[en] EC14012-1446 is a hydrogen atmosphere (DA) white dwarf pulsator. Its rich pulsation spectrum displays a range of excited modes with complex multiplet structure, in addition to numerous combination frequencies. In April 2008, EC14012-1446 was the primary target of XCOV26. We obtained over 300 hrs of nearly continuous high speed photometry with the goal of using the nonlinear pulse shapes to empirically determine the parameters of the convection zone. The Fourier transform (FT) of the light curve contains power between 1000 to 4000 μHz, with the dominant peak at 1234 μHz. We find 13 independent frequencies distributed in 8 modes, as well as a myriad of combination frequencies. In the following, we present preliminary results and lay the groundwork for future investigation leading to light curve fitting of EC14012-1446.

[en] We report on the analysis of 436.1 hr of nearly continuous high-speed photometry on the pulsating DB white dwarf GD358 acquired with the Whole Earth Telescope (WET) during the 2006 international observing run, designated XCOV25. The Fourier transform (FT) of the light curve contains power between 1000 and 4000 μHz, with the dominant peak at 1234 μHz. We find 27 independent frequencies distributed in 10 modes, as well as numerous combination frequencies. Our discussion focuses on a new asteroseismological analysis of GD358, incorporating the 2006 data set and drawing on 24 years of archival observations. Our results reveal that, while the general frequency locations of the identified modes are consistent throughout the years, the multiplet structure is complex and cannot be interpreted simply as l = 1 modes in the limit of slow rotation. The high-k multiplets exhibit significant variability in structure, amplitude and frequency. Any identification of the m components for the high-k multiplets is highly suspect. The k = 9 and 8 modes typically do show triplet structure more consistent with theoretical expectations. The frequencies and amplitudes exhibit some variability, but much less than the high-k modes. Analysis of the k = 9 and 8 multiplet splittings from 1990 to 2008 reveal a long-term change in multiplet splittings coinciding with the 1996 sforzando event, where GD358 dramatically altered its pulsation characteristics on a timescale of hours. We explore potential implications, including the possible connections between convection and/or magnetic fields and pulsations. We suggest future investigations, including theoretical investigations of the relationship between magnetic fields, pulsation, growth rates, and convection.

[en] We report on an analysis of 308.3 hr of high-speed photometry targeting the pulsating DA white dwarf EC14012-1446. The data were acquired with the Whole Earth Telescope during the 2008 international observing run XCOV26. The Fourier transform of the light curve contains 19 independent frequencies and numerous combination frequencies. The dominant peaks are 1633.907, 1887.404, and 2504.897 μHz. Our analysis of the combination amplitudes reveals that the parent frequencies are consistent with modes of spherical degree l = 1. The combination amplitudes also provide m identifications for the largest amplitude parent frequencies. Our seismology analysis, which includes 2004-2007 archival data, confirms these identifications, provides constraints on additional frequencies, and finds an average period spacing of 41 s. Building on this foundation, we present nonlinear fits to high signal-to-noise light curves from the SOAR 4.1 m, McDonald 2.1 m, and KPNO 2 m telescopes. The fits indicate a time-averaged convective response timescale of τ₀ = 99.4 ± 17 s, a temperature exponent N = 85 ± 6.2, and an inclination angle of θ_i = 32.⁰9 ± 3.⁰2. We present our current empirical map of the convective response timescale across the DA instability strip.

[en] An extensive set of high-speed photometric observations obtained with the Whole Earth Telescope network is used to show that the complex light curve of the ZZ Zeti (DAV) star G29-38 is dominated by a single, constant amplitude period of 615 s during the time span of these observations. The pulse arrival times for this period exhibit a systematic variation in phase readily explained by light-travel time effects produced by reflex orbital motion about an unseen companion. The best-fit model to the observations indicates a highly eccentric orbit, a period of 109 + or - 13 days and a minimum mass of 0.5 solar mass for the companion. 23 refs

[en] SPA is a stand alone software package for high speed photometry reduction and analysis. The goal of SPA is to be simple, powerful and intuitive. SPA was born out of complications studying the pulsating DB white dwarf EC20058-5234 (QuTel) due to the proximity of its companions. SPA addresses the Whole Earth Telescope's (Nather et al. 1990) demand for large scale rapid data reduction from multiple sites. SPA is being developed in MATLAB by the Delaware Asteroseismic Research Center (DARC) in collaboration with the University of Delaware and the Mount Cuba Astronomical Observatory.

