Detection of Solar-like Oscillations, Observational Constraints, and Stellar Models for θ Cyg, the Brightest Star Observed By the Kepler Mission

Detection of Solar-like Oscillations, Observational Constraints, and Stellar Models for θ Cyg, the Brightest Star Observed By the Kepler Mission

θ Cygni is an F3 spectral type magnitude V = 4.48 main-sequence star that was the brightest star observed by the original Kepler spacecraft mission. Short-cadence (58.8 s) photometric data using a custom aperture were first obtained during Quarter 6 (2010 June–September) and subsequently in Quarters 8 and 12–17. We present analyses of solar-like oscillations based on Q6 and Q8 data, identifying angular degree l = 0, 1, and 2 modes with frequencies of 1000–2700 μHz, a large frequency separation of 83.9 ± 0.4 μHz, and maximum oscillation amplitude at frequency νmax = 1829 ± 54 μHz. We also present analyses of new ground-based spectroscopic observations, which, combined with interferometric angular diameter measurements, give Teff = 6697 ± 78 K, radius 1.49 ± 0.03 R⊙, [Fe/H] = −0.02 ± 0.06 dex, and log g = 4.23 ± 0.03. We calculate stellar models matching these constraints using the Yale Rotating Evolution Code and the Asteroseismic Modeling Portal. The best-fit models have masses of 1.35–1.39 M⊙ and ages of 1.0–1.6 Gyr. θ Cyg's Teff and log g place it cooler than the red edge of the γ Doradus instability region established from pre-Kepler ground-based observations, but just at the red edge derived from pulsation modeling. The pulsation models show γ Dor gravity modes driven by the convective blocking mechanism, with frequencies of 1–3 cycles per day (11 to 33 μHz). However, gravity modes were not seen in Kepler data; one signal at 1.776 cycles per day (20.56 μHz) may be attributable to a faint, possibly background, binary.