Precision Asteroseismology Of The Pulsating White Dwarf Gd 1212 Using A Two-Wheel-Controlled Kepler Spacecraft

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Date

2014-07

Authors

Hermes, J. J.
Charpinet, S.
Barclay, Thomas
Pakstiene, E.
Mullally, Fergal
Kawaler, Steven D.
Bloemen, S.
Castanheira, Barbara G.
Winget, D. E.
Montgomery, Michael H.

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Abstract

We present a preliminary analysis of the cool pulsating white dwarf (WD) GD 1212, enabled by more than 11.5 days of space-based photometry obtained during an engineering test of the two-reaction-wheel-controlled Kepler spacecraft. We detect at least 19 independent pulsation modes, ranging from 828.2-1220.8 s, and at least 17 nonlinear combination frequencies of those independent pulsations. Our longest uninterrupted light curve, 9.0 days in length, evidences coherent difference frequencies at periods inaccessible from the ground, up to 14.5 hr, the longest-period signals ever detected in a pulsating WD. These results mark some of the first science to come from a two-wheel-controlled Kepler spacecraft, proving the capability for unprecedented discoveries afforded by extending Kepler observations to the ecliptic.

Department

McDonald Observatory

Description

Keywords

stars: evolution, stars: individual (gd 1212), stars: oscillations, (including pulsations), stars: variables: general, white dwarfs, whole earth telescope, zz-ceti stars, gravity modes, light-curve, g29-38, pg-1159-035, instability, discovery, g226-29, period, astronomy & astrophysics

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Citation

Hermes, J. J., St�phane Charpinet, Thomas Barclay, E. Pak�tien?, Fergal Mullally, Steven D. Kawaler, Steven Bloemen et al. "Precision asteroseismology of the pulsating white dwarf GD 1212 using a two-wheel-controlled Kepler spacecraft." The Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 789, No. 1 (Jul., 2014): 85.

URI

http://hdl.handle.net/2152/34732

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