[en] The Whole Earth Telescope, under operation by the Delaware Asteroseismic Research Center, have obtained multi-site observations of two pulsating white dwarf stars. The DAVs R808 and G29-38 both show an abundance of excited modes, mostly clustered around 1050μHz. We present the Fourier analysis of both multi-site campaigns, present the measured periods, discuss their combination modes, and show that amplitude modulation is present in these stars.

[en] Variations in the pulsation arrival time of five independent pulsation frequencies of the DB white dwarf EC 20058–5234 individually imitate the effects of reflex motion induced by a planet or companion but are inconsistent when considered in unison. The pulsation frequencies vary periodically in a 12.9 year cycle and undergo secular changes that are inconsistent with simple neutrino plus photon-cooling models. The magnitude of the periodic and secular variations increases with the period of the pulsations, possibly hinting that the corresponding physical mechanism is located near the surface of the star. The phase of the periodic variations appears coupled to the sign of the secular variations. The standards for pulsation-timing-based detection of planetary companions around pulsating white dwarfs, and possibly other variables such as subdwarf B stars, should be re-evaluated. The physical mechanism responsible for this surprising result may involve a redistribution of angular momentum or a magnetic cycle. Additionally, variations in a supposed combination frequency are shown to match the sum of the variations of the parent frequencies to remarkable precision, an expected but unprecedented confirmation of theoretical predictions.

[en] Montgomery [1] developed a method to probe convection in pulsating white dwarf stars which allows the recovery of the thermal response time of the convection zone by fitting observed nonsinusoidal light curves. He applied this method to two objects; the Whole Earth Telescope (WET) observed the pulsating DB white dwarf GD 358 for just this purpose. Given this WET run's success, it is time to extend Montgomery's method to pulsating DA white dwarf (ZZ Ceti) stars. We present observations of two ZZ Ceti stars, WD 1524-0030 and EC 14012-1446, both observed from multiple sites. EC 14012-1446 seems better suited thAN WD1524-0030 for a future WET run because it has more pulsation modes excited and because it pulsation spectrum appears to be more stable in time. We call for participation in this effort to take place in April 2008.

[en] Convective driving, the mechanism originally proposed by Brickhill for pulsating white dwarf stars, has gained general acceptance as the generic linear instability mechanism in DAV and DBV white dwarfs. This physical mechanism naturally leads to a nonlinear formulation, reproducing the observed light curves of many pulsating white dwarfs. This numerical model can also provide information on the average depth of a star's convection zone and the inclination angle of its pulsation axis. In this paper, we give two sets of results of nonlinear light curve fits to data on the DBV GD 358. Our first fit is based on data gathered in 2006 by the Whole Earth Telescope; this data set was multiperiodic containing at least 12 individual modes. Our second fit utilizes data obtained in 1996, when GD 358 underwent a dramatic change in excited frequencies accompanied by a rapid increase in fractional amplitude; during this event it was essentially monoperiodic. We argue that GD 358's convection zone was much thinner in 1996 than in 2006, and we interpret this as a result of a short-lived increase in its surface temperature. In addition, we find strong evidence of oblique pulsation using two sets of evenly split triplets in the 2006 data. This marks the first time that oblique pulsation has been identified in a variable white dwarf star.

[en] We obtained Hubble Space Telescope Goddard High-Resolution Spectrograph medium-resolution (G160M grating) phase-resolved spectroscopic observations of the prototype dwarf nova U Geminorum during different stages of two different outbursts. The spectral wavelength ranges were centered on three different line regions: NV (1238 Angstrom, 1242 Angstrom), SiIII (1300 Angstrom), and HeII (1640 Angstrom). The spectrum corresponding to the early decline phase of outburst 1 is essentially featureless except for weak NV absorption and narrow interstellar lines, while the spectrum at the peak of outburst 2 reveals broad emission peaks separated by narrow central absorption. The double-peaked emission-line profile structure with low-velocity central absorption seen in the second outburst suggests a disk origin, but the emission velocity widths appear narrower than the widths of the optical disk emission features. We interpret the high-excitation emission lines, with central absorption below the continuum, to be due to photoionized material (coronal?) above the disk plane with the thickened outer disk absorbing the boundary layer or inner disk radiation. The possibility of a wind origin for the profiles is also discussed, as well as the possibility of an ejected optically thin shell. The NV absorption velocity versus orbital phase traces the motion of the white dwarf, but the HeII absorption velocity appears to deviate from the white dwarf motion. We present the results of synthetic accretion disk spectral fitting to the data of both outbursts and derive accretion rates for the two outbursts of 6x10^-10M_circle-dotyr^-1 and 2x10^-9M_circle-dotyr^-1. Implications are discussed. copyright 1997 The American Astronomical Society