Internal constitution and oscillation spectrum of Procyon

Abstract

In a previous paper on Procyon A, we analyzed the best available observational data (summarized here in Table 1), discussed its evolutionary status in terms of theoretical evolutionary tracks, and evaluated on the basis of these models its expected characteristic p-mode frequency spacing (Demarque and Guenther 1986). We reached the following conclusions: (1)that the published astrometric mass of Procyon A is inconsistent with stellar models and seems too large by about 15 per cent.(2)that evolutionary models have too high effective temperatures unless convective overshoot at the edge of the convective core, of the order of a tenth of a pressure scale height, is taken into account.(3)that the p-mode characteristic frequency spacing for Procyon A should be in the range 25–30 μHz.The aim of this paper is to explore theoretically the potential ability of the p-mode and g-mode non-radial oscillation spectrum to throw light on two fundamental problems raised by our first study: Procyon A's evolutionary status, and its mass-luminosity relation.