Published February 20, 2017 | Version v1
Journal article

Synergies between asteroseismology and three-dimensional simulations of stellar turbulence

  • 1. Steward Observatory, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721 (United States)
  • 2. Institute of Astronomy, KU Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200D, B-3001 Leuven (Belgium)

Description

Turbulent mixing of chemical elements by convection has fundamental effects on the evolution of stars. The standard algorithm at present, mixing-length theory (MLT), is intrinsically local, and must be supplemented by extensions with adjustable parameters. As a step toward reducing this arbitrariness, we compare asteroseismically inferred internal structures of two Kepler slowly pulsating B stars (SPBs; M 3.25 M ) to predictions of 321D turbulence theory, based upon well-resolved, truly turbulent three-dimensional simulations that include boundary physics absent from MLT. We find promising agreement between the steepness and shapes of the theoretically predicted composition profile outside the convective region in 3D simulations and in asteroseismically constrained composition profiles in the best 1D models of the two SPBs. The structure and motion of the boundary layer, and the generation of waves, are discussed.

Availability note (English)

Available from http://dx.doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/aa5cb0

Additional details

Identifiers

Publishing Information

Journal Title
Astrophysical Journal Letters
Journal Volume
836
Journal Issue
2
Journal Page Range
[5 p.]
ISSN
2041-8205

INIS

Country of Publication
United States
Country of Input or Organization
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
INIS RN
51031222
Subject category
S79: ASTROPHYSICS, COSMOLOGY AND ASTRONOMY;
Descriptors DEI
ALGORITHMS; BOUNDARY LAYERS; CONVECTION; ELEMENTS; SEISMOLOGY; SIMULATION; STAR EVOLUTION; STARS; THREE-DIMENSIONAL CALCULATIONS; TURBULENCE
Descriptors DEC
ENERGY TRANSFER; EVOLUTION; HEAT TRANSFER; LAYERS; MASS TRANSFER; MATHEMATICAL LOGIC