THE INNER STRUCTURE OF INTERMEDIATE-MASS STARS REVEALED BY ASTEROSEISMOLOGY

Rhita-Maria Ouazzani – LESIA

The Kepler mission has allowed the exploration of a new area of the HR diagram: the main sequence of intermediate-mass stars. Allowing to apply asteroseismic analyses to dozens of stars of intermediate-mass, it revealed their inner structure for the first time. Stellar rotation introduces a number of phenomena that considerably complicate the modelling of these stars and the interpretation of their pulsations. It induces dynamical processes such as meridional circulation, shear and baroclinic instabilities, and modifies the dynamics of pulsation modes, eventually giving rise to new classes of pulsation modes. With data of exquisite quality, we are finally able to study such pulsations in depth, and use them for asteroseismic analyses. In this review, I will be focussing on low frequency pulsations. After introducing these new classes of modes and their physics, their seismic potential will be demonstrated. Finally, I will open on the bright perspectives that the PLATO mission will bring to this subject.

(Image credits: CEA/IRFU/DAp)