Non-Blazhko RR Lyrae Stars Observed with the KEPLER Space Telescope

TL;DR

This study analyzes the stability and physical properties of non-Blazhko RR Lyrae stars observed with Kepler, providing insights into pulsation stability and refining models with Fourier analysis and pulsation codes.

Contribution

It offers detailed analysis of non-Blazhko RR Lyrae stars using Kepler data, improving pulsation models and physical parameter estimates.

Findings

High stability of light curves with low dispersion

Better period-model agreement using pulsational L and M values

Fourier-derived physical characteristics of RR Lyrae stars

Abstract

This paper summarizes the main results of our recent study of the non-Blazhko RR Lyrae stars observed with the Kepler space telescope. These stars offer the opportunity for studying the stability of the pulsations of RR Lyrae stars and for providing a reference against which the Blazhko RR Lyrae stars can be compared. Of particular interest is the stability of the low-dispersion (sigma < 1mmag) light curves constructed from ~18,000 long-cadence (30-min) and (for FN Lyr and AW Dra) the ~150,000 short-cadence (1-min) photometric data points. Fourier-based [Fe/H] values and other physical characteristics are also derived. When the observed periods are compared with periods computed with the Warsaw non-linear convective pulsation code better agreement is achieved assuming pulsational L and M values rather than the (higher) evolutionary L and M values.