Strange nonchaotic stars

TL;DR

This paper reports the first natural observation of strange nonchaotic dynamics in stars, identified through Kepler light curves showing pulsations at frequencies near the golden mean, which could improve star classification.

Contribution

It provides the first evidence of strange nonchaotic attractors in natural stellar systems, linking nonlinear dynamics theory with astrophysical observations.

Findings

Observation of star brightness pulsations at golden mean frequency ratios

Evidence of strange nonchaotic attractors in stellar light curves

Potential for improved classification of variable stars

Abstract

The unprecedented light curves of the Kepler space telescope document how the brightness of some stars pulsates at primary and secondary frequencies whose ratios are near the golden mean, the most irrational number. A nonlinear dynamical system driven by an irrational ratio of frequencies generically exhibits a strange but nonchaotic attractor. For Kepler's "golden" stars, we present evidence of the first observation of strange nonchaotic dynamics in nature outside the laboratory. This discovery could aid the classification and detailed modeling of variable stars.