaia sample also shows an important population of systems consisting of cool and extremely low-mass white dwarfs, not present in the SDSS sample. Finally, using a Monte Carlo population synthesis code, we find that the volume-limited sample of systems identified here seems to be highly complete (~80+-9 per cent), however it only represents ~9 per cent of the total underlying population. The missing ~91 per cent includes systems in which the main sequence companions entirely dominate the SEDs. We also estimate an upper limit to the total space density of close WDMS binaries of ~(3.7+-1.9)x10^{-4} pc{-3}.

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arXiv2020

New fully evolutionary models for asteroseismology of ultra-massive white dwarf stars

Ultra-massive hydrogen-rich (DA spectral type) white dwarf (WD) stars ($M_{\star} > 1M_{\odot}$) coming from single-star evolution are expected to harbor cores made of $^{16}$O and $^{20}$Ne, resulting from semi-degenerate carbon burning when the progenitor star evolves through the super asymptotic giant branch (S-AGB) phase. These stars are expected to be crystallized by the time they reach the ZZ Ceti instability strip ($T_{\rm eff} \sim 12\,500$ K). Theoretical models predict that crystallization leads to a separation of $^{16}$O and $^{20}$Ne in the core of ultra-massive WDs, which impacts their pulsational properties. This property offers a unique opportunity to study the processes of crystallization. Here, we present the first results of a detailed asteroseismic analysis of the best-studied ultra-massive ZZ Ceti star BPM~37093. As a second step, we plan to repeat this analysis using ultra-massive DA WD models with C/O cores in order to study the possibility of elucidating the core chemical composition of BPM~37093 and shed some light on its possible evolutionary origin. We also plan to extend this kind of analyses to other stars observed from the ground and also from space missions like Kepler and TESS.

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arXiv2019

The white dwarf mass-radius relation and its dependence on the hydrogen envelope

We present a study of the dependence of the mass-radius relation for DA white dwarf stars on the hydrogen envelope mass and the impact on the value of log g, and thus the determination of the stellar mass. We employ a set of full evolutionary carbon-oxygen core white dwarf sequences with white dwarf mass between 0.493 and 1.05 Msun. Computations of the pre-white dwarf evolution uncovers an intrinsic dependence of the maximum mass of the hydrogen envelope with stellar mass, i.e., it decreases when the total mass increases. We find that a reduction of the hydrogen envelope mass can lead to a reduction in the radius of the model of up to ~12%. This translates directly into an increase in log g for a fixed stellar mass, that can reach up to 0.11 dex, mainly overestimating the determinations of stellar mass from atmospheric parameters. Finally, we find a good agreement between the results from the theoretical mass-radius relation and observations from white dwarfs in binary systems. In particular, we find a thin hydrogen mass of MH ~ 2 10^-8 Msun, for 40 Eridani B, in agreement with previous determinations. For Sirius B, the spectroscopic mass is 4.3% lower than the dynamical mass. However, the values of mass and radius from gravitational redshift observations are compatible with the theoretical mass-radius relation for a thick hydrogen envelope of MH = 2 10^-6 Msun.

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arXiv2018

Evolutionary and pulsational properties of ultra-massive white dwarfs. The role of oxygen-neon phase separation

Ultra-massive hydrogen-rich white dwarfs (WDs) stars are expected to harbor oxygen/neon cores resulting from semi-degenerate carbon burning when the progenitor star evolves through the super asymptotic giant branch (SAGB) phase. These stars are expected to be crystallized by the time they reach the ZZ Ceti domain. We show that crystallization leads to a phase separation of oxygen and neon in the core of ultra-massive WDs, which impacts markedly the pulsational properties, thus offering a unique opportunity to study the processes of crystallization and to infer the core chemical composition in WD stars.

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arXiv2018

The impact of pre-white dwarf evolution on the pulsational properties and asteroseismological inferences of ZZ Ceti stars

