Multifrequency comparison of Cepheids and nonvariable supergiants

Abstract

New IUE data and infrared J, H, K, L, and M observations have been obtained for nonvariable yellow supergiants and the prototype classical Cepheid Delta Cephei. These data have been combined with data in the literature to make a comparison between nonvariable yellow supergiants and Delta Cephei from the UV through the near-IR. The supergiant sequence shows a smooth progression of energy distributions with spectral type over this extended wavelength range. The Delta Cephei energy distributions on the descending branch of the light curve (free-fall portion of the pulsation curve) are well matched by supergiant energy distributions with the same (B-V)(0) for most phases. At the hottest phases, however, there is some extra flux at 3000 A as compared with the nonvariables. The Delta Cephei observation on the ascending branch of the light curve ('piston' phase of the pulsation cycle) has slightly more UV light than would be predicted from either the supergiant observations or the free-fall Delta Cephei phases.