An Observer's View on the Future of Asteroseismology

Margit Paparó

doi:10.3389/fspas.2019.00026

Abstract

Scientific research is a continuous process, and the speed of future progress can be estimated by the pace of finding explanations for previous research questions. In this observers based view of stellar pulsation and asteroseismology, we start with the earliest observations of variable stars and the techniques used to observe them. The earliest variable stars were large amplitude, radial pulsators but were followed by other classes of pulsating stars. As the field matured, we outline some cornerstones of research into pulsating star research with an emphasis on changes in observational techniques. Improvements from photographs, to photometry, CCDs, and space telescopes allowed researchers to separate out pulsating stars from other stars with light variations, recognize radial and nonradial pulsation courtesy of increased measurement precision, and then use nonradial pulsations to look inside the stars, which cannot be done any other way. We follow several highlighted problems to show that even with excellent space data, there still may not be quick theoretical explanations. As the result of technical changes, the structure of international organizations devoted to pulsating stars has changed, and an increasing number of conferences specialized to space missions or themes are held. Although there are still many unsolved problems, such as mode identification in non-asymptotic pulsating stars, the large amount of data with unprecedented precision provided by space missions (MOST, CoRoT, Kepler) and upcoming missions allow us to use asteroseismology to its full potential. However, the enormous flow of data will require new techniques to extract the science before the next missions. The future of asteroseismology will be successful if we learn from the past and improve with improved techniques, space missions, and a properly educated new generation.

Highlights

Let me start with ancient times to show how slow was the progress over centuries without serious technical devices
The photoelectric photometer had already been in use but the CCD appeared in Konkoly Observatory two decades later than the 70’s
On the other hand, coordinated multi-site international campaigns were more and more often organized to get as continuous data as possible for δ Scuti stars, β Cep stars, especially for γ Doradus and SPB stars, where the determination of the characteristic periods of the pulsation were highly disturbed by the daily gaps

Summary

INTRODUCTION

Let me start with ancient times to show how slow was the progress over centuries without serious technical devices. Stars still occupied a special place in the lives of people, the Sun and the distant stars were no longer considered gods and myths, but simple cosmic objects. With these few sentences, I have described. An Observer’s View centuries, first, those years when stars were only seen with naked eyes, and those when telescopes were already built, but observations were recorded only by drawings, such as spots on the Sun or phases of the planets. I do not intend to provide a detailed and complete overview of the scientific results of the last 60–70 years, but I want to highlight the dominant directions of research in a given decade up to the space era. I do not intend to give a complete theoretical overview, I only want to emphasize and show that there can be no substantial progress without theoretical interpretation

PRE-HISTORY OF

RESULTS

CONCLUSION