A Study of the Newly Discovered Rapid sdO Pulsators in ω Centauri
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Date
2012
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Abstract
We summarise recent observational and modelling results obtained for the newly discovered rapid sdO pulsators in ω Centauri. At present, these variables have no counterpart among the field star population, and the extent and purity of the associated instability strip is not yet well defined. First non-adiabatic computations indicate that the pulsations observed are driven by the same κ-mechanism that has been invoked to explain the oscillations in the extensively studied field sdB pulsators. The ω Cen variables appear to show only a small number of independent modes down to the currently achievable detection threshold and there is evidence for significant amplitude variations over time. It remains to be seen whether these objects can be exploited for asteroseismology in the near future; this will certainly be challenging both from an observational and a modelling point of view....