arXiv subjects

W. H. Ball

Publications and source records attributed to W. H. Ball.

24 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2016

MESA meets MURaM: Surface effects in main-sequence solar-like oscillators computed using three-dimensional radiation hydrodynamics simulations

... [C]urrent stellar models predict oscillation frequencies that are systematically affected by simplified modelling of the near-surface layers. We use three-dimensional radiation hydrodynamics simulations to better model the near-surface equilibrium structure of dwarfs with spectral types F3, G2, K0 and K5, and examine the differences between oscillation mode frequencies. ... We precisely match stellar models to the simulations' gravities and effective temperatures at the surface, and to the temporally- and horizontally-averaged densities and pressures at their deepest points. We then replace the near-surface structure with that of the averaged simulation and compute the change in the oscillation mode frequencies. We also fit the differences using several parametric models currently available in the literature. The surface effect in the stars of solar-type and later is qualitatively similar and changes steadily with decreasing effective temperature. In particular, the point of greatest frequency difference decreases slightly as a fraction of the acoustic cut-off frequency and the overall scale of the surface effect decreases. The surface effect in the hot, F3-type star follows the same trend in scale (i.e. it is larger in magnitude) but shows a different overall variation with mode frequency. We find that the two-term fit by Ball & Gizon (2014) is best able to reproduce the surface terms across all four spectral types, although the scaled solar term and a modified Lorentzian function also match the three cooler simulations reasonably well. ... Our simplified results suggest that the surface effect is generally larger in hotter stars (and correspondingly smaller in cooler stars) and of similar shape in stars of solar type and cooler. However, we cannot presently predict whether this will remain so when other components of the surface effect are included.

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arXiv2016

SpaceInn hare-and-hounds exercise: Estimation of stellar properties using space-based asteroseismic data

Context: Detailed oscillation spectra comprising individual frequencies for numerous solar-type stars and red giants are or will become available. These data can lead to a precise characterisation of stars. Aims: Our goal is to test and compare different methods for obtaining stellar properties from oscillation frequencies and spectroscopic constraints, in order to evaluate their accuracy and the reliability of the error bars. Methods: In the context of the SpaceInn network, we carried out a hare-and-hounds exercise in which one group produced "observed" oscillation spectra for 10 artificial solar-type stars, and various groups characterised these stars using either forward modelling or acoustic glitch signatures. Results: Results based on the forward modelling approach were accurate to 1.5 % (radius), 3.9 % (mass), 23 % (age), 1.5 % (surface gravity), and 1.8 % (mean density). For the two 1 Msun stellar targets, the accuracy on the age is better than 10 % thereby satisfying PLATO 2.0 requirements. The average accuracies for the acoustic radii of the base of the convection zone, the He II ionisation, and the Gamma_1 peak were 17 %, 2.4 %, and 1.9 %, respectively. Glitch fitting analysis seemed to be affected by aliasing problems for some of the targets. Conclusions: Forward modelling is the most accurate approach, but needs to be complemented by model-independent results from, e.g., glitch analysis. Furthermore, global optimisation algorithms provide more robust error bars.

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arXiv2015

Constraining differential rotation of Sun-like stars from asteroseismic and starspot rotation periods

In previous work we identified six Sun-like stars observed by Kepler with exceptionally clear asteroseismic signatures of rotation. Here, we show that five of these stars exhibit surface variability suitable for measuring rotation. In order to further constrain differential rotation, we compare the rotation periods obtained from light-curve variability with those from asteroseismology. The two rotation measurement methods are found to agree within uncertainties, suggesting that radial differential rotation is weak, as is the case for the Sun. Furthermore, we find significant discrepancies between ages from asteroseismology and from three different gyrochronology relations, implying that stellar age estimation is problematic even for Sun-like stars.

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arXiv2015

Asteroseismology of solar-type stars with K2

We present the first detections by the NASA K2 Mission of oscillations in solar-type stars, using short-cadence data collected during K2 Campaign\,1 (C1). We understand the asteroseismic detection thresholds for C1-like levels of photometric performance, and we can detect oscillations in subgiants having dominant oscillation frequencies around $1000\,\rm μHz$. Changes to the operation of the fine-guidance sensors are expected to give significant improvements in the high-frequency performance from C3 onwards. A reduction in the excess high-frequency noise by a factor of two-and-a-half in amplitude would bring main-sequence stars with dominant oscillation frequencies as high as ${\simeq 2500}\,\rm μHz$ into play as potential asteroseismic targets for K2.

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arXiv2014

Grid-based seismic modelling at high and low signal-to-noise ratios HD 181420 and HD 175272

Context: Recently, the CoRoT target HD 175272 (F5V), which shows a weak signal of solar-like oscillations, was modelled by a differential asteroseismic analysis (Ozel et al. 2013) relative to a seismically similar star, HD 181420 (F2V), for which there is a clear signature of solar-like oscillations. The results provided by Ozel et al. (2013) indicate the possibility of HD 175272 having subsolar mass, while being of the order of 1000 K hotter than the Sun. This seems unphysical -- standard stellar evolution theory generally does not predict solar-metallicity stars of subsolar mass to be hotter than about 6000K -- and calls for a reanalysis of this star. Aims: We aim to compare the performance of differential asteroseismic analysis with that of grid-based modelling. Methods: We use two sets of stellar model grids and two grid-fitting methods to model HD 175272 and HD 181420. Results: We find that we are able to model both stars with parameters that are both mutually compatible and comparable with other modelling efforts. Hence, with modest spectroscopic and asteroseismic inputs, we obtain reasonable estimates of stellar parameters. In the case of HD 175272, the uncertainties of the stellar parameters from our grid-based modelling are smaller, and hence more physical, than those reported in the differential analysis. Conclusions: Grid-based modelling provides more precise and more realistic results than obtained with differential seismology.

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arXiv2013

Asteroseismic fundamental properties of solar-type stars observed by the NASA Kepler Mission

We use asteroseismic data obtained by the NASA Kepler Mission to estimate the fundamental properties of more than 500 main-sequence and sub-giant stars. Data obtained during the first 10 months of Kepler science operations were used for this work, when these solar-type targets were observed for one month each in a survey mode. Stellar properties have been estimated using two global asteroseismic parameters and complementary photometric and spectroscopic data. Homogeneous sets of effective temperatures were available for the entire ensemble from complementary photometry; spectroscopic estimates of T_eff and [Fe/H] were available from a homogeneous analysis of ground-based data on a subset of 87 stars. [Abbreviated version... see paper for full abstract.]

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