arXiv subjects

Joey S. G. Mombarg

Publications and source records attributed to Joey S. G. Mombarg.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Gravity-mode main-sequence pulsators in the open clusters NGC 3532 and NGC 2516: Instability strip, near-core rotation, and internal structure

Context. Studying pulsating stars in clusters opens a new window onto stellar physics. Gravity-mode (g-mode) pulsators in open clusters allow us to measure their near-core rotation rates and, together with cluster age and mass constraints, test angular momentum transport in stars above about 1.5 solar masses. Aims. We aim to detect g-mode pulsations in member stars of the young open cluster NGC 3532, about 300 Myr old, and to measure their near-core rotation rates and internal properties. Methods. We used TESS photometry to extract light curves of NGC 3532 members. The observed g-mode period spacings allow us to measure near-core rotation rates and the asymptotic period spacing, Pi0. We also fitted isochrones to the colour-magnitude diagrams of NGC 3532 and NGC 2516 to refine the cluster ages and obtain stellar masses. Results. We constrain the observed instability region of young gamma Doradus members from a blue edge at about 7760 K to a red edge at about 7070 K, while some hotter g-mode pulsators are also seen. The near-core rotation rates show a rotation-mass relation similar to that in NGC 2516: below 1.6 solar masses, the rotation rate increases with mass, whereas above 1.6 solar masses the NGC 3532 stars reach a plateau at about 2.8 d^-1. This mass may mark a threshold between different rotational spin-down mechanisms. Existing evolutionary models with angular momentum transport imply that these g-mode pulsators were born rotating above 55 percent of the critical value. Our simplified models, assuming spherical symmetry, angular momentum conservation, and rigid internal rotation, suggest that either mass-dependent initial rotation rates are required, or that minor angular momentum loss still operates above 1.6 solar masses. Finally, our Pi0 measurements reveal a discrepancy with theoretical predictions for some pulsators, as also found in the younger cluster NGC 2516.

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arXiv2025

Populations of tidal and pulsating variables in eclipsing binaries

In this work, we seek to characterise a large sample of 14377 main sequence eclipsing binaries in terms of their stellar, asteroseismic, and orbital properties. We conduct manual vetting on a 4000-target subset of our full 14377-target sample to identify targets with pressure or gravity modes. We infer stellar properties including the mass, convective core mass, radius, and central H fraction for the primary using Gaia Data Release 3 effective temperature and luminosity estimates and a grid of asteroseismically calibrated stellar models. We use surface brightness ratio and radius ratio estimates from previous eclipse analysis to study the effect of binarity on our results. Our manual vetting identifies 751 candidate g-mode pulsators, 131 p-mode pulsators, and a further 48 hybrid pulsators. The inferred stellar properties of the hybrid and p-mode pulsators are highly correlated, while the orbital properties of the hybrid pulsators align best with the g-mode pulsators. The g-mode pulsators themselves show a distribution that peaks around the classical g dor instability region but extends continuously towards higher masses, with no detectable divide between the classical g dor and SPB instability regions. There is evidence at the population level for a heightened level of tidal efficiency in stars showing g-mode or hybrid variability. Correcting the primary mass inference for binarity based on eclipse measurements of the surface brightness and radius ratios results in a relatively small shift towards lower masses. This work provides a working initial characterisation of this sample from which more detailed analyses folding in asteroseismic information can be built. It also provides a foundational understanding of the limitations and capabilities of this kind of rapid, scalable analysis that will be highly relevant in planning the exploitation of future large-scale binary surveys.

