Helium signature in red giant oscillation patterns observed by Kepler

TL;DR

This study analyzes the oscillation patterns of red giant stars observed by Kepler, identifying deviations from the universal pattern linked to helium ionization zones and stellar evolution, leading to an improved model of stellar oscillations.

Contribution

It introduces an updated universal oscillation pattern for red giants that accounts for helium ionization effects and stellar evolution, based on extensive Kepler data analysis.

Findings

Identified modulation in radial mode spacings in over 500 red giants.

Linked oscillation deviations to the helium second ionization zone.

Provided a refined model of the universal oscillation pattern.

Abstract

The space-borne missions CoRoT and Kepler have provided a large amount of precise photometric data. Among the stars observed, red giants show a rich oscillation pattern that allows their precise characterization. Long-duration observations allow for investigating the fine structure of this oscillation pattern. A common pattern of oscillation frequency was observed in red giant stars, which corresponds to the second-order development of the asymptotic theory. This pattern, called the universal red giant oscillation pattern, describes the frequencies of stellar acoustic modes. We aim to investigate the deviations observed from this universal pattern, thereby characterizing them in terms of the location of the second ionization zone of helium. We also show how this seismic signature depends on stellar evolution. We measured the frequencies of radial modes with a maximum likelihood estimator method, then we identified a modulation corresponding to the departure from the universal oscillation pattern. We identify the modulation component of the radial mode frequency spacings in more than five hundred red giants. The variation in the modulation that we observe at different evolutionary states brings new constraints on the interior models for these stars. We also derive an updated form of the universal pattern that accounts for the modulation and provides highly precise radial frequencies.