Using seismic inversions to obtain an internal mixing processes indicator for main-sequence solar-like stars

TL;DR

This paper introduces a new seismic inversion indicator for main-sequence solar-like stars that is more sensitive to internal mixing processes and less dependent on model assumptions, improving stellar age estimations.

Contribution

The authors develop a novel structural indicator based on seismic inversions, enhancing sensitivity to core mixing processes and testing its effectiveness across various stellar models and observational constraints.

Findings

The new indicator effectively detects additional mixing processes in stellar cores.

Octupole modes and low radial order modes improve inversion accuracy.

The method is robust across different stellar parameters and observational precisions.

Abstract

Determining accurate and precise stellar ages is a major problem in astrophysics. These determinations are either obtained through empirical relations or model-dependent approaches. Currently, seismic modelling is one of the best ways of providing accurate ages. However, current methods are affected by simplifying assumptions concerning mixing processes. In this context, providing new structural indicators which are less model-dependent and more sensitive to such processes is crucial. We build a new indicator for core conditions on the main sequence, which should be more sensitive to structural differences and applicable to older stars than the indicator t presented in a previous paper. We also wish to analyse the importance of the number and type of modes for the inversion, as well as the impact of various constraints and levels of accuracy in the forward modelling process that is used to obtain reference models for the inversion. First, we present a method to obtain new structural kernels and use them to build an indicator of central conditions in stars and test it for various effects including atomic diffusion, various initial helium abundances and metallicities, following the seismic inversion method presented in our previous paper. We then study its accuracy for 7 different pulsation spectra including those of 16CygA and 16CygB and analyse its dependence on the reference model by using different constraints and levels of accuracy for its selection We observe that the inversion of the new indicator using the SOLA method provides a good diagnostic for additional mixing processes in central regions of stars. Its sensitivity allows us to test for diffusive processes and chemical composition mismatch. We also observe that octupole modes can improve the accuracy of the results, as well as modes of low radial order.