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arXiv2025

The inertial dip as a window on the convective core dynamics

Gamma Dor stars are ideal targets for studies of the innermost dynamical properties of stars, due to their rich frequency spectrum of gravito-inertial modes propagating in the radiative envelope. Recent studies found that these modes could couple at the core-to-envelope interface with pure inertial modes in their sub-inertial regime, forming the so-called inertial dip in the period-spacing pattern of these stars. The inertial dip, as formed by core modes, stands out as a unique probe of core properties. We aim in this work to explore the effect of core magnetism on its structure, property of key relevance in modern stellar physics. We describe the outlines of our model and the geometry of the considered field. We give the coupling equation and the variation of the dip shape and location with increasing magnetic contrast between the core and the envelope. We compare our findings to the ones obtained in a hydrodynamical, differentially-rotating case. We show hints at potentially lifting the degeneracy between the signatures of core-to-envelope differential rotation and core magnetic fields. Together, these two cases can be considered as an exploration of different magnetic regimes potentially reached in the core of gamma Dor stars.

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arXiv2025

Asteroseismology of the young open cluster NGC 2516 II. Constraining cluster age using gravity-mode pulsators

Although asteroseismology is regarded as the most powerful tool for probing stellar interiors, seismic modelling remains dependent on global stellar parameters. Stellar clusters offer direct measurements of these parameters by fitting a CMD, making the application of asteroseismology in clusters a valuable approach to advancing stellar physics modelling. We aimed to develop seismic modelling for gravity-mode pulsators in the open cluster NGC 2516 to determine stellar ages. We computed 1D stellar models using MESA, incorporating rotation-induced transport processes. Exponential overshooting was included, as well as rotationally induced mixing in the radiative envelope. Grids of evolutionary models were computed covering isochrone-derived mass ranges. The models were evolved up to 300 Myr because of the cluster's young age (~100Myr). By fitting the frequencies of identified modes of four gravity-mode member pulsators simultaneously, we measure the seismic age of the cluster NGC 2516 as 132+-8Myr. This high-precision seismic age estimate deviates by 1sigma from the isochronal age derived from public MIST isochrones for rotating stars. Our findings show that seismic modelling strongly constrains core overshooting, but because the period spacing patterns are smooth, it provides weak constraints on mixing in the radiative envelopes. The two most massive gravity-mode pulsators have MIST masses ~2.0M_sun while their seismic masses are 1.75M_sun. We constructed new asteroseismology-calibrated isochrones using input physics identical to that of our seismic model grid. While this resolves the age discrepancy, the mass discrepancy is only partially addressed. The remaining small yet persisting mass discrepancy implies a mismatch between the physics in core to surface environments of 1D stellar models and the seismic observables probing those areas of fast-rotating stars.

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arXiv2025

Exploring the probing power of gamma-Dor's inertial dip for core magnetism: case of a toroidal field

Gamma-Dor stars are ideal targets for studies of stellar innermost dynamical properties due to their rich asteroseismic spectrum of gravity modes. Integrating internal magnetism to the picture appears as the next milestone of detailed asteroseismic studies, for its prime importance on stellar evolution. The inertial dip in prograde dipole modes period-spacing pattern of gamma-Dors stands out as a unique window on the convective core structure and dynamics. Recent studies have highlighted the dependence of the dip structure on core density stratification, contrast of the near-core Brunt-Väisälä frequency and rotation rate, as well as the core-to-near-core differential rotation. In the meantime, the effect of magnetism has been derived on envelope modes. We aim to revisit the inertial dip formation including core and envelope magnetism, and explore the probing power of this feature on dynamo-generated core fields. We consider a toroidal magnetic field with a bi-layer (core and envelope) Alfvén frequency. This configuration allows us to revisit the coupling problem using our knowledge on both core magneto-inertial modes and envelope magneto-gravito-inertial modes. We stay in an analytical framework to exhibit the magnetic effects on the inertial dip shape and location, setting up a laboratory towards the comprehension of magnetic effects on the dip structure. We show a shift of the inertial dip towards lower spin parameter values and a thinner dip with increasing core magnetic field, quite similar to the signature of differential rotation. The magnetic effects become sizeable when the ratio between the magnetic and the Coriolis effects is large enough. We explore the degeneracy of the magnetic effects with differential rotation. We study the detectability of core magnetism, considering observational constraints on the modes periods and potential gravito-inertial mode suppression.

