Stellar Astrophysics - Asteroseismology

Asteroseismology is the study of oscillations and pulsations in a star using a collection of observational techniques. These are closely analogous to techniques used in solar structure investigations, and loosely comparable to measuring earth tremors on the Earth. Using these techniques we can indirectly study the interior of stars, and hence develop much better theories for describing stellar atmospheres.

Asteroseismology at the Center for Astrophysics is being developed using extensive photometric studies of Ap-type stars. For the first time, the vertical structure of a pulsation mode within a stellar atmosphere has been resolved. This has led to a number of papers on the atmospheric structure of Ap-type stars.

Lead researcher: Professor Don Kurtz

PDRAs: Dr Vladimir Elkin, Dr Lars Freyhammer

Research student: Jonathan Riley

Header Image : V838 Mon and Tadpole Galaxy : credit NASA, H. Ford (JHU), G. Illingworth (UCSC/LO), M.Clampin (STScI), G. Hartig (STScI), the ACS Science Team, and ESA ; and solar plume courtesy of SOHO /EIT consortium

Author: SPSEyres. Last Updated: Friday, 10 February, 2006 15:17