Square root two period ratios in Cepheid and RR Lyrae variable stars

TL;DR

This paper reports the discovery of Cepheid and RR Lyrae stars with a unique period ratio near the square root of two, suggesting a potential new pattern or structure in their pulsation behavior.

Contribution

It identifies a new class of variable stars with period ratios close to sqrt(2), revealing a possible fine structure in stellar oscillations.

Findings

Stars with P1/P2 ratio near sqrt(2) identified

Period ratio deviations show discrete step pattern

Evidence of fine structure in stellar pulsation ratios

Abstract

We document the presence of a few Cepheid and RR Lyrae variable stars with previously unrecognized characteristics. These stars exhibit the property of a period ratio of main pulsation divided by secondary pulsation P1/P2 very close to sqrt(2). Other stars of these types have period ratios which do not show clustering with a close association and a single remarkable non-harmonic number. Close examination reveals a deviation of multiples of a few times ~0.06% for these stars. This deviation seems to be present in discrete steps on the order of ~0.000390(4), indicating the possible presence of a sort of fine structure in this oscillation.