ZZ Ceti stars are pulsating white dwarfs with a carbon-oxygen core (or possibly ONe for the most massive stars) build up during the core helium burning (CHeB) and thermally pulsing Asymptotic Giant Branch (TP-AGB) phases. Through the interpretation of their pulsation periods by means of asteroseismology, details about their origin and evolution can be inferred. The whole pulsation spectrum exhibited by ZZ Ceti stars strongly depend on the inner chemical structure. At present, there are several processes affecting the chemical profiles that are still not accurately determined. We present a study of the impact of current uncertainties in the evolution of white dwarf progenitor on the expected pulsation properties and on the stellar parameters inferred from asteroseismological fits of ZZ Ceti stars. Our analysis is based on a set of carbon-oxygen core white dwarf models that are derived from full evolutionary computations from the ZAMS to the ZZ Ceti domain. We considered models in which we varied the number of thermal pulses, the amount of overshooting, and the carbon-alpha reaction rate within their uncertainties. We explore the impact of these major uncertainties in prior evolution on the chemical structure and expected pulsation spectrum. We find that these uncertainties yield significant changes in the g-mode pulsation periods being those found during the TP-AGB phase the most relevant for the pulsational properties and the asteroseismological derived stellar parameters of ZZ Ceti stars. We conclude that the uncertainties in the white dwarf progenitor evolution should be taken into account in detailed asteroseismological analyses of these pulsating stars.

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arXiv2018

Evolution and Asteroseismology of Pulsating Low-Mass White Dwarfs

Many low-mass white dwarfs are being discovered in the field of our galaxy and some of them exhibit $g$-mode pulsations, comprising the extremely low-mass variable (ELMV) stars class. Despite it is generally believed that these stars are characterized by thick H envelopes, from stellar evolution considerations, the existence of low-mass WDs with thin H envelopes is also possible. We have performed detailed asteroseismological fits to all the known ELMVs to search for a representative model by employing a set of fully evolutionary models that are representative of low-mass He-core white dwarf stars with a range of stellar masses $[0.1554-0.4352]\ M_{\odot}$, effective temperatures $[6000-10000]\ $K, and also with a range of H envelope thicknesses $-5.8 \lesssim \log(M_{\rm H}/M_{\star}) \lesssim -1.7$, hence expanding the space of parameters. We found that some of the stars under analysis are characterized by thick H envelopes, but others are better represented by models with thin H envelope.

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arXiv2018

On the evolutionary status and pulsations of the recently discovered Blue Large-Amplitude Pulsators (BLAPs)

The Blue Large-Amplitude Pulsators (BLAPs) constitute a new class of pulsating stars. They are hot stars with effective temperatures of ~30 000 K and surface gravities of log g ~ 4.9, that pulsate with periods in the range 20-40 min. Until now, their origin and evolutionary state, as well as the nature of their pulsations, were not been unveiled. In this paper, we propose that the BLAPs are the hot counterpart of the already known pulsating pre-Extremely Low Mass (pre-ELM) white dwarf (WD) stars, that are He-core low-mass stars resulting from interacting binary evolution. Using fully evolutionary sequences, we show that the BLAPs are well represented by pre-ELM WD models with high effective temperature and stellar masses ~ 0.34 Msun. From the analysis of their pulsational properties, we find that the observed variabilities can be explained by high-order nonradial g-mode pulsations or, in the case of the shortest periods, also by low-order radial modes, including the fundamental radial mode. The theoretical modes with periods in the observed range are unstable due to the kappa mechanism associated to the Z-bump in the opacity at log T ~ 5.25.

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arXiv2017

Probing the structure of Kepler ZZ Ceti stars with full evolutionary models-based asteroseismology

We present an asteroseismological analysis of four ZZ Ceti stars observed with \emph{Kepler}: GD 1212, SDSS J113655.17+040952.6, KIC 11911480 and KIC 4552982, based on a grid of full evolutionary models of DA white dwarf stars. We employ a grid of carbon-oxygen core white dwarfs models, characterized by a detailed and consistent chemical inner profile for the core and the envelope. In addition to the observed periods, we take into account other information from the observational data, as amplitudes, rotational splittings and period spacing, as well as photometry and spectroscopy. For each star, we present an asteroseismological model that closely reproduce their observed properties. The asteroseismological stellar mass and effective temperature of the target stars are (0.632 +/- 0.027 Msun, 10737 +/- 73 K) for GD 1212, (0.745 +/- 0.007 Msun, 11110 +/- 69 K) for KIC 4552982, (0.5480 +/- 0.01 Msun, 12721 +/- 228 K) for KIC1191480 and (0.570 +/- 0.01 Msun, 12060 +/- 300 K) for SDSS J113655.17+040952.6. In general, the asteroseismological values are in good agreement with the spectroscopy. For KIC 11911480 and SDSS J113655.17+040952.6 we derive a similar seismological mass, but the hydrogen envelope is an order of magnitude thinner for SDSS J113655.17+040952.6, that is part of a binary system and went through a common envelope phase.