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arXiv2025

Evolution of the near-core rotation frequency of 2,497 intermediate-mass stars from their dominant gravito-inertial mode

We combined Gaia DR3 and TESS photometric light curves to estimate the internal physical properties of 2,497 gravity-mode pulsators. We relied on asteroseismic properties of Kepler $γ\,$Dor and SPB stars to derive the near-core rotation frequency, $f_{\rm rot}$, of the Gaia-discovered pulsators from their dominant prograde dipole gravito-inertial pulsation mode. We offer a recipe based on linear regression to deduce $f_{\rm rot}$ from the dominant gravito-inertial mode frequency. It is applicable to prograde dipole modes with an amplitude above 4mmag and occurring in the sub-inertial regime. By applying it to the 2,497 pulsators, we have increased the sample of intermediate-mass dwarfs with such an asteroseismic observable by a factor of 4. We used the estimate of $f_{\rm rot}$ to deduce spin parameters between 2 and 6, while the sample's near-core rotation rates range from 0.7% to 25% of the critical Keplerian rate. We used $f_{\rm rot}$, along with the Gaia effective temperature and luminosity to deduce the (convective core) mass, radius, and evolutionary stage from grid modelling based on rotating stellar models. We derived a decline of $f_{\rm rot}$ with a factor of 2 during the main-sequence evolution for this population of field stars, which covers a mass range from 1.3M$_\odot$ to 7M$_\odot$. We found observational evidence for an increase in the radial order of excited gravity modes as the stars evolve. For 969 pulsators, we derived an upper limit of the radial differential rotation between the convective core boundary and the surface from Gaia's vbroad measurement and found values up to 5.4. Our recipe for the near-core rotation frequency from the dominant gravito-inertial mode detected in the independent Gaia and TESS light curves is easy to use, facilitates applications to large samples, and allows to map their angular momentum and evolutionary stage in the Milky Way.

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arXiv2024

Estimates of (convective core) masses, radii, and relative ages for $\sim$14,000 Gaia-discovered gravity-mode pulsators monitored by TESS

Gravito-inertial asteroseismology saw its birth from the 4-years long light curves of rotating main-sequence stars assembled by the Kepler space telescope. High-precision measurements of internal rotation and mixing are available for about 600 stars of intermediate mass so far that are used to challenge the state-of-the-art stellar structure and evolution models. Our aim is to prepare for future large ensemble modelling of gravity (g)-mode pulsators by relying on a new sample of such stars recently discovered from the third Data Release of the Gaia space mission and confirmed by space photometry from the TESS mission. This sample of potential asteroseismic targets is about 23 times larger than the Kepler sample. We use the effective temperature and luminosity inferred from Gaia to deduce evolutionary masses, convective core masses, radii, and ages for ~14,000 g-mode pulsators classified as such from their nominal TESS light curves. We do so by constructing two dedicated grids of evolutionary models for rotating stars with input physics from the asteroseismic calibrations of Kepler $γ$ Dor pulsators. We find the new g-mode pulsators to cover an extended observational instability region covering masses from about 1.3 to 9Msun. We provide their mass-luminosity and mass-radius relations, as well as convective core masses. Our results suggest that oscillations excited by the opacity mechanism occur uninterruptedly for the mass range above about 2Msun, where stars have a radiative envelope aside from thin convection zones in their excitation layers. Our evolutionary parameters for the sample of Gaia-discovered g-mode pulsators with confirmed modes by TESS offer a fruitful starting point for future TESS ensemble asteroseismology once a sufficient number of modes is identified in terms of the geometrical wave numbers and overtone for each of the pulsators.

