Theoretical Asteroseismology

The study of 'asteroseismology,' or the properties of pulsation modes to determine the interior structure of stars, has been among the most important and exciting areas of research in astronomy during the last decade. The Principal Investigator (PI) intends to continue previous work on the pulsations of several types of stars using a computer program which determines the pulsation periods of a star precisely and self-consistently as the star's structure evolves in time. Such effects as mixing, nuclear 'burning', and differential diffusion among the chemical elements is taken into account, as are some types of magnetic field structures. The PI will use this code to determine the thermo- dynamic and magnetic structural properties of magnetically pulsating 'A' stars and delta Scuti stars, whose properties in many ways mimic the Sun's. This work is expected to help place solar and stellar physics within the same context so that advances made in one area can benefit the other.