Publication Abstracts

Carson et al. 1981

Carson, T.R., R. Stothers, and S.K. Vemury, 1981: Type II Cepheids: A comparison of theory with observations. Astrophys. J., 244, 230-241, doi:10.1086/158700.

Theoretical models of normal type II Cepheids in the period range 1-10 days have been constructed with the use of the new Carson opcaities. The various features of the computed light and velocity curves are found to agree in detail with those actually observed. For example, the Hertzsprung progression of the light curves shows up distinctly in the approximate period range 1-3 days. Masses of observed type II Cepheids, deduced both from the phase of the Hertzsprung bump in the light curves and from the theoretical pulsation constants, are consistent with each other, and average, formally, 0.59±0.03 M for globular cluster members and 0.54±0.01 M for the archetypal field variable BL Herculis. These masses also agree closely with masses determined directly from atmospheric analyses and indirectly from stellar-evolution theory. From the lcoation of the observed blue edge of the instability strip in the H-R diagram, the helium abundance in the pulsating layers is inferred to be 0.25 ≤ Y ≤ 0.50; and from a comparison of the bump masses and the pulsation-constant masses, it is determined to be Y = 0.31±0.08. This amount of helium is in satisfactory agreement with spectroscopic and evolutionary data for these stars.

If the Cox-Stewart opacities are adopted instead of the Carson opacities, the bump masses turn out to be, at least formally, too small compared to the pulsation-constant masses to the expected evolutionary masses of the helium cores of these stars, for any realistic helium abundance.

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BibTeX Citation

@article{ca05010p,
  author={Carson, T. R. and Stothers, R. and Vemury, S. K.},
  title={Type II Cepheids: A comparison of theory with observations},
  year={1981},
  journal={Astrophysical Journal},
  volume={244},
  pages={230--241},
  doi={10.1086/158700},
}

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RIS Citation

TY  - JOUR
ID  - ca05010p
AU  - Carson, T. R.
AU  - Stothers, R.
AU  - Vemury, S. K.
PY  - 1981
TI  - Type II Cepheids: A comparison of theory with observations
JA  - Astrophys. J.
JO  - Astrophysical Journal
VL  - 244
SP  - 230
EP  - 241
DO  - 10.1086/158700
ER  -

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