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arXiv2024

An improved asteroseismic age of the rapid rotator Altair from TESS data

Understanding the effects of rotation in stellar evolution is key to modelling early-type stars, half of which have equatorial velocities over 100 km/s. The nearby star Altair is an example of such fast-rotating stars, and furthermore, it has the privilege of being modelled by a detailed 2D concordance model that reproduces most of its observables. The aim of this paper is to include new asteroseismic frequencies to improve our knowledge of Altair, especially its age. We processed images of Altair obtained during July 2022 by the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite using the halo photometry technique to obtain its light curve over this observation period. By analysing the light curve, we derived a set of 22 new frequencies in the oscillation spectrum of Altair and confirmed 12 previously known frequencies. Compared with model predictions, we could associate ten frequencies with ten axisymmetric modes. This identification is based on the modelled visibility of the modes. Moreover, nine of the modelled frequencies can be adjusted to simultaneously match their corresponding observed frequencies, once the core hydrogen mass fraction of the concordance model is set to $X_{\rm core}/X_{\rm ini}\simeq0.972$, with $X_{\rm ini}=0.739$. Using the combined results of a 1D MESA model computing the pre-main sequence and a 2D time-dependent ESTER model computing the main sequence, we find that this core hydrogen abundance sets the age of Altair to 88$\pm$10 Myrs, which is slightly younger than previous estimates.

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arXiv2024

Asteroseismology of the young open cluster NGC 2516 I: Photometric and spectroscopic observations

Asteroseismic modelling of isolated star presents significant challenges due to the difficulty in accurately determining stellar parameters, particularly the stellar age. These challenges can be overcomed by observing stars in open clusters, whose coeval members share an initial chemical composition. The light curves by TESS allow us to investigate and analyse stellar variations in clusters with an unprecedented level. We aim to detect gravity-mode oscillations in the early-type main-sequence members of the young open cluster NGC 2516. We selected the 301 member stars as our sample and analysed the TESS FFI light curves. We also collected high-resolution spectra using the FEROS for the g-mode pulsators. By fitting the theoretical isochrones to the colour-magnitude diagram (CMD) of a cluster, we determined an age of 102 $\pm$ 15 Myr and inferred the extinction at 550 nm ($A_0$) is 0.53 $\pm$ 0.04 mag. We identified 147 stars with surface brightness modulations, 24 with g-mode pulsations ($γ$ Doradus or Slowly Pulsating B stars), and 35 with p-mode pulsations ($δ$ Sct stars). When sorted by colour index, the amplitude spectra of the $δ$ Sct stars show a distinct ordering and reveal a discernible frequency-temperature relationship. The near-core rotation rates, measured from period spacing patterns in two SPB and nine $γ$ Dor stars, reach up to 3/d . This is at the high end of the values found from Kepler data of field stars of similar variability type. The $γ$ Dor stars have internal rotation rates as high as 50% of their critical value, whereas the SPB stars exhibit rotation rates close to their critical rate. We did not find long-term brightness and colour variations in the mid-infrared, which suggests that there are no disk or shell formation events in our sample. We also discussed the results of our spectroscopic observations for the g-mode pulsators.

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arXiv2024

Probability distributions of initial rotation velocities and core-boundary mixing efficiencies of γ Doradus stars

The theory the rotational and chemical evolution is incomplete, thereby limiting the accuracy of model-dependent stellar mass and age determinations. The $γ$ Doradus pulsators are excellent points of calibration for the current state-of-the-art stellar evolution models, as their gravity modes probe the physical conditions in the deep stellar interior. Yet, individual asteroseismic modelling of these stars is not always possible because of insufficient observed oscillation modes. This paper presents a novel method to derive distributions of the stellar mass, age, core-boundary mixing efficiency and initial rotation rates for $γ$ Dor stars. We compute a grid of rotating stellar evolution models covering the entire $γ$ Dor instability strip. We then use the observed distributions of the luminosity, effective temperature, buoyancy travel time and near-core rotation frequency of a sample of 539 stars to assign a statistical weight to each of our models. This weight is a measure of how likely the combination of a specific model is. We then compute weighted histograms to derive the most likely distributions of the fundamental stellar properties. We find that the rotation frequency at zero-age main sequence follows a normal distribution, peaking around 25% of the critical Keplerian rotation frequency. The probability-density function for extent of the core-boundary mixing zone, given by a factor $f_{\rm CBM}$ times the local pressure scale height (assuming an exponentially decaying parameterisation) decreases linearly with increasing $f_{\rm CBM}$. Converting the distribution of fractions of critical rotation at the zero-age main sequence to units of d$^{-1}$, we find most F-type stars start the main sequence with a rotation frequency between 0.5 and 2 d$^{-1}$. Regarding the core-boundary mixing efficiency, we find that it is generally weak in this mass regime.

