Multiperiodicities from the Hipparcos epoch photometry and possible pulsation in early A-type stars

A selection criterion based on the relative strength of the largest peaks in the amplitude spectra, and an information criterion are used in combination to search for multiperiodicities in Hipparcos epoch photometry. The method is applied to all stars which have been classified as variable in the Hipparcos catalogue: periodic, unsolved and microvariables. Results are assessed critically: although there are many problems arising from aliasing, there are also a number of interesting frequency combinations which deserve further investigation. One such result is the possible occurrence of multiple periods of the order of a day in a few early A-type stars. The Hipparcos catalogue also contains a number of these stars with single periodicities: such stars with no obvious variability classifications are listed, and information about their properties (e.g., radial velocity variations) discussed. These stars may constitute a new class of pulsators.