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Detection of Solar-like Oscillations, Observational Constraints, and Stellar Models for θ Cyg, the Brightest Star Observed By the Kepler Mission

J. A. Guzik, G. Houdek, W. J. Chaplin, B. Smalley, D. W. Kurtz, R. L. Gilliland, F. Mullally, J. F. Rowe, S. T. Bryson, M. Still, V. Antoci, T. Appourchaux, S. Basu, T. R. Bedding, O. Benomar, R. Garcia, D. Huber, H. Kjeldsen, D. W. Latham, T. S. Metcalfe, P. I. Pápics, T. R. White, C. Aerts, J. Ballot, T. S. Boyajian, M. Briquet, H. Bruntt, L. A. Buchhave, T. L. Campante, G. Catanzaro, J. Christensen-Dalsgaard, G. R. Davies, G. Doǧan, D. Dragomir, A. P. Doyle, Y. Elsworth, A. Frasca, P. Gaulme, M. Gruberbauer, R. Handberg, S. Hekker, H. Lehmann, P. Mathias, S. Mathur, A. Miglio, J. Molenda-Żakowicz, B. Mosser, S. J. Murphy, C. Régulo, V. Ripepi, D. Salabert, S. G. Sousa, D. Stello, K. Uytterhoeven

Abstract
θ Cygni is an F3 spectral type magnitude V = 4.48 main-sequence star that was the brightest star observed by the original Kepler spacecraft mission. Short-cadence (58.8 s) photometric data using a custom aperture were first obtained during Quarter 6 (2010 June-September) and subsequently in Quarters 8 and 12-17. We present analyses of solar-like oscillations based on Q6 and Q8 data, identifying angular degree l = 0, 1, and 2 modes with frequencies of 1000-2700 μHz, a large frequency separation of 83.9 ± 0.4 μHz, and maximum oscillation amplitude at frequency ν max = 1829 ± 54 μHz. We also present analyses of new ground-based spectroscopic observations, which, combined with interferometric angular diameter measurements, give Teff = 6697 ± 78 K, radius 1.49 ± 0.03 R, [Fe/H] = -0.02 ± 0.06 dex, and log g = 4.23 ± 0.03. We calculate stellar models matching these constraints using the Yale Rotating Evolution Code and the Asteroseismic Modeling Portal. The best-fit models have masses of 1.35-1.39 M and ages of 1.0-1.6 Gyr. θ Cyg’s T eff and log g place it cooler than the red edge of the γ Doradus instability region established from pre-Kepler ground-based observations, but just at the red edge derived from pulsation modeling. The pulsation models show γ Dor gravity modes driven by the convective blocking mechanism, with frequencies of 1-3 cycles per day (11 to 33 μHz). However, gravity modes were not seen in Kepler data; one signal at 1.776 cycles per day (20.56 μHz) may be attributable to a faint, possibly background, binary.

Keywords
asteroseismology, stars: fundamental parameters, stars: interiors, stars: solar-type

The Astrophysical Journal
Volume 831, Number 1
2016 November

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Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa Universidade do Porto Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia da Universidade de Coimbra
Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia COMPETE 2020 PORTUGAL 2020 União Europeia