Inferring properties of small convective cores in main-sequence solar-like pulsators

Abstract

This work concerns the study of the properties of convective cores in main-sequence models of solar-like pulsators and what information they may hold about stellar ages. We verified that the maximum absolute frequency derivative of particular combinations of frequencies, which we name "the slopes", provides information on the relative size of the discontinuity in the sound-speed profile at the border of the convectively mixed region. Since the latter is related to the evolutionary state of stars, we show that for models with masses above $1.3\,\rm M_\odot$, it may be possible to estimate the fraction of stellar main-sequence evolution from the slopes. Moreover, for models with masses below $1.2\,\rm M_\odot$ we verified that it may be possible to use the slopes to discriminate against models with small amounts of core overshoot.