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arXiv2024

A two-dimensional perspective of the rotational evolution of rapidly rotating intermediate-mass stars

Recently, the first successful attempt at computing stellar models in two dimensions has been presented with models that include the centrifugal deformation and self-consistently compute the velocity field. This paper aims at studying the rotational evolution of 2D models of stars rotating at a significant fraction of their critical angular velocity. From the predictions of these models, we aim to improve our understanding of the formation of single Be stars. Using the ESTER code that solves the stellar structure of a rotating star in two dimensions with time evolution, we have computed evolution tracks of stars between 4 and 10Msun for initial rotation rates ranging between 60 and 90% the critical rotation rate. A minimum initial rotation rate at the start of the main sequence is needed to spin up the star to critical rotation within its main sequence lifetime. This threshold depends on the stellar mass, and increases with increasing mass. The models do not predict any stars above 8Msun to reach (near) critical rotation during the main sequence. Furthermore, we find the minimum threshold of initial angular velocity is lower for SMC metallicity compared to Galactic metallicity, which is in agreement with the increased fraction in the number of observed Be stars in lower metallicity environments. Self-consistent 2D stellar evolution provide more insight into the rotational evolution of intermediate-mass stars, and our predictions are consistent with observations of velocity distributions and fraction of Be stars amongst B-type stars. We find that stars with a mass above 8Msun do not increase their fraction of critical rotation during the main sequence. Since a fraction of stars above 8Msun have been observed to display the Be phenomenon, other processes or formation channels must be at play, or critical rotation is not required for the Be phenomenon above this mass.

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arXiv2023

The first two-dimensional stellar structure and evolution models of rotating stars

Rotation is a key ingredient in the theory of stellar structure and evolution. Until now, stellar evolution codes operate in a 1-D framework for which the validity domain in regards to the rotation rate is not well understood. This letter aims at presenting the first results of self-consistent stellar models in two spatial dimensions that compute the time evolution of a star and its rotation rate along the main sequence together with a comparison to observations. We make use of an extended version of the ESTER code that solves the stellar structure of a rotating star in two dimensions with time evolution, including chemical evolution, and an implementation of rotational mixing. We have computed evolution tracks for a 12Msun model, once for an initial rotation rate equal to 15% of the critical frequency, and once for 50%. We first show that our model initially rotating at 15% of the critical frequency is able to reproduce all the observations of the $β$ Cephei star HD 192575 recently studied by Burssens et al. with asteroseismology. Beyond the classical surface parameters like effective temperature or luminosity, our model also reproduces the core mass along with the rotation rate of the core and envelope at the estimated age of the star. This particular model also shows that the meridional circulation has a negligible influence on the transport of chemical elements, like nitrogen, for which the abundance may be increased at the stellar surface. Furthermore, it shows that in the late main sequence, nuclear evolution is faster than the relaxation time needed to reach a steady state of the star angular momentum distribution. We have demonstrated that we have successfully taken the new step towards 2-D evolutionary modelling of rotating stars. It opens new perspectives on the understanding of the dynamics of fast rotating stars and on the way rotation impacts stellar evolution.

