Title: Can an underestimation of opacity explain B-type pulsators in the SMC?
Abstract:Slowly Pulsating B and Cephei are mechanism driven pulsating B stars. That mechanism works since a peak in the opacity due to a high number of atomic transitions from iron-group elements occurs in the...Slowly Pulsating B and Cephei are mechanism driven pulsating B stars. That mechanism works since a peak in the opacity due to a high number of atomic transitions from iron-group elements occurs in the area of logT 5:3. Theoretical results predict very few SPBs and no Cep to be encountered in low metallicity environments such as the Small Magellanic Cloud. However recent variability surveys of B stars in the SMC reported the detection of a significant number of SPB and Cep candidates. Though the iron content plays a major role in the excitation of Cep and SPB pulsations, the chemical mixture representative of the SMC B stars such as recently derived does not leave room for a significant increase of the iron abundance in these stars. Whilst abundance of iron-group elements seems reliable, is the opacity in the iron-group elements bump underestimated? We determine how the opacity profile in B-type stars should change to excite SPB and Cep pulsations in early-type stars of the SMC.Read More
Publication Year: 2010
Publication Date: 2010-10-09
Language: en
Type: article
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Cited By Count: 1
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