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Harmonics are quite common in pulsating stars, and they are always considered to mimic the behaviors of their independent parent pulsation modes and not taken as the key information for asteroseismology. Here, we report an SX Phoenicis star XX Cygni, whose periodogram is dominated by the fundamental frequency $f_{0} = 7.41481 \pm 0.00004\ \mathrm{cd}^{-1}$ and its 19 harmonics. According to the analysis of the archival data from \TESS, we find that both the amplitudes and frequencies of the fundamental mode and the harmonics vary within TESS Sectors 14-17 and 54-57, which might be caused by the contamination by neighbouring stars. What is more interesting is that, the harmonics show significantly uncorrelated amplitude and frequency variations over time. Some possible origins and interesting issues are proposed to scheme the further research of this hidden corner in current asteroseismology., 11 pages, 6 figures, 2 tables. AJ published

In this work, the pulsation analysis is performed on 83 high-amplitude $δ$ Scuti stars, which have been observed by the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS). The results show that 49 of these HADS show single-mode pulsation, 27 of them show radial double-modes pulsation (in which 22 of them pulsate with the fundamental and first overtone modes and 5 of them pulsate with the first and second overtone modes), and 7 of them show radial triple-modes pulsation (3 of which are newly confirmed triple-mode HADS). The histogram of the fundamental periods and the ratios between the fundamental and first overtone periods show bimodal structures, which might be caused by the stellar evolution in this specific phase. Most of the radial triple-mode HADS have a fundamental amplitude of 41-54 mmag, and 50% of them have similar amplitudes of the fundamental and first overtone pulsation modes. All these hints require further confirmation not only in observations with more HADS samples, but also in theoretical models with suitable treatments of stellar evolution and pulsation., 11 pages, 8 figures, 3 tables. RAA published

We propose to develop a wide-field and ultra-high-precision photometric survey mission, temporarily named "Earth 2.0 (ET)". This mission is designed to measure, for the first time, the occurrence rate and the orbital distributions of Earth-sized planets. ET consists of seven 30cm telescopes, to be launched to the Earth-Sun's L2 point. Six of these are transit telescopes with a field of view of 500 square degrees. Staring in the direction that encompasses the original Kepler field for four continuous years, this monitoring will return tens of thousands of transiting planets, including the elusive Earth twins orbiting solar-type stars. The seventh telescope is a 30cm microlensing telescope that will monitor an area of 4 square degrees toward the galactic bulge. This, combined with simultaneous ground-based KMTNet observations, will measure masses for hundreds of long-period and free-floating planets. Together, the transit and the microlensing telescopes will revolutionize our understandings of terrestrial planets across a large swath of orbital distances and free space. In addition, the survey data will also facilitate studies in the fields of asteroseismology, Galactic archeology, time-domain sciences, and black holes in binaries., 116 pages,79 figures

People cannot witness the stellar evolution process of a single star obviously in most cases because of its extremely secular time-scale, except for some special time nodes in it (such as the supernova explosion). But in some specific evolutionary phases, we have the chances to witness such process gradually on human times-scales. When a star evolved leaving from the main sequence, the hydrogen nuclei fusion in its core is gradually transferring into the shell. In the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram, its evolutionary phase falls into the Hertzsprung gap, which is one of the most rapidly evolving phases in the life of a star. Here we report a discovery of a rapidly evolving high-amplitude $��$ Scuti star KIC6382916 (J19480292+4146558) which is crossing the Hertzsprung gap. According to the analysis of the archival data, we find three independent pulsation modes of it, whose amplitudes and frequencies are variating distinctly in 4 years. The period variation rates of the three pulsation modes are one or two orders larger than the best seismic model constructed by the standard evolution theory, which indicates the current theory cannot precisely describe the evolution process in this rapidly evolving phase and needs further upgrades. Moreover, the newly introduced Interaction Diagram can help us to find the interactions between the three independent pulsation modes and their harmonics/combinations, which opens a new window to the future asteroseismology., 14 pages, 8 figures, 4 tables

In Phys. Rev. D 98, 103023 (2018), a novel scenario was proposed to probe the interactions between dark matter (DM) particles and electrons, via hydrogen-atmosphere pulsating white dwarfs (DAVs) in globular clusters. The estimation showed that the scenario could hopefully test the parameter space: $5 \mathrm{GeV} \le m_{\chi} \le 10^{4} \mathrm{GeV}$ and $\sigma_{\chi,e} \ge 10^{-40} \mathrm{cm}^{2}$, where $m_{\chi}$ is the DM particle's mass and $\sigma_{\chi,e}$ is the elastic scattering cross section between DM and electron. In this comment, we have determined the exact lower limit of the testable DM particle mass $\sim 1.38 - 1.58 \mathrm{GeV}$, which depends on $\sigma_{\chi,e}$. This gives us a credible lower limit of the testable DM particle mass in above scenario, and provide a clear upper limit of the DM particle mass which we should consider in future research., Comment: 2 pages, 1 figure

