High-precision velocity observations of Procyon A - I. Search for p-mode oscillations from 1988 and 1990 observations.

An analysis for the presence of small, low-degree p-mode oscillations of high-precision velocity observations of Procyon is presented. Examination of solar data taken during the Procyon observing runs at higher counting rates yields correspondingly lower noise levels, indicating that the spectrometer performance is, as yet, essentially limited by photon statistics. The power spectra are also studied for possible periodicities due to the presence of equifrequency spaced modes of comparable power to the background noise. It is observed that while some periodicities were seen they were not reproducible in all three data sets, and therefore are probably not of stellar origin.