A search for solar-like oscillations in alpha Cen A

Abstract

We have been using a new method to search for solar-like oscillations that involves measuring temperature changes via their effect on the equivalent widths of the Balmer hydrogen lines. We observed alpha Cen A over six nights in 1995 with the 3.9-metre Anglo-Australian Telescope and the European Southern Observatory's 3.6-metre telescope in Chile. Oscillations were not detected, with an upper limit only slightly higher than the expected signal.

6 pages, LaTeX with PS figures; Invited talk, to appear in Proc. IAU 185 on "New Eyes to See Inside the Sun and Stars" Kyoto, Japan, edited by F.-L. Deubner et al. Some revisions suggested by the editors