Studying the surface effect in Procyon A as an F-type star

TL;DR

This study investigates how surface correction methods affect the inferred properties of Procyon A, an F-type star, revealing that surface effects can cause up to 7% uncertainty in stellar mass estimates.

Contribution

It compares different surface correction prescriptions in asteroseismic modeling of Procyon A, highlighting their impact on fundamental stellar parameter inference.

Findings

Surface corrections can cause up to 7% uncertainty in stellar mass.

Frequency ratios and specific correction methods yield the most reliable results.

Surface effects in F-type stars differ from those in the Sun and solar-like stars.

Abstract

Procyon A is an F-type main-sequence star in a binary system. It has been the subject of numerous ground-based and space-based observing campaigns, providing precise classical constraints, including a well-determined mass. It was also among the first stars in which individual frequencies were detected, making it a crucial benchmark for F-type stars. Our goal is to investigate the surface effect, namely the discrepancy between observed and model oscillation frequencies due to inadequate modeling of the surface stellar layers, especially important in F-type stars. Using Procyon A as a case study, we aim to understand how different surface correction prescriptions impact the inference of the fundamental properties of this star, and compare the results with those obtained when the surface corrections are neglected. We inferred the fundamental stellar properties employing a grid of models computed with MESA, including gravitational settling, radiative accelerations, and turbulent mixing. We selected the best-fit models using the AIMS code taking into account different methods to fit the individual frequencies. We find that the use of surface corrections can introduce uncertainties up to 7\% in the inferred stellar mass. We identify that the most reliable stellar mass estimates are obtained when using frequency ratios, the Sonoi et al. (2015) surface correction or directly fitting the individual frequencies. Our results indicate that the surface effects in F-type stars differ from those found in the Sun and in solar-like stars, highlighting the need to be careful when considering the surface corrections for these stars.