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arXiv2023

Calibrating angular momentum transport in intermediate-mass stars from gravity-mode asteroseismology

The physical mechanisms driving the transport of angular momentum in stars are not fully understood, as current models cannot explain the observed stellar rotation profiles across all stages of evolution. By making use of pulsating F-type dwarfs, this work aims at (i) observationally calibrating the efficiency of angular momentum transport, assuming a constant uniform viscosity, and (ii) testing how well state-of-the-art rotating stellar models with angular momentum (AM) transport by rotationally-induced processes can explain observed rotation profiles. In both cases, the aim is to simultaneously reproduce the measured near-core rotation and core-to-surface rotation ratio. Asteroseismic modelling is applied to a sample of seven slowly rotating pulsators, to derive (core) masses and ages from their gravity-mode oscillations. This work focuses on the main sequence, using models that start with an initial uniform rotation frequency at the start of core-hydrogen burning that is a free parameter. Two treatments of AM transport are considered: (i) a constant uniform viscosity, and (ii) rotationally-induced processes. Next, the initial rotation frequency of each star is derived from the observed present-day near-core rotation frequency for both treatments. To explain the near-core rotation rate at the inferred age, initial rotation frequencies at the zero-age main sequence need to be below 10 percent of the initial critical break-up frequency. A diffusive approximation of angular momentum transport can in general explain the observed rotation profiles of the six slowly-rotating F-type dwarfs, for average values of the viscosity between 2x10^5 and 5x10^7 cm^2/s or when the viscosity is computed from rotationally-induced mechanisms. Yet, for three stars in the sample, the core-to-surface rotation fraction from rotationally-induced mechanisms is predicted to be higher than observed.

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arXiv2023

A calibration point for stellar evolution from massive star asteroseismology

Massive stars are progenitors of supernovae, neutron stars and black holes. During the hydrogen-core burning phase their convective cores are the prime drivers of their evolution, but inferences of core masses are subject to unconstrained boundary mixing processes. Moreover, uncalibrated transport mechanisms can lead to strong envelope mixing and differential radial rotation. Ascertaining the efficiency of the transport mechanisms is challenging because of a lack of observational constraints. Here we deduce the convective core mass and robustly demonstrate non-rigid radial rotation in a supernova progenitor, the $12.0^{+1.5}_{-1.5}$ solar-mass hydrogen-burning star HD 192575, using asteroseismology, TESS photometry, high-resolution spectroscopy, and Gaia astrometry. We infer a convective core mass ($M_{\rm cc} = 2.9^{+0.5}_{-0.8}$ solar masses), and find the core to be rotating between 1.4 and 6.3 times faster than the stellar envelope depending on the location of the rotational shear layer. Our results deliver a robust inferred core mass of a massive star using asteroseismology from space-based photometry. HD 192575 is a unique anchor point for studying interior rotation and mixing processes, and thus also angular momentum transport mechanisms inside massive stars.

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arXiv2022

Modules for Experiments in Stellar Astrophysics (MESA): Time-Dependent Convection, Energy Conservation, Automatic Differentiation, and Infrastructure

We update the capabilities of the open-knowledge software instrument Modules for Experiments in Stellar Astrophysics (MESA). The new auto_diff module implements automatic differentiation in MESA, an enabling capability that alleviates the need for hard-coded analytic expressions or finite difference approximations. We significantly enhance the treatment of the growth and decay of convection in MESA with a new model for time-dependent convection, which is particularly important during late-stage nuclear burning in massive stars and electron degenerate ignition events. We strengthen MESA's implementation of the equation of state, and we quantify continued improvements to energy accounting and solver accuracy through a discussion of different energy equation features and enhancements. To improve the modeling of stars in MESA we describe key updates to the treatment of stellar atmospheres, molecular opacities, Compton opacities, conductive opacities, element diffusion coefficients, and nuclear reaction rates. We introduce treatments of starspots, an important consideration for low-mass stars, and modifications for superadiabatic convection in radiation-dominated regions. We describe new approaches for increasing the efficiency of calculating monochromatic opacities and radiative levitation, and for increasing the efficiency of evolving the late stages of massive stars with a new operator split nuclear burning mode. We close by discussing major updates to MESA's software infrastructure that enhance source code development and community engagement.

