A nonlinear convective model for radial stellar pulsations

I. The physical description

Institut für Astronomie der Universität Wien, Türkenschanzstraße 17, A-1180 Wien, Austria

Send offprint request to: M.U. Feuchtinger

Received: 6 November 1998
Accepted: 4 January 1999

Abstract

The physical and numerical ingredients of the Vienna nonlinear model for radially pulsating stars are presented. Stellar pulsations are investigated by solving the full system of radiation hydrodynamics including a time-dependent formulation of turbulent convection. The numerical solution method comprises a state-of-the-art adaptive grid algorithm which provides a powerful tool for resolving and tracking the most important ionization zones. Several already published applications to pulsating stars in the classical instability strip demonstrate that the model is able to reproduce important observational properties like RR Lyrae light curves or double mode pulsations.