Pulsating sdB Stars A New Approach to Probing their Interiors.pdf

a r X i v : a s t r o - p h / 0 4 0 1 1 1 8 v 1 8 J a n 2 0 0 4 Pulsating sdB Stars: A New Approach to Probing their Interiors Steven D. Kawaler and Shelbi R. Hostler Dept. of Physics and Astronomy, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011 USA Abstract. Horizontal branch stars should show significant differential rotation with depth. Models that assume systematic angular momentum exchange in the convective en- velope and local conservation of angular momentum in the core produce HB models that preserve a rapidly rotating core. A direct probe of core rotation is available. The nonradial pulsations of the EC14026 stars frequently show rich pulsation spectra. Thus their pulsations probe the internal rotation of these stars, and should show the effects of rapid rotation in their cores. Using models of sdB stars that include angular momentum evolution, we explore this possibility and show that some of the sdB pulsators may indeed have rapidly rotating cores. 1. Introduction First studied in detail by R. Peterson in the mid 1980s (Peterson 1983, 1985a,b), the rapid rotation of some horizontal branch stars remains an enigmatic feature of this phase of evolution. Observations by Behr et al. (2000a,b) show a gap in the horizontal branch of M15 and M13, with two distinct rotation rates on either side. Cooler than about 11000 K, HB stars frequently show rapid rotation (v sin i ≈ 40 km/s) while no rotation rates above 10 km/s appear in the hotter stars. One class of field stars is clearly related to horizontal branch stars. The subdwarf B (sdB) stars are very hot (Teff 25, 000K), and show high gravity (log g ≈ 5.3?6.1). Models proposed to explain their origin include common envelope binary evolution (eg. Sandquist et al., 2000, Mengel et al., 1976), variations of mass loss efficiency on the RGB (D’Cruz et al., 1996), and even mass stripping by planetary companions (Soker Harpaz, 2000). Some proposed origin scenarios make clear predictions about their rotational properties;