Theoretical study of $γ$ Doradus pulsations in pre-main sequence stars

Abstract

The question of the existence of pre-main sequence (PMS) $γ$~Doradus ($γ$~Dor) has been raised by the observations of young clusters such as NGC~884 hosting $γ$~Dor members. We have explored the properties of $γ$~Dor type pulsations in a grid of PMS models covering the mass range $1.2 M_\odot < M_* < 2.5 M_\odot$ and we derive the theoretical instability strip (IS) for the PMS $γ$~Dor pulsators. We explore the possibility of distinguishing between PMS and MS $γ$~Dor by the behaviour of the period spacing of their high order $gravity$-modes ($g$-modes).

5 pages, 6 figures, Proc. HELAS IV Conference, Lanzarote, February 2010. Eds T. Roca Cortés, P. Pallé and S. Jiménez Reyes. Accepted in Astron. Nach