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arXiv2021

Predictions for gravity-mode periods and surface abundances in intermediate-mass dwarfs from shear mixing and radiative levitation

The treatment of chemical mixing in the radiative envelopes of intermediate-mass stars has hardly been calibrated so far. Recent asteroseismic studies demonstrated that a constant diffusion coefficient in the radiative envelope is not able to explain the periods of trapped gravity modes in the oscillation spectra of $γ$ Doradus pulsators. We present a new generation of MESA stellar models with two major improvements. First, we present a new implementation for computing radiative accelerations and Rosseland mean opacities that requires significantly less CPU time. Second, the inclusion of shear mixing based on rotation profiles computed with the 2D stellar structure code ESTER is considered. We show predictions for the mode periods of these models covering stellar masses from 1.4 to 3.0${\rm M_\odot}$ across the main sequence (MS), computed for different metallicities. The morphology of the chemical mixing profile resulting from shear mixing in combination with atomic diffusion and radiative levitation does allow for mode trapping, while the diffusion coefficient in the outer envelope is large ($>10^{6}\,{\rm cm^2\,s^{-1}}$). Furthermore, we make predictions for the evolution of surface abundances for which radiative accelerations can be computed. We find that the N/C and C/O abundance ratios correlate with stellar age. We predict that these correlations are observable with precisions $\lesssim 0.1$ dex on these ratios, given that a precise age estimate can be made.

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arXiv2021

Weighing stars from birth to death: mass determination methods across the HRD

The mass of a star is the most fundamental parameter for its structure, evolution, and final fate. It is particularly important for any kind of stellar archaeology and characterization of exoplanets. There exists a variety of methods in astronomy to estimate or determine it. In this review we present a significant number of such methods, beginning with the most direct and model-independent approach using detached eclipsing binaries. We then move to more indirect and model-dependent methods, such as the quite commonly used isochrone or stellar track fitting. The arrival of quantitative asteroseismology has opened a completely new approach to determine stellar masses and to complement and improve the accuracy of other methods. We include methods for different evolutionary stages, from the pre-main sequence to evolved (super)giants and final remnants. For all methods uncertainties and restrictions will be discussed. We provide lists of altogether more than 200 benchmark stars with relative mass accuracies between $[0.3,2]\%$ for the covered mass range of $M\in [0.1,16]\,\msun$, $75\%$ of which are stars burning hydrogen in their core and the other $25\%$ covering all other evolved stages. We close with a recommendation how to combine various methods to arrive at a "mass-ladder" for stars.

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arXiv2021

A homogeneous spectroscopic analysis of a Kepler legacy sample of dwarfs for gravity-mode asteroseismology

Asteroseismic modelling of the internal structure of main-sequence stars born with a convective core has so far been based on homogeneous analyses of space photometric Kepler light curves of 4 years duration, to which most often incomplete inhomogeneously deduced spectroscopic information was added to break degeneracies. We composed a sample of 111 dwarf gravity-mode pulsators observed by the Kepler space telescope whose light curves allowed for determination of their near-core rotation rates. For this sample we assembled HERMES high-resolution optical spectroscopy at the 1.2-m Mercator telescope. Our spectroscopic information offers additional observational input to also model the envelope layers of these non-radially pulsating dwarfs. We determined stellar parameters and surface abundances in a homogeneous way from atmospheric analysis with spectrum normalisation based on a new machine learning tool. Our results suggest a systematic overestimation of [M/H] in the literature for the studied F-type dwarfs, presumably due to normalisation limitations caused by the dense line spectrum of these rotating stars. CNO-surface abundances were found to be uncorrelated with the rotation properties of the F-type stars. For the B-type stars, we find a hint of deep mixing from C and O abundance ratios; N abundances have too large uncertainties to reveal a correlation with the rotation of the stars. Our spectroscopic stellar parameters and abundance determinations allow for future joint spectroscopic, astrometric (Gaia), and asteroseismic modelling of this legacy sample of gravity-mode pulsators, with the aim to improve our understanding of transport processes in the core-hydrogen burning phase of stellar evolution.

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