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arXiv2016

On the formation of DA white dwarfs with low hydrogen contents: Preliminary Results

Systematic photometric and asteroseismological studies in the last decade support the belief that white dwarfs in the solar neighborhood harbor a broad range of hydrogen-layer contents. The reasons behind this spread of hydrogen-layer masses are not understood and usually misunderstood. In this work we present, and review, the different mechanisms that can (or cannot) lead to the formation of white dwarfs with a broad range hydrogen contents.

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arXiv2016

Asteroseismology of hybrid $δ$ Scuti--$γ$ Doradus pulsating stars

Hybrid $δ$ Scuti-$γ$ Doradus pulsating stars show acoustic ($p$) oscillation modes typical of $δ$ Scuti variable stars, and gravity ($g$) pulsation modes characteristic of $γ$ Doradus variable stars simultaneously excited. Observations from space missions like MOST, CoRoT, and \emph{Kepler} have revealed a large number of hybrid $δ$ Scuti-$γ$ Doradus pulsators, thus paving the way for a exciting new channel for asteroseismic studies. We perform a detailed asteroseismological modeling of five hybrid $δ$ Scuti-$γ$ Doradus stars. We employ a grid-based modeling approach to sound the internal structure of the target stars by employing a huge grid of stellar models from the zero-age main sequence to the terminal-age main sequence, varying parameters like stellar mass, effective temperature, metallicity and core overshooting. We compute their adiabatic radial ($\ell= 0$) and non-radial ($\ell= 1, 2, 3$) $p$ and $g$ mode periods. We employ two model-fitting procedures to searching for the models that best reproduce the observed pulsation spectra of each target star, that is, the asteroseismological models. We derive the fundamental parameters and the evolutionary status of five hybrid $δ$ Scuti-$γ$ Doradus variable stars recently observed with the CoRoT and \emph{Kepler} space missions: CoRoT 105733033, CoRoT 100866999, KIC 11145123, KIC 9244992, and HD 49434. The asteroseismological model for each star results from different criteria of model selection, in which we take full advantage of the richness of periods that characterizes the pulsation spectra of this kind of stars.

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arXiv2016

Recent advances in the theoretical modeling of pulsating low-mass He-core white dwarfs

Many extremely low-mass (ELM) white-dwarf (WD) stars are currently being found in the field of the Milky Way. Some of these stars exhibit long-period nonradial $g$-mode pulsations, and constitute the class of ELMV pulsating WDs. In addition, several low-mass pre-WDs, which could be precursors of ELM WDs, have been observed to show short-period photometric variations likely due to nonradial $p$ modes and radial modes. They could constitute a new class of pulsating low-mass pre-WD stars, the pre-ELMV stars. Here, we present the recent results of a thorough theoretical study of the nonadiabatic pulsation properties of low-mass He-core WDs and pre-WDs on the basis of fully evolutionary models representative of these stars.

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arXiv2016

Pulsating low-mass white dwarfs in the frame of new evolutionary sequences: III. The pre-ELM white dwarf instability strip

Two low-mass pre-white dwarfs, which could be precursors of ELM white dwarfs, have been observed to show multiperiodic photometric variations. They could constitute a new class of pulsating low-mass pre-white dwarf stars. We present a detailed nonadiabatic pulsation study of such stars, employing full evolutionary sequences of low-mass He-core pre-white dwarf models. We have considered models in which element diffusion is accounted for and also models in which it is neglected. We confirm and explore in detail a new instability strip in the domain of low gravities and low effective temperatures of the $T_{\rm eff}-\log g$ diagram, where low-mass pre-white dwarfs are currently found. The destabilized modes are radial and nonradial $p$ and $g$ modes excited by the $κ-γ$ mechanism acting mainly at the zone of the second partial ionization of He, with non-negligible contributions from the region of the first partial ionization of He and the partial ionization of H. The computations with element diffusion are unable to explain the pulsations observed in the two known pulsating pre-white dwarfs, suggesting that element diffusion might be inhibited at these stages of the pre-white dwarf evolution. Our nonadiabatic models without diffusion, on the other hand, naturally explain the existence and range of periods of the pulsating pre-white dwarf star WASP J1628$+$10B, although they fail to explain the pulsations of WASP J0247$-$25B, the other known member of the class, indicating that the He abundance in the driving region of this star might be substantially larger than predicted by our models. Further discoveries of additional members of this new class of pulsating stars and their analysis in the context of the theoretical background presented in this paper will shed new light on the evolutionary history of their progenitor stars.

