Stellar Pulsations

This lecture covers the intrinsic variability of stars due to pulsations, starting with the historical discovery of the first pulsating star, Mira. It delves into the establishment of stellar pulsations by scientists like Edward Pigott and John Goodricke, explaining the mechanisms behind pulsations and their classification. The lecture also explores the calculation of stellar pulsations and the presence of pulsating stars across the Hertzsprung Russell Diagram, highlighting the intimate link between pulsations and stellar structure. Furthermore, it discusses the instability strips across the diagram and the classification of pulsations using period-amplitude diagrams. The lecture concludes with a detailed explanation of the Kappa, Epsilon, and Gamma mechanisms responsible for pulsations.