Bi-site time-series photometric and high-resolution spectroscopic observations were made for the double-mode high-amplitude $��$ Scuti star VX\ Hya. The fundamental frequency $f_{0}=4.4763\ \rm{c\ days^{-1}}$, the first overtone $f_{1}=5.7897\ \rm{c\ days^{-1}}$ and 23 harmonics and linear combinations of $f_{0}$ and $f_{1}$ are detected by pulsation analysis. From the spectroscopic data, we get $\rm{[Fe/H] = -0.2\pm0.1\ dex}$. The period change rate of the fundamental mode is obtained by using the Fourier-phase diagram method, which gives the value of $(1/P_{0})(dP_{0}/dt)=(1.81\pm0.09) \times 10^{-7}\ \rm{yr}^{-1}$. With these results from the observations, we perform theoretical explorations with the stellar evolution code MESA, and constrain the models by fitting $f_{0}$, $f_{1}$, and $(1/P_{0})(dP_{0}/dt)$ within $3��$ deviations. The results show that the period change of VX\ Hya could be ascribed to the evolutionary effect. The stellar parameters of VX\ Hya could be derived as: the mass $2.385\pm0.025\ M_{\odot}$, the luminosity $\log(L/L_{\odot})=1.93\pm0.02$ and the age $(4.43\pm0.13)\times 10^8$ years. VX\ Hya is found to locate at the post-main-sequence stage with a helium core and a hydrogen-burning shell on the H${-}$R diagram., 23 pages, 9 figures, 12 tables. ApJ version

We study natural supersymmetry in the Generalized Minimal Supergravity (GmSUGRA). For the parameter space with low energy electroweak fine-tuning measures less than 50, we are left with only the $Z$-pole, Higgs-pole and Higgsino LSP scenarios for dark matter (DM). We perform the focused scans for such parameter space and find that it satisfies various phenomenological constraints and is compatible with the current direct detection bound on neutralino DM reported by the LUX experiment. Such parameter space also has solutions with correct DM relic density besides the solutions with DM relic density smaller or larger than 5$\sigma$ WMAP9 bounds. We present five benchmark points as examples. In these benchmark points, gluino and the first two generations of squarks are heavier than 2 TeV, stop $\tilde t_{1,2}$ are in the mass range $[1,2]$ TeV, while sleptons are lighter than 1 TeV. Some part of the parameter space can explain the muon anomalous magnetic moment within 3$\sigma$ as well. We also perform the collider study of such solutions by implementing and comparing with relevant studies done by the ATLAS and CMS Collaborations. We find that the points with Higgsino dominant $\tilde{\chi}_2^0/\tilde{\chi_1}^\pm$ mass up to $300$ GeV are excluded in $Z$-pole scenario while for Higgs-pole scenario, the points with $\tilde{\chi}_2^0$ mass up to $460$ GeV are excluded. We also notice that the Higgsino LSP points in our present scans are beyond the reach of present LHC searches. Next, we show that for both the $Z$-pole and Higgs-pole scenarios, the points with electroweak fine-tuning measure around 20 do still survive., Comment: 22 pages, 5 figures

We propose a novel and feasible method to detect dark matter (DM) electron interaction via pulsating white dwarfs (WDs) in the central region of globular clusters. Annihilation of the DM particles captured by those WDs can provide additional energy source along the natural cooling evolution of WDs and the cooling print can be well offered by precise asteroseismology. The measurement of the long time scale physical quantity -- the rates of period variation of pulsation modes -- could be used to constrain the cross section between DM particles and electrons ($\sigma_{e}$), when DM particle mass $m_{\chi} \gtrsim 5 \mathrm{GeV}$. We construct estimations to prove that this original method is feasible and can be implemented in the challenging time-series photometry in the near future., Comment: 5 pages, 2 figures

O-C diagram is a useful technique to analyse the period changes of a pulsator by using the maximum (or minimum) value points which have been obtained from the historical data. But if an object is a double-mode or multi-mode pulsator, the extreme value points are the results of all the modes other than just the fundamental mode. We discussed these situations and give out some criteria to judge whether the O-C diagram can be used in these situations., 12 pages

We analyze the photometric data and spectroscopic data that collect on the $��$ Scuti star AE UMa. The fundamental and the first overtone frequencies are confirmed as $f_{0} = 11.62560$\,c\,d$^{-1}$ and $f_{1} = 15.03124$\,c\,d$^{-1}$, respectively, from the frequency content by analyzing of the 40 nights light curve spanning from 2009 to 2012. Additionally, another 37 frequencies are identified as either the harmonics or the linear combinations of the fundamental and the first overtone frequencies, among which 25 are newly detected. The rate of period change of the fundamental mode is determined as $(1/P_{0})(dP_{0}/dt) = 5.4(\pm 1.9) \times 10^{-9}$\,yr$^{-1}$ as revealed from the $O-C$ diagram based on the 84 newly determined times of maximum light combined with those derived from the literature. The spectroscopic data suggests that AE UMa is a population\,I $��$ Scuti star. With these physical properties, we perform theoretical explorations based on the stellar evolution code MESA on this target, considering that the variation of pulsation period is caused by secular evolutionary effects. We finally constraint the AE UMa with the physical parameters as: the mass of $1.805 \pm 0.055\ M_{\odot}$, the radius of $1.647 \pm 0.032 \times 10^{11}$\,cm, the luminosity of $1.381 \pm 0.048~(\log L/L_{\odot})$ and the age of $1.055 \pm 0.095 \times 10^{9}$\,yr. AE UMa can be the (Pop. I) $��$ Scuti star that locates just after the second turn-off of its evolutional track leaving the main sequence, a star in the phase of the Hertzsprung Gap with a helium core and a hydrogen-burning shell., 36 pages, 12 figures. arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:1301.0319 by other authors

Time-series photometric observations were made for the High Amplitude $��$ Scuti star CW Ser between 2011 and 2012 at the Xinglong Station of National Astronomical Observatories of China. After the frequency analysis of the light curves, we confirmed the fundamental frequency of $f = 5.28677\ cd^{-1}$, together with 8 harmonics of the fundamental frequency, 7 of which are newly detected. No additional frequencies were detected. The O-C diagram, produced with the 21 newly determined times of maximum light combined with those provided in the literature, helps to obtain a new ephemeris formula of the times of maximum light with the pulsation period of $0.189150355 \pm 0.000000003\ days$., 16 pages, 5 figures