Asteroseismology from space: the Delta Scuti star Theta2 Tauri monitored by the WIRE satellite

Abstract

The first intensive photometric time-series of a Delta Scuti star was obtained from space. Theta2 Tau was monitored with the star camera on the Wide-Field Infrared Explorer (WIRE) satellite. Twelve independent frequencies were detected down to the 0.5 mmag amplitude level. Their reality was investigated by searching for them using two different algorithms and by some internal checks. All the frequencies are in the range 10.8-14.6 c\d. The histogram of the frequency spacings shows that 81% are below 1.8 c\d; rotation may thus play a role in the mode excitation. The fundamental radial mode is not observed, although it is expected to occur in a region where the noise level is very low (55 micromag). The rms residual is about two times lower than that usually obtained from successful ground--based multisite campaigns. The comparison of the results of previous campaigns with the new ones establishes the amplitude variability of some modes.

arXiv comment7 pages (in A&A style), 7 eps figures. Accepted for A&A Main Journal

References in corpus (1)

• The Detection of Multimodal Oscillations on Alpha UMa

Cited by in corpus (6)

• Asteroseismology and Interferometry
• Catalogue and Properties of δ Scuti Stars in Binaries
• Oscillations in Arcturus from WIRE photometry
• Pulsation of the Delta Scuti star Theta2 Tau: New multisite photometry and modelling of instability
• Spectra disentangling applied to the Hyades binary Theta^2 Tau AB: new orbit, orbital parallax and component properties
• A Tight Upper Limit on Oscillations in the Ap star Epsilon Ursae Majoris from WIRE Photometry