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arXiv2016

Two new pulsating low-mass pre-white dwarfs or SX Phenix stars?*

Context. The discovery of pulsations in low-mass stars opens an opportunity for probing their interiors and to determine their evolution, by employing the tools of asteroseismology. Aims. We aim to analyze high-speed photometry of SDSSJ145847.02$+$070754.46 and SDSSJ173001.94$+$070600.25 and discover brightness variabilities. In order to locate these stars in the $T_{\rm eff} - \log g$ diagram we fit optical spectra (SDSS) with synthetic non-magnetic spectra derived from model atmospheres. Methods. To carry out this study, we used the photometric data obtained by us for these stars with the 2.15m telescope at CASLEO, Argentina. We analyzed their light curves and we apply the Discrete Fourier Transform to determine the pulsation frequencies. Finally, we compare both stars in the $T_{\rm eff} - \log g$ diagram, with known two pre-white dwarfs, seven pulsating pre-ELM white dwarf stars, $δ$ Scuti and SX Phe stars. Results. We report the discovery of pulsations in SDSSJ145847.02$+$070754.46 and SDSSJ173001.94$+$070600.25. We determine their effective temperature and surface gravity to be $T_{\rm eff}$ = 7 972 $\pm$ 200 K, $\log g$ = 4.25 $\pm$ 0.5 and $T_{\rm eff}$ = 7 925 $\pm$ 200 K, $\log g$ = 4.25 $\pm$ 0.5, respectively. With these parameters these new pulsating low-mass stars can be identified with either ELM white dwarfs (with ~ 0.17 Mo) or more massive SX Phe stars. We identified pulsation periods of 3 278.7 and 1 633.9 s for SDSSJ145847.02$+$070754.46 and a pulsation period of 3 367.1 s for SDSSJ173001.94$+$070600.25. These two new objects together with those of Maxted et al. (2013, 2014) indicate the possible existence of a new instability domain towards the late stages of evolution of low-mass white dwarf stars, although their identification with SX Phe stars cannot be discarded.

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arXiv2014

Asteroseismology of white dwarf stars

Most of low- and intermediate-mass stars that populate the Universe will end their lives as white dwarf stars. These ancient stellar remnants have encrypted inside a precious record of the evolutionary history of the progenitor stars, providing a wealth of information about the evolution of stars, star formation, and the age of a variety of stellar populations, such as our Galaxy and open and globular clusters. While some information like surface chemical composition, temperature and gravity of white dwarfs can be inferred from spectroscopy, the internal structure of these compact stars can be unveiled only by means of asteroseismology, an approach based on the comparison between the observed pulsation periods of variable stars and the periods of appropriate theoretical models. In this communication, we first briefly describe the physical properties of white dwarf stars and the various families of pulsating white dwarfs known up to the present day, and then we present two recent analysis carried out by the La Plata Stellar Evolution and Pulsation Group in this active field of research.

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arXiv2014

Pulsating low-mass white dwarfs in the frame of new evolutionary sequences: I. Adiabatic properties

The discovery of pulsations in some low-mass white dwarfs, including the so-called extremely low-mass white dwarfs, has opened the unprecedented opportunity of probing the internal structure of these ancient stars. We present a detailed adiabatic pulsational study of these stars based on a new set of He-core white-dwarf models with masses ranging from $0.1554$ to $0.4352 M_{\odot}$ derived by computing the non-conservative evolution of a binary system consisting of an initially $1 M_{\odot}$ ZAMS star and a $1.4 M_{\odot}$ neutron star. We computed adiabatic radial ($\ell= 0$) and non-radial ($\ell= 1, 2$) $p$ and $g$ modes to assess the dependence of the pulsational properties of these objects on stellar parameters such as the stellar mass and the effective temperature, as well as the effects of element diffusion. We found that for white dwarf models with masses below $\sim 0.18 M_{\odot}$, $g$ modes mainly probe the core regions and $p$ modes the envelope, therefore pulsations offer the opportunity of constraining both the core and envelope chemical structure of these stars via asteroseismology. For models with $M_* \gtrsim 0.18 M_{\odot}$, on the other hand, $g$ modes are very sensitive to the He/H compositional gradient and therefore can be used as a diagnostic tool for constraining the H envelope thickness. Because both types of objects have not only very distinct evolutionary histories (according to whether the progenitor stars have experienced CNO-flashes or not), but also have strongly different pulsation properties, we propose to define white dwarfs with masses below $\sim 0.18 M_{\odot}$ as ELM (extremely low-mass) white dwarfs, and white dwarfs with $M_* \gtrsim 0.18 M_{\odot}$ as LM (low-mass) white dwarfs.

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