Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union

Table of Contents - 2006 - Volume 2, Symposium S239 (Convection in Astrophysics)  

Contributed Papers

Probing turbulence with seismic observations of α Centauri

C. W. Strakaa1, P. Demarquea1 and F. J. Robinsona1a2

a1 Department of Astronomy, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520-8101, USA email: straka@astro.yale.edu, pierre.demarque@yale.edu

a2 Department of Geology and Geophysics, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520-8101, USA email: marjf@astro.yale.edu

Abstract

We present two 3D Large Eddy Simulations (LES) of the convection-radiation transition layer for both the A and the B component of the α Centauri binary system. Theoretical oscillation spectra are then calculated from stellar evolutionary models that include the effects of turbulence based on the LES simulations. By taking both non-seismic and seismic observational constraints into account we discuss the possibility to probe turbulence beyond standard 5mixing-length-theory in a star other than Sun.

Keywords

  • Turbulence;
  • methods: numerical;
  • stars: individual (α Cen A, B);
  • stars: oscillations
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