Pulsation Mechanisms

Michael Scholz (University of Heidelberg)

Abstract:

This lecture deals in very compact form with fundamental questions of (radial) stellar pulsation. Why does a small percentage of stars pulsate whereas most stars do not? kappa - gamma - epsilon mechanisms. How does a star pulsate?: pulsation constant, PL- and other relations, pulsating stars as distance indicators. Where in the HRD does pulsational instability occur?: Cepheid and Mira "strips", other pulsating variables. What does "pulsation" really mean (observational aspects)?: diameters, pulsation velocities, Bade-Wesselink- method.

Realaudio of lecture
Viewgraphs (584k PDF)

References:

• Cox & Giuli 1968, Stellar Structure II, Sect.27;

• Cox 1980, Theory of Stellar Pulsation, Sect.I-II;

• Kippenhahn & Weigert 1994, Stellar Structure and Evolution, Sect.VIII.

• Cepheids as distance indicators
  M. Feast, Pub. Astron. Soc. Pac. 111, 775.