The Classification of Kepler B-star Variables
Abstract
The light curves of 252 B-star candidates in the Kepler database are analyzed in a similar fashion to that done by Balona et al. to further characterize B-star variability, increase the sample of variable B stars for future study, and to identify stars whose power spectra include particularly interesting features such as frequency groupings. Stars are classified as either constant light emitters, β Cep stars, slowly pulsating B stars (SPBs), hybrid pulsators, binaries or stars whose light curves are dominated by rotation (Bin/Rot), hot subdwarfs, or white dwarfs. One-hundred stars in our sample were found to be either light constants or to be variable at a level of less than 0.02 mmag. We increase the number of candidate B-star variables found in the Kepler database by Balona et al. in the following fashion: β Cep stars from 0 to 10, SPBs from eight to 54, hybrid pulsators from seven to 21, and Bin/Rot stars from 23 to 82. For comparison purposes, approximately 51 SPBs and six hybrids had been known prior to 2007. The number of β Cep stars known prior to 2004 was 93. A secondary result of this study is the identification of an additional 11 pulsating white dwarf candidates, four of which possess frequency groupings.
- Publication:
-
The Astronomical Journal
- Pub Date:
- April 2012
- DOI:
- 10.1088/0004-6256/143/4/101
- arXiv:
- arXiv:1202.2329
- Bibcode:
- 2012AJ....143..101M
- Keywords:
-
- stars: early-type;
- stars: oscillations;
- stars: variables: general;
- Astrophysics - Solar and Stellar Astrophysics
- E-Print:
- Accepted to Astronomical Journal