Kepler Asteroseismology Program: Introduction and First Results

Abstract

Asteroseismology involves probing the interiors of stars and quantifying\ntheir global properties, such as radius and age, through observationsof normal\nmodes of oscillation. The technical requirements for conducting\nasteroseismology include ultra-high precision measured in photometry in parts\nper million, as well as nearly continuous time series over weeks to years, and\ncadences rapid enough to sample oscillations with periods as shortas a few\nminutes. We report on results from the first 43 days of observations in which\nthe unique capabilities of Kepler in providing a revolutionary advance in\nasteroseismology are already well in evidence. The Kepler asteroseismology\nprogram holds intrinsic importance in supporting the core planetary search\nprogram through greatly enhanced knowledge of host star properties, and extends\nwell beyond this to rich applications in stellar astrophysics.\n