Asteroseismology of the Double-Mode High-Amplitude $\delta$ Scuti Star VX Hydrae

TL;DR

This study combines photometric and spectroscopic data with stellar modeling to analyze the pulsation modes, period change, and evolutionary status of the double-mode high-amplitude δ Scuti star VX Hydrae, revealing its post-main-sequence stage and stellar parameters.

Contribution

It provides the first detailed asteroseismic analysis of VX Hydrae, integrating observations with stellar evolution models to constrain its physical properties and evolutionary stage.

Findings

Detected fundamental and first overtone frequencies and their harmonics.

Measured the period change rate consistent with stellar evolution.

Derived stellar parameters: mass, luminosity, age, and evolutionary stage.

Abstract

Bi-site time-series photometric and high-resolution spectroscopic observations were made for the double-mode high-amplitude $\delta$ Scuti star VX\ Hya. The fundamental frequency $f_{0}=4.4763\ \rm{c\ days^{-1}}$, the first overtone $f_{1}=5.7897\ \rm{c\ days^{-1}}$ and 23 harmonics and linear combinations of $f_{0}$ and $f_{1}$ are detected by pulsation analysis. From the spectroscopic data, we get $\rm{[Fe/H] = -0.2\pm0.1\ dex}$. The period change rate of the fundamental mode is obtained by using the Fourier-phase diagram method, which gives the value of $(1/P_{0})(dP_{0}/dt)=(1.81\pm0.09) \times 10^{-7}\ \rm{yr}^{-1}$. With these results from the observations, we perform theoretical explorations with the stellar evolution code MESA, and constrain the models by fitting $f_{0}$, $f_{1}$, and $(1/P_{0})(dP_{0}/dt)$ within $3\sigma$ deviations. The results show that the period change of VX\ Hya could be ascribed to the evolutionary effect. The stellar parameters of VX\ Hya could be derived as: the mass $2.385\pm0.025\ M_{\odot}$, the luminosity $\log(L/L_{\odot})=1.93\pm0.02$ and the age $(4.43\pm0.13)\times 10^8$ years. VX\ Hya is found to locate at the post-main-sequence stage with a helium core and a hydrogen-burning shell on the H${-}$R diagram.