Interpretation of the BRITE oscillation data of the hybrid pulsator $\nu$ Eridani: a call for the modification of stellar opacities

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that modifying stellar opacities is essential to accurately model the pulsation spectrum of $ u$ Eridani, highlighting the need for opacity profile adjustments to match observed frequencies and nonadiabatic parameters.

Contribution

It introduces the necessity of modified mean opacity profiles, especially favoring OPLIB data, to explain the pulsation data of $ u$ Eridani, a novel approach in stellar modeling.

Findings

Modified opacities are required to match observed frequencies.

OPLIB opacities are preferred over OPAL and OP.

Opacity modifications influence convection and mode interactions.

Abstract

The analysis of the BRITE oscillation spectrum of the main sequence early B-type star $\nu$ Eridani is presented. Only models with the modified mean opacity profile can account for the observed frequency ranges as well as for the values of some individual frequencies. The number of the $\kappa$ modified seismic models is constrained by the nonadiabatic parameter $f$, which is very sensitive to the opacity changes in the subphotospheric layers where the pulsations are driven. We present an example of the model that satisfies all the above conditions. It seems that the OPLIB opacities are preferred over those from the OPAL and OP projects. Moreover, we discuss additional consequences of the opacity modification, namely, an enhancement of the efficiency of convection in the Z-bump as well as an occurrence of close radial modes which is a kind of avoided-crossing phenomenon common for nonradial modes in standard main sequence models.