Mode stability in delta Scuti stars: linear analysis versus observations in open clusters

TL;DR

This study compares linear stability analysis with observations of delta Scuti stars in a cluster, refining models with rotation effects to better understand mode stability and physics assumptions.

Contribution

It introduces a new approach seeking a unified solution for multiple stars, incorporating refined rotation effects and testing the physics assumptions in pulsation models.

Findings

Agreement between models and observations depends on the mixing-length parameter alpha_nl.

Smaller alpha_nl values are needed than in solar-calibrated models.

Linear stability analysis still assumes non-rotating models, indicating a need for further development.

Abstract

A comparison between linear stability analysis and observations of pulsation modes in five delta Scuti stars, belonging to the same cluster, is presented. The study is based on the work by Michel et al. (1999), in which such a comparison was performed for a representative set of model solutions obtained independently for each individual star considered. In this paper we revisit the work by Michel et al. (1999) following, however, a new approach which consists in the search for a single, complete, and coherent solution for all the selected stars, in order to constrain and test the assumed physics describing these objects. To do so, refined descriptions for the effects of rotation on the determination of the global stellar parameters and on the adiabatic oscillation frequency computations are used. In addition, a crude attempt is made to study the role of rotation on the prediction of mode instabilities.The present results are found to be comparable with those reported by Michel et al. (1999). Within the temperature range log T_eff = 3.87-3.88 agreement between observations and model computations of unstable modes is restricted to values for the mixing-length parameter alpha_nl less or equal to 1.50. This indicates that for these stars a smaller value for alpha_nl is required than suggested from a calibrated solar model. We stress the point that the linear stability analysis used in this work still assumes stellar models without rotation and that further developments are required for a proper description of the interaction between rotation and pulsation dynamics.