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U.S. Department of Energy
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Nonradial pulsation and mass loss in early B stars

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:5605629
It has been firmly established that nonradial pulsation (NRP) probably occurs in nearly all sharp-lined early B stars near the main sequence. A recent breakthrough occurred with the discovery of quasi emission/absorption bumps moving across the line profiles of the rapid rotators zeta Oph and alpha Vir. It was found that an intermediate-1 (1 8) NRP mode is responsible for these features in zeta Oph. Some 20 Be and Bn stars were monitored and convincing evidence for NRP in 13 of them was found. Line-profile variations suggestive of NRP in the other 7 were also discovered. A search for line-profile variables among moderate rotators has turned up NRP in epsilon and eta Lep, with v sin i's of 140 and 70 km/sec, respectively. It now seems that NRP can be present at all rotational velocities with equal frequency (near 100%) . However, at most, 20% of these stars exhibit detectable photometric variations.
Research Organization:
Lick Observatory, Santa Cruz, CA (USA)
OSTI ID:
5605629
Report Number(s):
N-85-17759
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English