Abstract
In the last decade, the Kepler and CoRoT space-photometry missions have demonstrated the potential of asteroseismology as a novel, versatile and powerful tool to perform exquisite tests of stellar physics, and to enable precise and accurate characterisations of stellar properties, with impact on both exoplanetary and Galactic astrophysics. Based on our improved understanding of the strengths and limitations of such a tool, we argue for a new small/medium space mission dedicated to gathering high-precision, high-cadence, long photometric series in dense stellar fields. Such a mission will lead to breakthroughs in stellar astrophysics, especially in the metal poor regime, will elucidate the evolution and formation of open and globular clusters, and aid our understanding of the assembly history and chemodynamics of the Milky Way’s bulge and a few nearby dwarf galaxies.
Highlights
Driven and motivated by the impetus behind the search for transiting exoplanets, high-precision, high-cadence, long photometric surveys from space have led to major advances in the study and interpretation of global, resonant pulsation modes in stars
In the last decade, the Kepler and CoRoT space-photometry missions have demonstrated the potential of asteroseismology as a novel, versatile and powerful tool to perform exquisite tests of stellar physics, and to enable precise and accurate characterisations of stellar properties, with impact on both exoplanetary and Galactic astrophysics
Based on our improved understanding of the strengths and limitations of such a tool, we argue for a new small/medium space mission dedicated to gathering high-precision, high-cadence, long photometric series in dense stellar fields
Summary
Driven and motivated by the impetus behind the search for transiting exoplanets, high-precision, high-cadence, long photometric surveys from space have led to major advances in the study and interpretation of global, resonant pulsation modes in stars (asteroseismology). High-precision mean densities, masses, radii, ages, and envelope He mass fraction can be inferred via detailed forward and inverse modelling techniques This can be done using asteroseismic constraints of different quality: from average seismic parameters to individual-mode frequencies (see Fig. 1). – Determination of model independent properties through seismic inversions are possible with high-quality (i.e. Kepler-like) data These approaches can be used to robustly infer global properties (e.g. mean density, see [37, 182]), and to build specific proxies [34,35,36, 186] of stellar structure designed to test key ingredients of stellar physics related to, e.g., microscopic diffusion, convective boundary mixing (see Section 2.1). The large pixel sizes of PLATO (projected size in sky: 15 arcsec, [194]) will hamper obtaining detailed information for stars in crowded fields, including star clusters, the Milky Way’s bulge, and nearby galaxies
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